This article talks about how Native Americans and Alaskan Natives have the highest rates of suicide than any other racia/ethinic group in the United States. Since the year of 2003 the rates have just been increasing. This article only was surveyed in 18 states, New Mexico being one though. It states that Native Americans/ Alaskan Natives suicide descendants were younger and had higher odds of living in a rural area than non-hispanic whites. There were also a few more factors that played into suicides of NA/AN such as alcohol and death of a friend or family member (suicide and nonsuicidal relations). When looking at the ages 9.8% were committed by minors between the ages 10-17 and 25.9% from the ages 18-24. Another factor that could play in was partner problems NA/AN had a significantly higher odds of experiencing this. About 2 in 10 NA/AN suicides were preceded by an argument. 70% of NA/AN live in non-metropolitan areas and underscored in the importance of implementing suicide prevention strategies and the high rates of suicide among youth highlight the desperate need for early prevention. Suicide preventions and other efforts are needed to help bring down the high rates of NA/AN on the individual and community level, since some factors may differ based on community.

Leavitt, Rachel. “Suicides Among American Indian/Alaska Natives — National Violent...” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 Mar. 2019, www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6708a1.htm.

This article talked about the boarding school areas and some things that happened and the impact it had on Native Americans. It all really began because of the failure of Native American resistance. During the end of the 19th century the government supported around 81 boarding schools and 133 day schools. As the time went on the day schools and missionary schools started to decline and boarding schools started to increase and the government started showing more support towards these schools. The reason for the boarding schools was not to help or introduce new ideas to Native Americans but to destroy their culture. Going back to the phrase “Kill the Indian and save the man”. Children were forced to do work with Christian immigrant families. This was only supposed to be a phase but it then became normal in Native American children's education. The conditions were rough at these schools and once a child was brought to one of the boarding schools they were immediately ripped away from their cultural identities. Their hairs were cut and changed in both clothing and name. Within the school they learned reading, writing, arithmetic, were only allowed to speak english, and a few more other courses. Since the boarding schools were rough and unhygienic many of the students would get sick but there wouldn’t be any real medical help so they would just be sent back home to the reservations. This then caused outbreaks through the communities cousin high death rates in both children and adults. If they dared to speak their native language they would have to endure mouth washings, some did try to run away. But because of the harsh and minatuplative acts some children started to develop feelings of shame about their traditions and disconnect from their family and tribes. Boarding schools had some huge effects on the children, some had a hard time fitting back into their old ways, feeling disconnected to those around them. However, some did fall back into their old ways and jumped right back into their traditional ways by changing back to their tribal clothing, speaking the language and believed in their traditional ways. Some went on to use the education for good, even some elders supported sending their children to boarding schools. Even though boarding schools were made to striop children of their traditional way it did have a little bit of the opposite effect since some did go on to help their communities and did for the Pan- Indian Act that fought for the rights of Native Americans.

Hale, Lorraine. "Impact of the Boarding School Movement." The American Mosaic: The American Indian Experience, ABC-CLIO, 2021, americanindian.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1661966. Accessed 23 Mar. 2021.

History.com Editors. Native American History Timeline. 27 Nov. 2018,https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/native-american-timeline. Accessed 25 March 2021.

The article that I looked at was focusing on the Rosebud Sioux reservation in South Dakota. Plains Native Americans have some of the highest rates of teen suicde in Indian country. The article starts off by telling how a 19 year old football player and a young girl who varley missed her 14th birthday took their lives by hanging themselves. After this had happened an outbreak had begun “tribal officials declared a state of emergency”. Since then many young people have attempted. When this article was published in 2007 144 have tried to kill themselves in that year. It was best estimated by doctors who were putting this information in a computer system, though the system was down for 6 weeks. In May of that year 7 youth tried to commit suicide all with different techniques all in the span of 24 hours. Native Americans are committing suicide more than three times the rate of national average for their age group. In the Great Plains area the youth there are 10 times the national average of committing suicide. A factor of this being that the plains reservation is one of the poorest places in the country. Historical trauma also being a factor that plays in, along with limited opportunities, and discrimination. When looking at a survey that was given to students in Todd county many didn’t feel safe due to gang violence, not feeling safe at home, parents weren’t around, many seeing too much tragedy, and just the feeling of hopelessness. Community leaders who wanted to put a stop to this started putting in different after school programs, asked motivated speakers to come in, and made school counclears more accessible. But with this schools and the larger community did not want to shed light or commemorate those who have gone because of suicide. The principal at Todd County High School did not want to have a memorial for a graduate who took his life a year ago on that day saying “We don't need to encourage desperate acts” In the year three youth committed suicide but there were 193 who attempted. A group of 6 teenage girls said that they all knew of someone who had an attempt, 3 of those did try. One of the girls said for a lot of people it’s just for attention, but saying for her she had reasoning. The take away she got from it is things are temporary and counseling has helped her and there should be more of it.

Nieves, Evelyn. “Indian Reservation Reeling in Wave of Youth Suicides and Attempts.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 June 2007, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/09/us/09suicide.html?auth=login-google1tap&login=go

Image in my header- National Alliance on Mental Illness, Events - “NAMI New York State” NAMI National Alliance on Mental Illness New York State https://www.naminys.org/nys/annual-events/suicide-prevention-awareness/