Tulalip Tribes Archives - Page 17 of 45

Mental health stigma, it’s a personal thing

By Kay Feather, MA, LMHC, ATR, EMDR, Sandplay & Art Therapy, Tulalip Family Services

There is much written about mental health stigma, long articles from many perspectives, some about how mental health stigma lives in Native Country. The common thread for me is the shame I have felt and seen in my life and those around me. I see it when someone does not want to share their illness with a new friend or family member, fearing that they will be looked down upon. I see it when a medication might help and there is hesitancy in taking it because that means “I’m mentally ill”.

Mental Health Stigma is a very personal issue. I have struggled with depression for most of my life and have loved ones who are caught in the grip of mental illness. I realized recently that even though I am a mental health counselor and work daily to help others alleviate the effects it has on their lives, that I had an attitude about mental illness.

Shame is the part of mental health stigma that makes it so painful. Shame buries us in self-doubt and we tend to suffer in silence, fearing what someone might think of us. So we don’t share or ask for help when we are in need. Mental health stigma undermines our efforts towards wellness and an ability to heal.

So you see, Mental Health Stigma is a very personal issue. It is for anyone who suffers with mental illness, or has a family member who does. Mental health stigma shadows one’s ability to understand and have compassion for another’s pain and struggle.

When one is diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, or some other illness, friends and family gather round and offer support. There may be sadness, shock, fear, and also shame, but it does not cripple our ability to reach out.

Mental illness is a broad term for many different diagnosis, several hundred in the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Illnesses. There are many different behaviors with the different diagnosis, but one thing that is true for all of them; the person is suffering, they are in pain. It manifests in many different ways, but they are suffering. And being given a diagnosis is not necessarily a permanent thing, with help it can change.

I urge you to look within and find the compassion you have for your loved one and know that they need your love, your kindness and understanding to live a full life. Educate yourself on their mental illness, talk with them, and ask how you can help. And if you suffer from mental illness, allow yourself to love yourself and know that it’s not your fault, you didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes things happen in life and it just doesn’t feel fair. Seek help, educate yourself, and know that you are stronger than your diagnosis. .

Here are some resources that you may find helpful:

http://www.namisnohomishcounty.org/ National Alliance on Mental Illness This organization offers support group and education for those who suffer with mental illness and those who love and support them.
https://themighty.com/ The Mighty is a website that has articles written by those who are healing from mental illness, disabilities and illness of all sorts. I have been following this one on Facebook, and have found a wealth of support here.

Here at Tulalip we have two teams to help you:

Adult Mental Health Team 360-716-4400
Child, Youth and Family Team 360-716-4072

Mapping the future with Geographic Information Systems

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Each year during the month of December, maps are displayed at the Tulalip Administration building. The maps aren’t in preparation of a long road trip nor for a treasure hunt adventure, instead they hold a more significant value to Tulalip tribal members, employees and the community.

A necessity to governments, especially sovereign nations, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) play a huge role in preserving resources for future generations. GIS is the technology that allows the tribe to monitor, question, analyze, and interpret geographically referenced data to understand relationships and patterns throughout the reservation.

The GIS team creates a variety of maps to study a range of topics including historical events as well as natural and cultural resources. The tribe uses GIS to track salmon during spawning season to find how far they travel. During this process the tribe often finds blocked culverts and alerts Washington’s Department of Transportation. The GIS team uses this information to assist with the Culvert Replacement project the State recently passed.

Other maps displayed the progress of the Qwuloolt Estuary Project, traditional names of local cities, neighboring Salish tribes who also speak Lushootseed, and a map depicting how far each tribe had to travel to sign the Point Elliot Treaty of 1855.

GIS specialist Michelle Totman was available for personal tours, giving detailed descriptions and teaching community members how to read and analyze the maps. She states, “It’s a unique way to see the world and a great way to understand how we are connected to each other.”

During its eleventh year, the map and technology expo attracted plenty of curiosity. The event included live land-surveying demonstrations and activities. Several departments that collaborate with the GIS team were present to speak about the importance of GIS in tribal government. Community members dropped in throughout the day to learn about GIS and how the technology is assisting the tribe’s vision for a thriving environment for future generations.

For further information about Tulalip’s Geographic Information Systems visit http://GIS.TulalipTribes-nsn.gov

Training for a Better Tomorrow

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Monday, December 12, fourteen Native students were honored with a graduation banquet at the Hibulb Cultural Center for their commitment to training for a better tomorrow. The fourteen students, six of whom are Tulalip, were the latest cohort to complete an intensive three-month pre-apprenticeship construction trades program offered by our TERO Vocational Training Center (TVTC).

As far we know, the program, which is managed by the Tulalip TERO department, is the first and only state and nationally recognized Native American pre-apprenticeship program in the country. The program is accredited through South Seattle Community College and Renton Technical College, while all the in-class, hands-on curriculum has been formally approved by the Washington State Apprentice and Training Council.

The three-month program provides curriculum that teaches a variety of construction trades and skills that can last a life time. Upon completion, the graduate’s dedication to a better future is rewarded with a wide-range of new employment opportunities now available to each graduate as they navigate the construction trades career path. In addition, students are trained and awarded certifications in flagging, first aid/CPR, and OSHA 10-hour safety training. Upon completion of the program students are ready to safely enter the construction work environment and demonstrate everything they’ve learned.

Tulalip tribal member and Rediscovery Coordinator for the Hibulb Cultural Center, Inez Bill, opened the graduation ceremony with words of encouragement and guidance.

“Accomplishing this graduation day is a great milestone for the students. They worked hard to get here. I’d like to thank them for the benches they made that will be a part of our longhouse. Also, the three tiny homes they made that will be donated to the Seattle homeless is such a good cause. The work that they’ve done is real world work and it will add to the Tulalip and Seattle communities. I raise my hands to that quality of work. The teachings and values of our work is to do things in a good way, to help and add to our community, and I think you all have met those traditional values. You have honored our ancestors by putting your best foot forward and doing the best you can. I’m truly happy to be a witness to what you all have achieved on this special day.”

Under the supervision of instructors Mark Newland and Billy Burchett, the students constructed three tiny houses for their final class project. These houses, which are approximately 120-square-feet, are being donated to homeless families located throughout the Seattle area. The insulated houses will be a major upgrade for their soon-to-be residents as they offer electricity, heat, a much safer environment and, most importantly, a measure of stability for their new residents.

Tulalip TERO was recently awarded the ‘Housing Hero” award by the Low Income Housing Institute for donating the most tiny homes to the Seattle Homeless. Including the three to be soon delivered, Tulalip TERO has constructed and given a total of eleven tiny homes to those in most need.

The TVTC construction trades pre-apprenticeship program is a unique, nationally known model that supports tribal members from sovereign nations across the United States. The program is not dependent on tribal hard dollars. In fact, zero hard dollars are used to fund it. Instead, due to the dedication and commitment of so many individuals the TVTC program continues to grow and gain more recognition while being funded by the graciousness of the Tulalip Charitable Fund, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Ladder of Opportunity, and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

Since the Fall of 2013, when TERO took over the program, 108 students have graduated the pre-apprenticeship program. Of those 108 graduates, 43 have been Tulalip Tribal members, and 11 have either been Tulalip spouses or parents. That’s 54 graduates from Tulalip and 54 fellow Native Americans from all over the region who have opted to train for a better tomorrow and complete the construction training program.

Francis Napoleon of Quinault (left) communted from Tacoma every day for the opportunity to graduate from the TERO program.

Among this graduating class are two members of the Northern Arapaho tribe. Nick Brown and Weston Shakespeare both journeyed from their reservation in Wyoming to attend the heralded TVTC class. Also among this cohort of graduates is 18-year-old Francis Napoleon of Quinault. After just graduating Aberdeen High School, Francis was informed of the Tulalip TVTC class and was determined to open up more possible career paths for his future. He packed up a few essential belongings and moved in with family just outside of Tacoma (the closest relative he had to Tulalip), and then proceeded to wake up every day at 4:45 a.m. so he could drive himself to class in Tulalip by 8:00 a.m. Following class he’d hop back in his car and drive back down to Tacoma, where he’d usually arrive at 6:00 p.m. Every day for three-months he endured a monster commute and marginal free time in order to obtain the one-of-a-kind pre-apprenticeship certification offered by Tulalip TERO.

“My immediate plans are to move back to Aberdeen and hopefully go to work for a construction company close to home,” says Francis, who had zero previous experience with construction tools prior to the class. “I’d recommend the program to any Native American. I loved it. The learning experience, the instructors, and my fellow students made it a great three-months.”

Contact Micheal Rios, mrios@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

Shedding light on a dark subject: sex trafficking

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Human trafficking ranks as the second largest criminal industry in the world today. It has become an ever increasing global problem and only continues to worsen. The International Labor Organization 2012 report estimates there are 21 million victims of human trafficking. Of that number, 4.5 million are children and women exploited by the global commercial sex trade. Most Americans view the sex trade as more of an international issue and aren’t aware of its prevalence within U.S. borders. In fact, thousands of American women and children are trafficked in the U.S. commercial sex industry.

Washington’s international border with Canada, its many ports, rural areas and agricultural make the state prone to human trafficking. In 2003, Washington became the first state in the nation to enact legislation making human trafficking a crime. Seattle police and the U.S. Department of Justice see a trend of victims and pimps being sourced out of the state along the west coast track from Vancouver, B.C. to Seattle to Los Angeles. The Seattle area including Snohomish County has seen an increase in illegal internet activity (e.g. prostitution) as a result of human trafficking along the I-5 corridor.

Snohomish County has been a major part of several sex trafficking stings led by law enforcement agencies over recent months. Most recently, in September 2016, ten men were arrested in Operation Anvil and charged in Snohomish County for crimes including commercial sexual abuse of a minor, rape of a child, and attempted rape of a child. Operation Anvil garnered national media attention and was an eye-opening moment for viewers of any local news shows. There was a similar sting operation in February 2016 where six men were arrested and charged for similar crimes.

long-night-photo — The award-winning documentary, ‘The Long Night’ is raising sex trafficking awareness in the northwest. Tulalip Girls’ Group coordinator Sasha Smith, Chairman Mel Sheldon, and Tulalip News staff were among those invited to a special screening.

Further emphasis on the need for sex trafficking awareness in Snohomish County has rose from special screenings of the award-winning documentary, The Long Night, within the past month. Set in Seattle, The Long Night explores the crisis of minors who are coerced into the American sex trade. The film, by Tim Matsui, weaves the stories of seven individuals whose lives have been affected.

On Thursday, November 17, the League of Women Voters of Snohomish County arranged a screening of The Long Night at an Edmonds church. Tulalip Girls’ Group coordinator Sasha Smith, Chairman Mel Sheldon, and Tulalip News staff were among those invited.

Following the screening, Sheriff’s Department detective Joan Gwordske reviewed sex trafficking problems in Snohomish County and urged all community members to help raise awareness on sex trafficking in order to help prevent future incidents.

“Anybody in here have teenage daughters or granddaughters that go to high school in this area? What school?” Detective Gwordske posed this question to the audience. Hands went up and crowd members responded with several local high schools. “I have [sex trafficking] cases with girls in every single one of those schools and probably every other one that you can think of in Snohomish County,” she said.

Long-time community member and former Northwest Indian College (NWIC) professor, Karen Shoaf-Mitchell has made it a personal mission of hers to help raise awareness on sex trafficking.

“As former public school teacher of forty years, I realize how vulnerable teens can be. In June of 2014, the Washington State legislature mandated that all school districts have information about this crime on hand for its counselors, school nurses, health classes, PTAs, etc. Yet, it was an unfunded mandate, so I decided that I should do something,” explains Karen. “Therefore, I’ve given an informative presentation on sex trafficking to the Everett Public Library, to a World Problems class at Cascade High School in Everett, several times to the sovereignty class located at NWIC Tulalip, and now to the Tulalip Girls’ Group.”

Karen credits Tulalip for openly discussing subjects like abuse and exploitation in the tribal newspaper. She also points to former Board of Director Deborah Parker, who has spoken publicly about how she was taken advantage of, as another example of the Tulalip Tribes motivation to protect the most vulnerable, our children.

“[Sex trafficking] is a crime that is perpetrated upon the vulnerable and that outrages me,” continues Karen. “I presented to the Tulalip Girls’ Group a documentary about sex trafficking that shares stories from trafficking victims. Upon viewing the film, the girls had shocked and worried expressions on their faces. I shared that they could be vulnerable or their friends could be vulnerable to this manipulation by others. I also gave the girls cards from Dawson Place in Everett to put in their wallets with a phone number on it from D.P. to call if they ever needed help.”

“The girls and I were surprised that it is happening in our backyard,” says Girls’ Group coordinator Sasha Smith of their reaction to the sex trafficking presentation. “I had no idea that it was happening so close to home, thought it was something you only see in the movies. It was a good wake up call for myself and the members of Tulalip Girls’ Group.”

Sex trafficking is a very real problem in Snohomish County and our local communities. For better awareness and understanding of the issue please visit www.SharedHope.org for more information.

Contact Micheal Rio, mrios@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

Tulalip hosts First Annual MOA Training with Washington State’s Children’s Administration

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Dr. Stephanie Fryberg, keynote speaker for the first annual tribal training under the MOA.

In January 2016, the Tulalip Tribes and the State of Washington signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that would allow the two entities to collaborate on government-to-government issues regarding child welfare and Tulalip youth. Tulalip wants to ensure that the youth of the community remain connected to their culture and their people.

Previously, in the event that a Tulalip child was taken out their home, the child would enter the system and often would be placed in the home of non-natives. This practice caused a disconnect between the youth and their families and culture. Tulalip has long worked on a resolution, and at the beginning of 2016 the resolution was presented in the form of the MOA. The agreement involves the Tulalip Tribal Court, beda?chelh, and Child Protective Service caseworkers uniting together to ensure that when a Tulalip youth is removed from the their parent’s guardianship, that child will relocate but remain with family. If family is unable to take the child in, alternate families throughout the community are considered and are the next option for placement. Once the child is relocated, beda?chelh team members remain involved, often assisting the families with guidance and informing them when cultural and community events are occurring.

Recently, in the month of November, caseworkers and team members of Washington State Children’s Administration traveled to the Tulalip Administration Building for the first annual Tribal Training Under the MOA. Tulalip’s goal for the first training was to make sure the trainees had a clear understanding of how a tribal community operates.

The trainees had the opportunity to meet the teams they will be working with including, Judge Whitener and the Tulalip tribal attorneys, the beda?chelh team, as well as Tulalip Tribes General Manager Misty Napeahi and Kinship Coordinator Verna Hill.

Dr. Stephanie Fryberg, keynote speaker, shared her experience growing up on the Tulalip Reservation. She explained that the modern society praises an independence lifestyle, which is introduced at a young age. Independence is based on the decisions an individual makes, meaning a person’s successes and failures are placed entirely on that individual.

She then explained to the group the opposite of independence, interdependence. Dr. Fryberg explained that the majority of the world adapts the interdependence lifestyle. Interdependence is the reason why many cultures including, Native American, have strong, deeply connected communities. With interdependence, each individual has a role to play within their community. If a person fails they are supported by their community, allowing the individual the opportunity to learn why they failed. Not only does this present the opportunity for the individual to learn from the mistake but also the chance for more experienced members to pass down advice and knowledge to the individual, therefore making a stronger connection amongst community members.

Dr. Fryberg spoke of the importance of growing up in an interdependence based community. She informed the group that she has taken in two Tulalip tribal children, the youngest an infant boy who was born prematurely.

She states, “He’s really had a big impact on the way I think about what we are doing in our community. The idea of focusing on promoting our people is really helping others see the strength in our people. This is something that has been really important and it will help move us away from the systems that have continued to hold people down. In particular the systems that have kept some families of our communities in foster care. And what we’re trying to do is interrupt that cycle. In our community there’s a real desire for well-being, there’s a real desire to help us move forward. What we’re doing is trying to be very purposeful in this work we are doing, as we continually think about how do we get better.”

She continued, “In that process we realized that change is hard, but it is hard because we are fighting against all of the mindsets people have. We’re trying to be purposeful in understanding that it’s not just about individuals. They exist in a system. We can try to change the system to make it easier for our people. To help scaffold what it means to take those steps, to help improve them. And by improving them, we improve the next generation in our community.”

Dr. Fryberg stated that the young boy in her custody was born drug exposed. She researched different methods that would give the child in her care the greatest future possible. She stated, “I don’t know what the drugs did to his brain while he was in his mother’s body. I can’t know. But what I do know is that I will do everything for this little boy every day of his life to give him the best chance possible. And he is so loved! There are many families like mine in our community. There are many people who’ve taken in these babies and children, and said they are going to commit to these little souls with every ounce of energy they have.”

Wrapping up her speech, Dr. Fryberg addressed the trainees, “What we want you to walk away with today are three things. Number one, we want to approach our families, especially our most vulnerable families, from a place of promotion. They’re already in a terrible place. Most of them didn’t get there because they were awful people, but because they had awful experiences. So, we want to start from a place of promotion, and we want to put families back together. We have to find a way to empower people when they are most vulnerable because a lack of empowerment will never lead to change. Number two, we have to understand that there is more than one good legitimate way to be. There are different ways of existing in the world, there’s different ways of expressing, of thinking, and being motivated. And third and lastly, we have to know what our bias is and be willing to confront it in every interaction in the community and at home. Our objective is to make sure we do our best by our families and by our children.”

Contact Kalvin Valdillez, kvaldillez@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

Tulalip Tribal Employment Rights Office Family Day

On Friday November 4^th the Tulalip Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) held a “Family Day” at its vocational training center. Children, parents, and uncles and aunties gathered together at the training center to paint the bookshelves this years students have built as their first construction project. The school year started in September. Families enjoyed the painting and then had a wonderful hot lunch of fried chicken and salad.

Tulalip Employment Rights Office (TERO) provides training, hiring, and contracting to Tulalip members, their families, and spouses. The Tulalip Vocational Training Center (TVTC) was open in 2014 to provide an opportunity for students to learn a variety of trade skills in order to enter into the construction trades. TVTC trains Native Americans in the trades but offers so much more. After receiving a grant from the Kellogg Foundation two years ago TVTC has been implementing a new philosophy with additional services. That philosophy looks at the individual seeking training but also offers services to the larger family in order to help create success for the next generation.

TVTV staff interacts with students and help to build a foundation of trust and communication. It is through this process that the student’s family needs are identified and the program is then able to identify obstacles that may be interfering with student success. They may help pay for childcare, the education needs of the student, as well as help identify education barriers their children may have; they create linkages and bridges to address these barriers. An adult is not going to have success if they are overwhelmed by worry for their children. Basically, the idea is that in order to create a healthy and productive employee means identifying, and assessing the family stressors, wand then provides the extra services, which in turn creates healthier families; thus, the second generation model.

The training program is accredited through South Seattle Community College and Renton Technical College; all the students taking this program earn 24 college credits.

Teri Gobin, director of the Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO): “What we do is enforce preference of hiring and contracting. A part of that is getting the work force ready. We created the TERO vocational training center back in 2001 to respond to this need. The Washington State Apprenticeship Trades Council now recognizes it as the only pre-apprenticeship program for Native Americans, and the only program of its kind in the nation that is recognized by a state.”

Lisa Telford, the family career navigator, explains the different types of certificates students receive: “First Aid, CPR, AAP, Flaggers, Forklift, Boom Lift, Scissor Lift, OSHA 10; they get all those certifications at the end of the program. The students think about what unions or trades they are interested in and we work on filling out applications towards those places.”

Mark Newland, TERO Vocational Training Center instructor, talking about projects they work on during the 13 week course: “The students get introduced to all the facets of the trades: safety, blueprint drawing and reading, what the construction business is all about, building a personal project to scale with cut list. We do all the ground up, building footing, foundation wall, framing, they learn how to frame windows and walls. They build rafters, calculate scales, and learn about plumbing and electrical.

Lynne Bansemer, TVTC program coordinator, says: “Students will be able to take the information they learn and apply it into their own lives and houses.” We want to start working with Heritage High School, bringing in the students to start helping build Tiny Houses. It would be empowering to the kids who come and work on a project like this to see there is more things going on in life, be a part of people thanking them for building these houses.

What other local projects have TVTC been involved with? “We do a lot of projects for the tribe right now, the gardens you see at the Boys and Girls Club, the Clinic, and we built those. The students help build the garden structure and get an idea for what it’s like to grow your own food.”

Family day is about kids coming in and seeing what their parents are doing every day, how they are bettering their future, being truly focused, and successful people.

Talking to a student, Ralph Flores, about why he joined the program “It was definitely something I was interested in and I had to go for it; I couldn’t pass it up.”

Nicholas Brown and Caleb Hatch, two students in the TERO program, traveled far to be in this program “We came from Wyoming to take this program. We traveled and are staying at a relative’s house, trying to find opportunities that we can take advantage of in Washington. I lived here before, I grew up in Washington, I enjoy it here.”

When asked why they took this program they responded, “You get to learn the basic knowledge of construction trades, power tools, and learning the process of soft skills. I’ve learned presentation skills like proper dress codes; you don’t want to go in wearing a suit and tie. You want to go into an interview ready to work, steel toe boots, here I am, let’s go work.”

Tulalip community joins colorful way to combat bullying, drugs and suicide

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Tulalip Youth Services ended the extremely popular and successful Tulalip/Marysville Unity Month in the most insanely fun way possible, a one-mile color run from the Boys and Girls Club to the Greg Williams Gym.

Youth Service team members set up inflatable check marks in between the start and finish line and awaited runners, with bags of multi-colored powder chalk in hand. The event started precisely at sundown on the last Friday of October. Over 50 participants of all ages joined in the fun. Dressed in white t-shirts, participants made the dash to bring awareness to important, serious topics such as bullying, drug abuse, and suicide.

Upon reaching the gym, the chalk-covered participants were able to freshen up. Following the run, a dance and dinner was held at the gym as the youth celebrated the completion of the first Annual Tulalip Unity Month.

Quil Ceda Tulalip students promote positive, healthy living

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The Tulalip Tribes Tobacco Cessation Program helped Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary (QCT) students celebrate Red Ribbon Week from October 24 to 28. This year’s theme was “You Only Live Once. Be Drug Free.” Students, parents and staff were invited to participate in daily activities to promote positive, healthy living.

Red Ribbon Week is a national campaign held during the final week of October and brings drug abuse awareness to schools. Think of it as a modern day equivalent to the D.A.R.E. program for the previous generations. It’s a program that started back in the 1980s in honor of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, Kiki Camerena, whose goal was to educate youth on drug prevention.

The ‘YOLO. Be Drug Free’ campaign focused on making healthy, confident life choices. The week highlighted substance abuse prevention, including over-the-counter medications, prescription medications and illegal substances.

“The Tulalip Tribes and Marysville School District partnered to create a special month-long program called Unity Month and it was in full effect during October,” stated Ashley Tiedeman, Tobacco Cessation Program Coordinator. “Each week our goal was to focus on a different topic, such as domestic violence and bullying prevention. For the last week of October the topic was suicide prevention for the older kids, grades 6-12, while the younger kids, K-5, got Red Ribbon Week.”

On Monday, October 24, the tobacco and drug prevention campaign kicked off. QCT students and staff were encouraged to wear the color red and all received an invitation to a special breakfast before the morning assembly. The youthful minds who attended the breakfast got a nutritious, fruit-filled breakfast to snack on while Ashley and her colleague Rachel Steeve handed out custom #UnityMonth bracelets and stickers. The pair of Smoking Cessation experts used the time to also educate students on the health risks and concerns of smoking cigarettes. When hearing of all the deadly chemicals and nastiness in cigarettes the children’s focused faces immediately mirrored that of Mr. Yuk.

Throughout the week QCT students had the opportunity to take a pledge to be drug-free, stand together as links in a unified chain to live healthy lifestyles, look to the future while wearing the colors of their favorite college, and complete several drug-free activity worksheets that could be exchanged for popcorn at lunch time.

“The kids were so excited and they really got into Red Ribbon Week because the activities changed every day. The activities made the kids so eager to learn and they really emphasize all the benefits of being drug-free,” said Moiya Rossnagle, Family Liaison for QCT. “Watching them fill out their pledge cards to be drug and alcohol-free was a definite highlight.”

Red Ribbon Week came to an end with the conclusion of the final activity, a door decorating competition. Each classroom spent the week decorating their doors for the contest held on Friday, October 28. The winning classroom would be awarded a Popsicle party, so needless to say the stakes couldn’t be any higher.

“We wanted to get all the classes excited and what better way than to have a friendly competition where the kids could get creative and really show different ways to promote living healthy and being drug-free,” marveled Ashley. “The kids put so much effort and thought into decorating their classroom doors. It was just amazing to see what each class came up with. Each class did such a great job that we couldn’t pick just one winner, they were all winners for celebrating Red Ribbon Week.”

Ultimately, each class was deemed a winner and all the students got to bask in the glory that is a Popsicle party. Hopefully, while enjoying the yummy treat each student took a moment to reflect on what they’d learned over the past week. Understanding the importance of staying focused on their dreams and not letting negative things like substance abuse sidetrack them from all the potential and greatness a drug-free life has to offer. After all, there are many more Popsicle parties to be had.

Contact Micheal Rios, mrios@tulaliptribes-nsn,gov

Don’t Be A Monster

Kids meet Frank, a victim if bullying. Frank was featured in a video about bullying that presented by Georgetown Morgue Haunted House staff members. — Kids meet Frank, a victim of bullying. Frank was featured in a video about bullying that was presented by Georgetown Morgue Haunted House staff members.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

During the month of October, school assemblies are held nationwide to talk to America’s youth about bullying, a serious situation that unfortunately is often overlooked. Don’t Be A Monster! is an organization that is informing students, fourth grade and up, that the bullying issue is real. Too often bullying is brushed off like it’s no big deal. In many cases victims are somehow left responsible and sent off with the ‘sticks and stones’ mantra when searching for advice.

Traumatic scars, caused by bullies, were initially emotional cuts that were once quite deep. According to the program’s research, over 90% of kids are bullied in school. Amongst the youth in the state of Washington, suicide is the third leading cause of death. One of the main contributing factors to suicide is harassment from classmates.

The Georgetown Morgue Haunted House in Seattle participates in the program and sends their staff to local schools to help kids identify what bullying is and how to step up when one of their peers is picked on. As a perfect tie-in to Tulalip/Marysville Unity Month, the Georgetown Morgue team paid a visit to the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club on a chilly Friday afternoon.

“You know we have all kinds of monsters and ghouls at the haunted house, but you know those aren’t real. But there are real monsters out there, bullies,” stated Lynette, a Georgetown Morgue staff member, to the group of kids filling the Club gymnasium.

A video presentation about a new student, Frank, who is struggling to fit in was shown to the youth. Frank, based on Doctor Frankenstein’s’ creation, is trying to adjust to his new school, however, because of how he looks he becomes an outcast. The video portrays popular kids using cruel words to hurt Frank’s feelings. At the end of each scene, somebody stands up for Frank and tells the bully to stop. The video displayed different types of bullying such as physical, emotional, and its most recent form, cyber-bullying.

The presentation showed Frank logging into his Facebook account to a plethora of messages. Statements such as ‘nobody likes you,’ ‘go away,’ and the horrific ‘kill yourself’ are comments that are sadly left on kids profiles and comment sections daily.

Lynette attempted to project her voice over the kids who lost interest in the assembly by stating, “I knew somebody like Frank, who went to my high school, that was pretty much like that. He always smelled like urine, his clothes were filthy, his teeth were yellow. He walked the halls alone with his head down and nobody sat with him at lunchtime. Nobody was kind to him. It was terrible, but this type of stuff does happen, and…”

After several attempts to re-engage the youth in the topic at hand, Lynette’s statement would unfortunately remain incomplete because of constant interruptions from the kids. She stated that over half of her presentation was cut short as she gave up the battle for the youth’s attention. She called upon special guest Frank, the character from the video, to make a quick appearance as the kids exited the gym.

Despite the many interruptions, Lynette’s message is one of much importance. Kids and parents need to be aware and heed the signs of bullying to help prevent it.

The following information and more can found at www.stopbullying.gov.

Signs a Child is Being Bullied

Look for changes in the child. However, be aware that not all children who are bullied exhibit warning signs. Some signs that may point to a bullying problem are:
Unexplainable injuries
Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem
Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide

If you know someone in serious distress or danger, don’t ignore the problem. Get help right away.

Signs a Child is Bullying Others

Kids may be bullying others if they:
Get into physical or verbal fights
Have friends who bully others
Are increasingly aggressive
Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently
Have unexplained extra money or new belongings
Blame others for their problems
Don’t accept responsibility for their actions
Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity

Why don’t kids ask for help?

Statistics from the 2012 Indicators of School Crime and Safety show that an adult was notified in less than half (40%) of bullying incidents. Kids don’t tell adults for many reasons:
Bullying can make a child feel helpless. Kids may want to handle it on their own to feel in control again. They may fear being seen as weak or a tattletale.
Kids may fear backlash from the kid who bullied them.
Bullying can be a humiliating experience. Kids may not want adults to know what is being said about them, whether true or false. They may also fear that adults will judge them or punish them for being weak.
Kids who are bullied may already feel socially isolated. They may feel like no one cares or could understand.
Kids may fear being rejected by their peers. Friends can help protect kids from bullying, and kids can fear losing this support.

Tulalip is ‘Raising Hands’ to the community

Tulalip youth open the Raising Hands Ceremony with a welcoming song.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Once a year the Tulalip Tribes hosts a gala to honor and thank local charities for their impact on our communities. The event, dubbed Raising Hands, is a nod to a Tulalip tradition of raising hands as a sign of gratitude and recognition for hard work.

“Everyone here tonight had a calling,” Chairman Mel Sheldon stated. “They had something they wanted to do to help better society and they went out and did it. Now, each and every one of them is making a difference. That’s why we’re here, to celebrate your journey. We are all in this canoe, helping each other out, pulling together in the right direction. For the work that you do, we thank you and raise our hands to you. Thank you for helping make a stronger, greater community with Tulalip.”

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 allows tribes to conduct certain types of gaming if they enter into a gaming compact with the state. Tulalip’s compact, like most, includes a provision to donate a percentage of gaming earnings to organizations impacted by gaming (fire, police, etc), as well as other charitable organizations.

Tulalip leaders long ago decided that the money would support organizations that demonstrate the same ideals that Tulalips cherish. Over 400 charities and non-profit organizations received grants from Tulalip this year, bringing the total amount donated to over $7 million. This year, Tulalip broke the record for most money donated by a tribe in a single year.

Tulalip Board of Director Glen Gobin explained that after years of success, the Tribe is more than happy to help support organizations that have a positive impact in Washington.

“We weren’t always this blessed,” Glen reminisced about Tulalip before gaming revenue. “I remember years ago when there was no TRC (Tulalip Resort Casino) and no outlet mall. That area used to be just trees. We’re now very blessed to have the opportunity to give back to our community.”

The event, held in the TRC Orca Ballroom, brings together representatives from each of the organizations who received funds from Tulalip over the previous year. The idea is that when change makers are in a room together, they have the opportunity to network and build connections that can strengthen their efforts.

Among all those present, six organizations were singled out and their efforts highlighted with videos that provide a glimpse into the hard and selfless work that it takes to run charities and non-profits.

For more information about the Raising Hands gala or Tulalip charitable giving, check out the website www.tulalipcares.org.