New Innovations to Expand Family Spirit
Building on the success of the Center’s Family Spirit early childhood home visiting program, which has been proven over the last 20 years to improve parenting, maternal physical and mental health, and children’s healthy development, we are developing several new innovations to expand the model’s scope and impact. These include new modules focused on:
- Promoting mothers’ mental health, particularly in the aftermath of COVID
- Parenting pre-school children ages 3-5
- Integration of Indigenous doulas with Family Spirit to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality risks
- Promoting early childhood language development, including Indigenous language learning
All of these modules will be rolled out through a precision approach strategy, where specific intervention components are matched to meet the unique needs of each family being served.
Read more about Family Spirit.
High Demand for Second Children’s Book
In 2020, a team at the Center created Our Smallest Warriors, Our Strongest Medicine: Overcoming COVID-19, a children’s storybook designed for Native youth and families to help them understand and cope with the pandemic. The book's development was guided by a diverse, intertribal work group and illustrated by artist Joelle Joyner to represent Indigenous peoples, values, and communities. The story follows twins Tara and Virgil as they see their family take care of their community, are reminded of the strengths that protect them, and practice handwashing, mask wearing, and physical distancing. More than 42,000 copies of this book were delivered to 105 tribal communities across 27 states and 12 First Nations communities in Canada.
Motivated by the success of the first book, the Center created a sequel, Our Smallest Warriors, Our Strongest Medicine: Honoring our Teachings during COVID-19, in early 2021 to continue Tara and Virgil’s story. The sequel includes new information mirroring the changes experienced in Native communities throughout the pandemic, including vaccinations, changes to schooling (e.g., remote, hybrid), education about emotions and coping, and more. The title of the sequel relates to four teachings Tara and Virgil learn from their friends: 1) we can be creative and adapt to new situations; 2) it’s okay to feel all our emotions; 3) lands protect us and support us; and 4) we take care of ourselves and each other. The second book became available in July and demand is on track to outpace demand for the first book, with 38,439 copies distributed to date. Learn more at bit.ly/OurSmallestWarriors.
Indigenous Stories of Strength
Across the country, Indigenous communities are exercising innovation, cultural teachings, and collective action to promote health and wellness.
On November 4, the Center launched Indigenous Stories of Strength, a Virtual Showcase highlighting stories of Indigenous strength and leadership in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 21 people submitted nominations for stories of strength and 16 accepted an invitation to create and share their stories in the showcase. Each received a stipend.
By bringing together and sharing these stories, we hope to reinforce a strengths-based narrative of Native communities to support frameworks for public health policy at tribal, regional, and national levels.
Did you know today is Giving Tuesday?
The Center's work is fueled by our generous family of supporters. Please consider a contribution today. Your gift makes our work possible: from the projects above, to new mental health programs for teens, to scholarships for Native American students, to infectious disease research and more. Thank you!
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