How an American Indian community leader is dealing hope in south Minneapolis

This story was produced as part of ThreeSixty Journalism s Multimedia Storytelling Institute for high school students in partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota which financially sponsors the camp and supports story sourcing Additional reporting by Maria Hernandez-Silva Venture Academy and King Primus Roseville High School I m a hope dealer not a dope dealer That is Nation Wright s motto in current times Growing up in the Minneapolis American Indian population Wright saw first-hand how addiction affected his people Now as the chief operating officer for the American Indian District Advance Corporation AICDC Wright is concerned about the newest trends Things have gotten dramatically worse he declared The average age of addiction is getting younger and younger It s hard for me because that s you know these are babies essentially that are out here struggling Native Americans are disproportionately impacted by addiction According to the Minnesota Department of Wellness they are seven times more likely to overdose than white Minnesotans They feel like they re stuck in this state of hopelessness Wright explained He says region outreach is one way to combat that hopelessness and get people the information they need The AICDC a housing organization attempts to reach group members experiencing developing addiction You keep showing up you keep showing them that you care and what it does is it builds relationship s it builds trust he disclosed Nation Wright speaks as part of a panel discussion on addiction and recovery at Fairview Area Physical condition and Wellness Hub in early July Credit Three-Sixty Journalism photo by Pechulano Ngwe Ali Resistance is common but that doesn t stop Wright and his group from continuing to reach out to people with help I might have had contacts with you before you say yes but that s the thing though it s consistency he stated The struggles in his area have to do with generational trauma Native Americans have been stripped from their beliefs language traditions Their children were sent to boarding schools They ve suffered colonialism and colonization That lasts and that s generational Wright mentioned Treating addiction in his society requires an understanding of what his people have been through There is also a lot of judgment in this world and there s a lot of hate and a lot of not taking the time to understand and to listen and to be fully educated about a situation people and about a area he stated Wright explained that plenty of of the youth in the Little Earth East Phillips district in south Minneapolis have never been outside of that bubble That s the only place they know And if we start to see the world and what the world has to offer for us we can start to create specific different pathways to success he commented He aims to be a positive voice for his people and to show love to those when needed Most of importantly he seeks to hold his friends brothers sisters and family accountable But with limited support in Native American communities change can feel far off How can we expect people to change Generation to generation of no change no support no encouragement within their immediate environments because everyone else is in the same struggle Wright revealed Mental strength also plays a part in addiction that co-occurs There can be a lack of how to address struggles For his people to move forward Wright says it s crucial to raise the bar and not to normalize addiction and struggle nishinabe III is one of the American Indian Population Evolution Corporation s supportive housing facilities It provides housing for Indigenous people that are homeless and struggling with substance abuse Credit Photo courtesy of DSGW Architecture The AICDC helps individuals move forward with culturally grounded care that brings together traditional and western restoration help They have several buildings with different encouragement functions Their housing facilities are almost constantly at threshold At their homeless shelter individuals are able to receive a warm meal and take a shower Participants are also able to connect with counseling therapy or any of the other services the AICDC has to offer There is a wet house where participants are allowed to drink on site It s a harm reduction model they re limited to what they can bring in it s a way to get people housed Wright announced Work is crucial to Wright but working in a high stress ecosystem also takes a toll He uses cultural practices like Native drumming as a way to cope and is working to prioritize his well-being so he can be more present for his two children and become a better person for his people This is the region that I m raising my kids in and the district I want to see thrive and really do better he announced The post How an American Indian group leader is dealing hope in south Minneapolis appeared first on MinnPost