By Janet MacGillivray | Founder/Co-Director
Greetings Medicine Wheels Team!
Our collective at Seeding Sovereignty sends a heartfilled thank you you for making Phase 1 of our youth program a success for Indigenous youths.
Amidst an ongoing mental health crisis that has been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicine Wheels was born to empower youth of the global majority to take back some joy, celebrate their culture, reconnect with the land, release pent up energy and break the isolation experienced during COVID-19 quarantining to rebuild community together.
Our goal was to raise enough funds to get immediate care to young people who face disproportionate incarceration, suicide, and substance abuse rates. To make this happen, we partnered with the American Indian Friendship House whose Youth Program works with young people ages 8-24 to provide services that help prevent addiction before it starts, support mental health, instill cultural pride, and foster resilience in the presence of violence and substance abuse at home.
After approaching the Friendship House Youth Program, we learned that two years prior, there had been a promise of quality skateboards for the youths in the program - and that promise had gone unfulfilled. We weren’t about to disappoint them this time!
At first 8 young people in the Youth Program responded, then 11, then 18, and finally - on the day of board build, 31 young people showed up! In partnership with Turtle Island Skateboard Project, and with your generous contributions in a few short months through our GlobalGiving Medicine Wheels Campaign, each of the 31 new youth skaters received received parts, tools, and stickers to build and customize their own skateboards!
To our donors of Phase 1 of Medicine Wheels - we thank you! Our work to benefit the American Indian Friendship House youths in San Francisco was a huge success!
Many communities’ youths have experienced too many challenges during this global pandemic, and we are just getting started to bring Medicine Wheels to more Indigenous youths. In the last two months we have been building relationships with young folks in other cities and are looking ahead to an exciting June launch of Medicine Wheels Rose City (aka Portland)!
Others want to and need to be involved. Seeding Sovereignty’s Medicine Wheels welcomes all wheels! Stay tuned for GlobalGiving updates from Medicine Wheels Rose City - and more!
Mvto/Thank you
Janet and the Seeding Sovereignty Collective
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