Urban American Indian Elders Sharing Stories of Resilience

1. Urban American Indian Elders Sharing Stories of Resilience 25th Annual Native Health Research Conference June 2014

2. Documenting and Promoting Stories of Resilience Among Urban American Indians Elders • Pilot project funded by the Center for American Indian Resilience • National Institute On Minority Health And Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P20MD006872 • Partnership between University of Arizona and Tucson Indian Center

3. Team Members Agnes Attakai and Kerstin M. Reinschmidt (Co-PI) Carmella Kahn-Thornbrugh (UA) Shannon Whitewater (UA) Tara Chico (UA) Marlene Jose (TIC) Phoebe Mills (TIC) NolandoNeswood (elder) Kathryn Foster (elder) Nicolette Teufel-Shone (PI- CAIR)

4. CBPR Principles • Tucson Indian Center-UA co-designed project • Research process with elders • Community Advisory Board

5. Goal • The purpose this qualitative pilot research project was to document and develop a youth health promotion curriculum on native elders’ stories of resilience. • Methods • Develop questionnaire based on literature • Test with elders and revise • Recruit 15 elder for interviews • Video tape, audio tape and transcribe • Code using NVIVO • Develop curriculum • Test, revise and finalize

6. Elder Interviews • 11 females, 2 males; age 55+ • 1-3 hour duration; video/voice recorded • Stories edited • 2nd interview to review digital story

7. Analysis Process • Combined consensus and thematic analysis • Consensus approach to develop thematic codes • NVIVO coding • Coded texts shared with team for curriculum design • Complete analysis and interpretation • (CAB) Team consensus of final analysis

8. Thematic Codes Used in NVIVO

9. Historical Trauma • Events of the past led to • Loss of language, traditions and culture • Disruption of family life • Contemporary adversities as continuation past events • Alcoholism/drugs • Discrimination • Loss of family members • Generational gap • Untold stories • Strategies to overcome historical trauma • Building positive identities based on culture and tradition • Bringing the generations together

10. Multiple, Interrelated Levels of Resilience • At the community level, sources of resilience are • Culture, language, traditions and sharing stories • Traditional land use • Tucson Indian Center and/or other community resources • The family plays important cultural roles by • Teaching the younger generation • Creating positive family relations • Providing family members as role models • The individual is a source of resilience as embedded in family, community and culture/traditions by • practicing spirituality • practicing responsibility • being strong • participating/volunteering

11. Resilience Strategies for Youth • Education • Activities • Getting elders and youth together • Knowing roots/history

12. Resilience curriculum 4 modules with elder stories to promote resilient behaviors and strategies among American Indian youth 12-18.

13. Draft Curriculum • Goal 1: Build connections between elders and youth by enhancing the knowledge of the role of elders in American Indian communities • Goal 2: Enhance youth identity through storytelling • Goal 3: Increase knowledge among youth about American Indian resilience

14. Goal 1: Build connections between elders and youth by enhancing the knowledge of the role of elders in American Indian communities Codes • health • generation gap • spirituality • values • culture, tradition, language • growing up/history • role models • volunteerism Lesson Plans Voice of Elders • Volunteerism • Role Models • Culture, Tradition, Language and Spirituality • Growing-up/History • Health

15. Goal 2: Enhance youth identity through storytelling Lesson Plans Storytelling • What is storytelling? • Telling your personal story • How to share stories Codes • generation gap • Culture, language, tradition

16. Goal 3: Increase knowledge among youth about American Indian resilience Lessons Plans Resilience • History of American Indian Resilience • Personal stories of resilience • Native Traditional values and teachings • Personal visions Historical Trauma • Specific topics: TBD • Adversity: discrimination, Codes Resilience • Individual resilience • Family resilience • Role models • Positive family relations • Community resilience • Traditions • Economic development • Sovereignty • Spirituality Historical Trauma • Adversity: alcoholism, discrimination, generational gap, ill health, living conditions, loss of family members, lost voice, violence. • sense of loss: boarding school, broken families, language, traditions, removal. Native Concepts Health then and now

17. Sample Lesson: Adversity Facing Adversity To have participants learn about prejudice, discrimination and how American Indians have faced adversity. Show video: Historical Trauma: Discrimination (2:03) Reflect: After viewing video, ask the students what they saw. Activity: Characteristics and Skills Discuss: definitions of prejudice, discrimination and stereotypes. Action: Write in journal how they will use their new knowledge.

18. NEXT STEPS Completing Project Pilot, evaluate and revise curriculum Present final curriculum and digital stories to Tucson Indian Center

19. Acknowledgements • Sponsor: National Institute On Minority Health And Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P20MD006872. • Tucson Indian Center: Jacob Bernal, Marlene Jose, Phoebe Mills-Cager, CAIR Community Advisory Board members. • Contact Information: Agnes Attakai, MPA, Co-PI, agnesa@email.arizona.edu Kerstin M. Reinschmidt, PhD, MPH, Co-PI kerstin@email.arizona.edu

20. Thank you 