Embrace Your Sacredness: 4th Intertribal Youth Suicide Prevention Summit

UPDATE, room block has reached capacity! YAY!

Room reservations at Great Wolf Lodge may still be available for the rate of $229 + tax/fees per night. We have also reached capacity for the registration for the Youth Suicide Summit itself.

We DO have a waiting list available. Please add yourself and youth to this list and we will release tickets as they become available. Once they are available, you need to claim them within 24 hours and fill out the registration.

Contact Aubrey at aubrey.aihc@gmail.com or 360.797.5119 if you have any questions or concerns.

---

The American Indian Health Commission and the Chehalis Tribe are honored to invite Native youth (ages 13-24), mental health supervisors, Tribal/UIHP program staff, tribal elders and other concerned community members to the 4th Annual Intertribal Youth Suicide Prevention Summit: I Choose Life; Embrace Your Sacredness.

NATIVE YOUTH WILL:

• Hear and meet Native leaders, experts, and other guests from around the Nation to learn how to support one another and understand the impacts we all face together.
• Create a space to share hope, love, and healing through understanding and development of cultural protection and skills building.
• Participate in open conversations about the impacts of suicide in tribal communities and become leaders in their communities.

Suicide continues to haunt our Native peoples, and it affects our communities more than any other race in the U.S: The rate of suicide among Native Youth is more than double the rate of any other ethnic population.

Among Native peoples, suicide rates peak during adolescence and young adulthood and then decline later in age. This trend is the opposite in other racial and ethnic groups. That’s why it is important for our Native youth to come together now and become warriors to protect our future generations.

UPDATE: RESERVATIONS ARE FULL at the GREAT Wolf Lodge. If you still need a room, you are able to book at

Great Wolf Lodge for 219+taxes and fees per night until they are full
OR
Fairfield by Marriott Grand Mound Centralia 94+tax.
6223 197th Way SW | Rochester, WA 98579
T 360.858.5757 F 360.858.6222

AIHC will pay for 1 room per tribe at the Fairfield inn if you haven't yet reserved a room at GWL, however you must let us know ASAP that you need a room! We will put you on a list and reserve your room for you. However, you must notify us by filling out the form:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L5JG3SL

Again, the AIHC will pay for a one room per Tribe/UIHP for the night before the event, Monday, Aug 12 and Tuesday, August 13.

________________________

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

Attendance is currently FULL, please add yourself to the waiting list if you are still interested in coming!

SUGGESTED participation: Up to 4 youth and 3 adults (one adult chaperone will need to stay with youth throughout the event). We would like youth from all Washington tribes to attend. This year we will focus on Youth programming and adults who attend will participate in the youth activities. At this time we are opening up registration to all interested Native youth you would like to bring.

Attending adults should include program staff (behavioral health professional if possible), elders, and other concerned community members who will support all youth in their participation in plenary, breakout sessions, and group activities. It is recommended one of the adults be an elder. Elders will be invited to participate in cultural activities: beading, weaving, etc.

Chaperones are required to have a letter verifying that they have had a current background check.

**We do ask that if you are unable to attend the summit, that you let us know as soon as possible so we are able to release the spot to another tribal youth who would benefit from attending!**

_______________________

Honorary Chairs are to be announced.

FEATURED SPEAKERS:

Dyami Thomas and Becca Lynn will serve as the Masters of Ceremony

Dyami Thomas, American Indian actor Dyami "Eagle" Thomas is an enrolled member of the Klamath tribes in Oregon and descendant of the Leech Lake Anishinabe in Minnesota. He is also a recipient of the National UNITY organizations prestigious 2016 class of "25 under 25" award and international model and actor.

Becca Lynn, an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes and a descendant of the Leech Lake Anishinabe. Originally from Portland, Oregon, she is currently based in Seattle, Washington employed by the Red Eagle Soaring Theatre Company as a music teacher and children's acting mentor. She is the co-founder of the nonprofit “Native Youth Leading Native Youth,” which is an organization that uplifts and supports up and coming Native youth leaders.

Keynotes: To be announced. Once you register, you will be added to our email list and will receive updates as they become available!

---

CALLING FOR RAFFLE DONATIONS:

During the event, we will have drawings for Youth and other participants to win prizes.

We need donations for the raffle! If you have something you are willing to contribute, we welcome it! Just let us know by contacting Aubrey at aubrey.aihc@gmail.com

(Ideas: event/sports tickets, basketballs, t-shirts, shoes, books, stickers, mugs, cultural items/activities, gift cards!)

_______________________________

LOGISTICS/DIRECTIONS AND LODGING:

Below you will find information about lodging, parking, objectives and a draft agenda.

Hotel information:

Great Wolf Lodge (site link)

20500 Old Highway 99 SW, Centralia, WA 98531 (Google maps directions)

• Phone Number: 360.273.7718
• Toll-Free: 1-866-941-9653

Room check-in does not begin until 4:00 p.m. or as your room becomes available. However, you can arrive as early as 1:00 p.m. to begin using the water park. There are changing rooms, lockers and showers available for you.

Check-out time is 11:00 a.m. As our guest, please feel free to enjoy the water park facilities until closing. We recommend packing a smaller bag with bathing suits and a change of clothes and leave the rest of your luggage locked in your car.

Hotel Address: 20500 Old Highway 99 SW, Centralia, WA 98531

From Portland / Centralia :
Estimated drive times, 1 hour 30 minutes (97 miles)
Take I-5 north to Exit 88 (Hwy 12). Turn left at the first stoplight onto US-12 W, then turn left onto Old Hwy 99. Continue south for approximately 1/3 mile, the lodge is on the left.

From Seattle / Olympia:
Estimated drive times, 1 hour 20 minutes (79 miles)
Take I-5 south to Exit 88 (Hwy 12). Turn right at the first stoplight onto US-12 W, then turn left onto Old Hwy 99. Continue south for approximately 1/3 mile, the lodge is on the left.

Parking:

Parking is available at the location,.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Goals:

• Create a safe environment to raise awareness; develop knowledge and skills about youth suicide prevention.

• Raise awareness about suicide behaviors as a community issue.

• Establish a Declaration of Warriors to raise HOPE and bring HEALING by creating momentum to “I Choose Life-Embrace Your Sacredness.”

• Encourage expressions, self-motivation and inspiration from traditions and cultural foundations.

• Leave motivated and inspired!

Objectives:

• Gain knowledge about data on Native youth and veterans’ suicide and risk factors specific to Washington State

• Create a declaration of Embracing Your Sacredness Warrior status

• Understand Cultural Protective and other Protective Factors

• Actively participate in cultural activities – cultural is a key factor to health

• Raise awareness about “generational clarity” and the connection between historical trauma, Neuroscience, Epigenetics, Adverse Childhood and resilience

• Understand Seven Generation Strategies

• Raise awareness about healthy relationships

• Learn how we can support each other: Native youth, veterans, elders, communities

• Develop skills in ways to Ask for Help (tool they can complete the last day of the summit for youth to use to talk about what they learned)

• Visualizing and creating your own story

• Experiences, and Cultural Resiliency and being informed from a Native perspective

___________________________________________________________________________________

DRAFT AGENDA - SUBJECT TO CHANGE:

AGENDA: Monday, August 12

4:00 p.m. - Check into hotel

6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Evening Activity and Dinner

AGENDA: Tuesday, August 13

7:30 a.m. | Registration Opens

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast buffet

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. | Introductions (Welcome AIHC Leadership and Chehalis, Invocation, Witnesses, MCs)

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. | Opening Remarks (Leadership from Tribal Councils)

9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. | ICEBREAKER

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | Keynote address from Keynote 1

10:45 p.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Please use this time for snack/break and be in place ready to start on time

11:00 p.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Breakout Session 1

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch with special guests

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Choice of 2 group activities

2:00 – 2:30 p.m. | NPAIHB Youth Delegates

2:30 – 2:45 p.m. | Please use this time for snack/break/stretch. Please be at Breakout 2 on time

2:45 – 3:45 p.m. | Breakout Session 2

3:45 – 4:15 p.m. | Resource Tables

4:15 – 5:15 p.m. | Storytelling

6:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Dinner Buffet

6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Evening activity/Swimming time

AGENDA: Wednesday, August 14

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast Buffet

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. | Welcome

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. | Opening Circle, MC’s Icebreaker

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. |Keynote address from Keynote 2

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Please use this time for snack/break/stretch. Please be at Breakout 3 on time

11:00 p.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Breakout Session 3

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch Buffet

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Choice of 2 group activities

2:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Panel

2:30 – 2:45 p.m. | Please use this time for snack/break/stretch. Please be at Breakout 4 on time

2:45 – 3:45 p.m. | Breakout Session 4

3:45 – 4:15 p.m. | Storytelling/Activity

4:15 – 5:15 p.m. | Closing Circle/DRAWING

Thank you for joining us and your participation in this continuing work.

Please reach out to us if we can help any further or answer any questions.

For questions about the 4th Annual Intertribal Youth Suicide Prevention Summit, please contact:

Aubrey Gamble, aubrey.aihc@gmail.com