Pour Me: Families Affected by Alcoholism in Native Communities Keshaun Trancosa

San Felipe Pueblo

Trancosa, Sabrina. family. 12 January, 2017. Photographer's personal collection.

Personal Connection

Pino, Dyani. K. 24 January, 2023. Photographer's personal collection.

From 2005 - 2019, alcoholics are what I grew up around. During these times, there was a lot of worry about what might happen to my parents. I don’t think that’s a thought a kid should have. Especially if one of those worries could be them dying. Choosing this topic will hopefully bring more awareness to parents who do or don’t drink, and to sort of give an early notice to those who are getting into their adult stages in life.

Sanchez, Neon. Mom and Dad. 2012. Photographer’s personal collection.

Identity

Sharing One Skin: Okanagan Community - Jeanette Armstrong

In the article, “Sharing One Skin,” by Jeanette Armstrong, the topic of conversation is how you have different parts of yourself. Not physically like body parts or emotionally but like different thoughts. There are different thoughts from each part of yourself. It also talks about how connected you are to certain places or people. No one can take that connection from you. Armstrong mentions, “we say that we are connected to each other, to our land, and to all things by our heart beats, it is a pattern that is in rhythm with others rather than creating dissonance and adversity.” This line makes me think that everyone is one and we're all equal to each other. We may be different in certain ways but we are all still the same.

Armstrong, Jeanette. 1996 “Sharing One Skin: Okanagan Community.” Pp. 460-470 in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds.), The Case Against the Global Economy, San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books.

Fouani, Manal. United we stand, divided we fall. UNDP Ukraine. https://www.undp.org/ukraine/blog/connecting-communities-through-social-cohesion. 2023 United Nations Development Program.

Alonzo, Jamal. Sunset. 16 January, 2024. Photographer’s personal collection.

Trancosa, Keshaun. Sandia View. 27 May, 2023. Author’s personal collection.

How place names impact the way we see landscape - B. Toastie

Memories and stories are connected to our land as described by, B. Toastie in the article, “How place names impact the way we see landscape,”. Each of us may have certain things that we remember when we go somewhere. It could be some place along the river or a certain place in your community. There are stories and memories connected to everything. It’s just a matter of who knows it to tell it. In this article, Toastie mentioned that “stories provide a sense of belonging.” This makes sense because stories have a way of connecting everyone. They may be from similar or different experiences but they still share that connection.

Toastie, B. 2022 “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News: Know The West, www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact-the-way-we-see-landscape/.

And Then I Went to School: Memories of a Pueblo Childhood - Joe Suina

In the story, “And Then I Went To School” by Joe Suina, he makes comparisons between home and school. Not just physical comparisons but a “cultural” comparison as well. From what was described, both were much different. In school he was forced to leave his “Indian” at home and was scolded for attending traditional ceremonies. It was hard for him to switch back and forth between lives that he started to want the white man’s life more. Suina says, “I was receiving two very different messages; both were intended for my welfare.”

Suina, Joe. 1985 “And Then I Went to School: Memories of a Pueblo Childhood.” Wol. V, No. 2, New Mexico Journal of Reading, rethinkingschools.org/articles/and-then-i-went-to-school/.

Trancosa, Keshaun. The Sandias. 27 May, 2023. Author’s personal collection.

Native American men and a boy posed outside of Carlisle Indian School. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/99471846/>.

History

Webb, W. E. ¨Stomach Bitters¨. wikipedia.org., 1874, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_and_Native_Americans. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

Alcohol - Holona LeAnne Ochs

In the entry about alcohol by Holona LeAnne Ochs, most of these events are from colonist´s documentations. Ochs talked about how the colonists wanted the Indians to drink alcohol because they wanted them to be more civilized and practice the colonist tradition. At first, the Natives didn't like the way alcohol taste but overtime they started to drink it more because they thought it brought them a sense of power. There were some Indian perspectives about alcohol consumption and one stated, ¨help the drinkers mourn a loved ones departure to that world (spirit world).¨

Ochs, Helena LeAnne. ¨Alcohol.¨ Encyclopedia of Native American History, Volume 1, Facts on File, 2011. Modern World History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE53&articleid=358898. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.

Alcoholism, American Indians - Alexander Ewen and Jeffrey Wollock

In another entry that I read, most of the information was more recently discovered. Ewen and Wollock talk about how native youth have a higher rate of alcohol abuse than non-natives. He also mentions how ¨binge drinking¨ is a lot more common with Natives as well. During earlier times, trappers, traders, and the federal government used alcohol to their advantage by trading it with natives. Alcohol has since been banned from reservations so this led to people traveling off reservations just for alcohol. This has then led to a higher rate of alcohol-related casualties.

Ewen, Alexander, and Jeffrey Wollock. ¨Alcoholism, American Indians And.¨ Encyclopedia of the American Indian in the Twentieth Century, Facts on File, 2014. Modern World History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE53&articleid=358974. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.

Mills, Donna Schwartz. ¨Alcohol¨. mom.com, https://mom.com/kids/what-you-need-to-know-about-teens-and-alcohol/8ji7f-teenage-drinking-and-driving. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

Trancosa, Alyssa. Feast Day. 1 May, 2019. Photographers personal collection.

Dorris, Michael. ¨The Broken Cord¨. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

The Broken Cord: Louise Erdrich and Michael Dorris

In this interview, the main topic of conversation was Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. This happens when a woman drinks during her pregnancy. Dorris adds, ¨the only safe thing for a pregnancy is no drinking.¨ (Dorris) He also mentions that alcohol has repeatedly been the number one health hazard among Native Americans. Drinking during the first or second trimester could cause the baby to possess a physical disability. During the third trimester could maybe only affect the brain. This might not affect the child until they get into an older age. This is a huge crisis on reservations because Dorris mentioned that half of the kids during that time period (1990s) would be impaired to a degree by the year 2000 from maternal drinking.

¨The Broken Cord: Louise Erdrich and Michael Dorris.¨ Modern World History, 1990, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE53&vid=45503. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.

Current State

Alcohol in the Media: Drinking Portrayals, Alcohol Advertising, and Alcohol Consumption Among Youth - Joel W. Grube

There are growing concerns that the way television portrays alcohol has a negative impact on youth that watch television. This is not only from TV but also from radio, movies, and popular music. Public health advocates want there to be more strict regulations on what is shown and advertised on TV, movies, and music. There has been little to none research on how alcohol advertisement has negatively impacted young people.

Grube, Joel W. “Alcohol in the Media: Drinking Portrayals, Alcohol Advertising, and Alcohol Consumption Among Youth.” NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK37586/. Accessed 26 November 2023.

Alonzo, Jamal. Sunset. 18 January, 2024. Photographer’s personal collection.

¨Bud Light Ad¨. NBC News. nbcnews.com. Accessed 30 November 2023.

¨Minor with Alcohol¨ DWI Lawyers Denton. Dwilawyersdenton.com. Accessed 30 November 2023.

Patterns of alcohol use in adolescents: early predictors and adulthood outcomes - Jacob Webb

One of the leading causes of death and disability in young people is alcohol. Studies showed that there were 3 possible ways for a lower risk of early onset heavy drinking. These include; stricter parental monitoring, more alcohol specific rules, and allowing few peers who use alcohol. The researchers heavily favor the Australian government's ways of preventing adolescent drinking. They delay the adolescents first drink until 18 and those over 18 should not consume more than 4 drinks on a single occasion to minimize harm.

Webb, Jacob. “Patterns of alcohol use in adolescents: early predictors and adulthood outcomes | NDARC.” National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 25 November 2023, https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/patterns-alcohol-use-adolescents-early-predictors-and-adulthood-outcomes. Accessed 26 November 2023.

18 Athletes Who Drank Too Much Alcohol - Gateway Foundation

Professional athletes often use alcohol as a coping method to deal with stress. Many have often been thrown into a life of wealth, fame, and high expectations at a young age. The writer from the Gateway Foundation stated that athletes dealing with stress can ¨create a cycle that can be difficult to escape.̈ Babe Ruth, an MLB legend, struggled with alcohol addiction. It would eventually lead to his death in 1948 at 53. Charles Barkley, an NBA legend, also struggled with alcohol addiction. He hasn't fully stopped but he's learned to control it by limiting the amount he drinks. Darren Waller is another pro athlete that has struggled with addiction. This caused him to have a rocky beginning to his NFL career. He misused pain pills and would binge drink. He eventually sought inpatient addiction treatment to fight his addiction. Waller founded the DArren Waller Foundation to help kids who may struggle with similar things.

“18 Athletes Who Drank Too Much Alcohol.” Gateway Foundation, https://www.gatewayfoundation.org/addiction-blog/athletes-who-drank-too-much/. Accessed 26 November 2023.

Knotts, Perry. ¨Darren Waller¨. Bleacher Report. 12 September 2023. bleacherreport.com. Accessed 30 November 2023.

Lovato, Thomas. SENAI CHAMPS. 30 December 2023. Personal Photo.

Global Connections

Trancosa, Alyssa. 21. 4 February, 2010. Author’s personal collection.

Alcohol-Related Deaths Are Rising Among Women - Dani Blum

In the NY Times article, it is stated that for people that are 65 and older, the alcohol related deaths in women are rising at a faster rate than in men. From 2018-2020, the alcohol related deaths in women increased by 14.7% per year whereas it only increased by 12.5% per year for men. Dr. Ibraheem Karaye came up with potential theories as to why female alcohol related deaths has risen. He says that alcohol consumption for women has grown. He also stated that it hits women differently because women's bodies have less fluid to dilute the alcohol compared to men's bodies. The director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, George F. koob, stated that women are at higher risk for depression and anxiety so he thinks they turn to alcohol for a coping mechanism. He also mentioned that older women are often more prone to feel loneliness because they typically outlive their partners. A separate source stated that even though women over 65 may not drink more than younger women, they may still be suffering the health effects from decades of chronic drinking.

Blum, Dani. “Alcohol-Related Deaths Are Rising Among Women.” The New York Times, 7 August 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/31/well/live/women-alcohol-deaths.html?searchResultPosition=6. Accessed 1 February 2024.

Alcohol and the athlete - C P O'Brien and F Lyons

Alcohol has been the most consumed substance among athletes. It is assumed that alcohol related problems happen more in athletes because of their risk taking mentality and the average age of these athletes is 18-24 years old. It has been discovered that the injury incidence in sports is at 54.8% in athletes who drink alcohol. In non-drinkers, it goes down to 23.5%. Alcohol has been known to be a potentially lethal drug that can cause serious harm.

O'Brien, C P, and F Lyons. “Alcohol and the athlete.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 29,5 (2000): 295-300. doi:10.2165/00007256-200029050-00001

Lovato, Thomas. 21. 19 January, 2024. Author’s personal collection.

Lovato, Thomas. SENAI Tourney. 30 December 2023. Personal Photo.

Trancosa, Keshaun. Cousinnnnn. May, 2015. Author’s personal collection.

Alcohol Abuse in the Native American Population - Mariah Bourne

There are several major risk factors for alcohol abuse among Natives. These include; historical trauma, lack of easy access to health care, lower education attainment, poverty, housing problems, unemployment, violence, loss of connection to culture, and mental health issues. Binge drinking and alcohol use disorder has occured at high rates among American Indians and Alaska Natives. According to recent research, when maintaining ties to one's culture, it has been known to help treat co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.

Bourne, Mariah. “Alcohol Abuse in the Native American Population.” American Addiction Centers, https://americanaddictioncenters.org/alcohol/native-americans. Accessed 6 February 2024.

Action Plan 1 - Family Healing

On November 11, 2023, my first action plan took place. The purpose of this action plan was to gather the adults in my family to tell their stories about how alcohol has affected them to the younger kids. I wanted the younger kids to hear how much alcohol has negatively impacted their families. Some of the adults also considered this action plan as a stress reliever for themselves. The stories and experiences that were shared had been kept inside for too long and I'm happy that the adults were able to share this with me.

Action Plan 2 - Personal Reflections

w/ Charles Alonzo

On March 3, 2024, I hosted my second action plan which included the 3rd floor boys. My RA, Charles, talked with my floor about his past experiences/ with alcohol. The purpose of this was to show the younger students that there might be some things that they have in common with Charles in terms of dealing with alcoholics. The goal was have them know that they are not alone and that most people do go through the same things as them. I also wanted them to take in how alcohol can negatively affect others. Not only does the consumer get affected, but also those around them.

MY HERO: Alyssa Trancosa

My hero is my AuntieMama, Alyssa Trancosa. She's always been really supportive of my sister and I since stepping in as our mom. I know that we don't make it easy for her but she still continues to stay by our side. In my opinion, the core value that best represents her is perseverance. She fought an alcohol addiction that started from her college days in 2000. She has now been sober for close to 4 years. I am truly thankful for everything that she has done for me.