Episode 23: Native Youth Voices on Domestic Violence Prevention

Our latest MCH Bridges episode, developed in partnership with the National Indian Health Board's (NIHB) Tribal Youth Advisory Council, centers the voices of Native youth leading domestic violence prevention work in their communities. This episode shares an overview of the realities of domestic violence in Native communities, how young people are stepping up to support one another and their communities, and the challenges that keep young people from getting the resources and support they need.  

Tune in now to listen and learn from guest speakers Taralynn Chesley (Curyung & Supiaq) and Joelnell Momberg (Blackfeet) from NIHB's Tribal Youth Advisory Council, who share their experiences and insights on how young people are building safer, stronger communities and the importance of creating supportive, informed communities. 

Content warning: This episode discusses domestic violence and may be emotionally difficult for some listeners. We encourage listeners to seek additional resources to learn more about supporting survivors and promoting safety. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic, dating, or sexual violence, contact the StrongHearts Native Helpline by calling or texting 1-844-762-8483 (1-844-7NATIVE) or visiting strongheartshelpline.org. StrongHearts is a free, confidential, anonymous, and culturally grounded advocacy service for Native American and Alaska Native survivors, as well as their family members and friends. Advocates are knowledgeable about Native cultures, tribal sovereignty, and community-specific resources and are available 24/7. You can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7223 (800-799-SAFE), text "START" to 88788, or visit thehotline.org. 

Resources:  

• National Indian Health Board’s Tribal Youth Advisory Council 
• AMCHP Blog Post – Partner Spotlight: National Indian Health Board’s Tribal Youth Advisory Council 
• Alaska Native Tribal Consortium  
  • Article on Community support and resources to end domestic violence 
  • Behavioral Health resources 
• National Indigenous Women's Resource Center 
  • War on Indigenous Women: A Short Guide for Journalists Reporting on MMIWG  
  • NativeLove  
• National Domestic Violence Hotline Resources 
• Abuse in Native American & Alaska Native Communities 
• U.S. Government Accountability Office’s report on Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women  

Transcript

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[00:00:00] Kameron Jones: Thank you for joining this episode of MCH Bridges, the official podcast of the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, also known as AMCHP. MCH Bridges aims to uplift stories and voices from the maternal and child health field by centering community perspectives, especially from individuals and families with lived experience navigating MCH systems.[00:00:30]  

[00:00:30] Through this podcast, AMCHP hopes to spark new connections, inspire ideas, and support actions that strengthen systems of care for MCH communities My name is Kameron Jones, and I'm a reproductive and maternal health program analyst at AMCHP on the Women's and Infant Health team. Today's episode was developed in partnership with the National Indian Health Board's Tribal Youth Advisory Council and focuses on the role of native youth in domestic violence prevention. 

[00:00:56] The National Indian Health Board, or NIHB, [00:01:00] represents the 575 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and works to advance the health and wellbeing of these tribal communities. Today, NIHB is committing to helping tribes reclaim their legacy of health by centering historical knowledge, traditions, and community-driven solutions. 

[00:01:18] At the heart of their work is the belief that Native traditions, languages, and tribal practices are not simply reflections of the past, but the foundation of resilience and healing today. [00:01:30] The Tribal Youth Advisory Council was established to ensure that native youth have a meaningful seat at the table in shaping the future of tribal public health. 

[00:01:37] The council includes representatives from each of the 12 Indian Health Service regions, along with additional youth leaders who bring invaluable perspectives to this work. From mental health and substance use to suicide prevention and more, the Tribal Youth Advisory Council elevates youth voices across a range of public health priorities. 

[00:01:56] In today's episode, we'll hear from two members of the council in [00:02:00] particular as they share how they came to work in domestic violence prevention, the importance of youth voice and community, what healthy relationships look like, and how young people can care for themselves while doing this work. 

[00:02:12] Together, they offer powerful insights into how native youth are leading conversations that strengthen their communities. And with that, I'm excited to jump in today's conversation. But first, I would like to invite our guests to introduce themselves to the audience. Joelnell and Taralynn, can you each tell me a little bit about yourselves?[00:02:30]  

[00:02:37] Taralynn Chesley: Hello, my name is Taralynn Chesley. 

[00:02:40] I am 20 years old. I'm from Port Heiden, Alaska, and grew up between there and Anchorage, Alaska. I'm Curyung and Sugpiaq and Yup'ik. I'm currently pursuing a degree in arts therapy and just finished a certificate in Indigenous health and wellness, and I'm currently teaching outdoor education. 

[00:02:59] Joelnell Momberg: [00:03:00] My name is Joelnell Momberg. I'm 24. I'm an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe in Browning, Montana. But I also grew up and currently live and work on the Chippewa Cree reservation, which is in Box Elder, Montana, and I am the office manager for our youth center, the Miyo Pimatisiwinkamik, which is the Good Life Lodge under the Rocky Boy Health Center. 

[00:03:23] Kameron Jones: Tell me a little bit more about how you both first became interested in domestic violence prevention for youth. [00:03:30]  

[00:03:30] Joelnell Momberg: I wouldn't say I was necessarily, like, interested right off the bat in a traditional sense, but I realized how important it is just living in a rural place on the reservation, and you see how not only this issue but different issues affect people. 

[00:03:45] And I started working in the prevention department at our health center and realized how important prevention is in every area, mental health, substance use, relationships, all of it. So that, I think, really opened my eyes, and I think just also [00:04:00] having, like, a personal experience, not from myself, but friends and family members. 

[00:04:04] And so I was like, Yeah, this is really important. So that's how I was like, It's important to talk about, to spread awareness and education. So that was my background.  

[00:04:14] Taralynn Chesley: My background was, so I had witnessed it in my own community, both with my family but also just a larger, broader native community. And I'd [00:04:30] say that I really started to do advocacy work behind it when I taught sex education for three years And a huge part of that is domestic violence prevention, making sure that consent is at the forefront, same with boundaries and barriers. 

[00:04:49] And also, when I was a part of my native hospital's youth advisory board, we specifically were doing stuff around [00:05:00] healthy relationships, like HIV and STD prevention, and then healthy boundaries. And I would just say that's how I really started doing the work, was by educating my peers as well as educating myself. 

[00:05:19] Kameron Jones: Sounds like you both have some similarities and differences on how you came to the domestic violence prevention space. I'm curious if you could walk us through a specific [00:05:30] project or a moment that you're proud of in particular. Taralynn, for you, I don't know if that's related to some of the peer education that you've done, but I would love to hear about something that you're both proud of related to the work that you've done in domestic violence prevention. 

[00:05:43] Joelnell Momberg: I wouldn't say one in particular. I would say that I was most proud of... Like I said, I worked in the prevention department before this, and we do a lot of community events. So literally being in the community and whether that was, like, a bonfire or some type of [00:06:00] activity, we always brought different information on, like, different topics of how people can reach out if they're experiencing it, how to identify signs. 

[00:06:09] But I think realizing if you're open and you make people feel comfortable, like, they're going to show up and get the help they need. And I never really realized that until I did that job and saw how my coworkers came together to make it a safe place and how community members, like, showed up and participated and wanted to get the resources. 

[00:06:28] So I would say I was really proud of [00:06:30] that, and it just made me feel, I guess, really warm inside. If you talk about it, people are gonna feel really comfortable to come to you and go to whoever it is that they could get help from  

[00:06:39] Taralynn Chesley: And instance I was really proud of, outside of just educating my peers, middle and high schoolers, I specifically in my junior year of high school, I testified on Senate Bill 43, which specifically aims [00:07:00] to have mandatory sex education K through 12 and drug and alcohol education K through 12. 

[00:07:09] Unfortunately, I do believe that it got tabled and hasn't been revisited since, but that specifically was a really big feat testifying in front of legislatures.  

[00:07:21] Kameron Jones: I have some follow-up questions for you both, but Taralynn, let's start with you since you just went. What did you learn from that experience? I don't think that many young [00:07:30] people get the opportunity to testify in front of their... 

[00:07:33] I'm assuming this is your state legislature. Tell me a little bit about what you learned, and then maybe what your lesson or piece of advice might be to other youth that are interested in advocacy work as well.  

[00:07:44] Taralynn Chesley: Yeah, totally. So I not only did some testifying with them during this one instance, but there was another time I testified. 

[00:07:55] It was both for my state legislature, specifically on [00:08:00] the Senate floor and I would say the first time I testified, we made sure that we're super prepared. We wrote essays and stuff before to ensure that we would have a good testimony, and then we finally went out there. And yeah, it was nerve-wracking. 

[00:08:18] Everyone has their little chairs and gavels, and so that was scary. Especially Native people don't have representation within the state [00:08:30] legislators as well as our entire nation's government. During my time, 'cause I went to our state capital four times, and I talked with my legislators, and each time I gained something new. 

[00:08:46] For example, I met the first ever Native person in Congress, a Alaskan Native woman, Mary Peltola. And then also we had other [00:09:00] Native legislators that I had the pleasure of meeting, as well as the first out representatives who were legislators, and that was a really cool experience to be able to see both. 

[00:09:11] And I would advise other youth, if they are going to their state legislators or national legislators, is just, A, prep yourself. But also, it's not that [00:09:30] serious. You just have to remind yourself that they're people, too, and they're not some foreign entities, which kind of when you go to the Capitol Building, it does feel like they're a foreign entity, but they're just people, too. 

[00:09:45] The second time I testified, it was not put together. One of my representatives saw me and was like, "Go testify on this bill. The, it's on the Senate floor right now." And I go, "What?" And they're like, "Yeah, go do it." And [00:10:00] I was like, "Okay. I have, like, no script. I don't know what I'm gonna do." But it was fine. It realistically was okay. 

[00:10:08] I would say make sure to have a support system and drink plenty of water before.  

[00:10:15] Kameron Jones: You have some great tips there. And I think your message about legislatures are just people, too, their staff are just people, too. Whenever I go to Capitol Hill, I'm reminded or what I tell other people, "If you can talk to me, a young person, you [00:10:30] can talk to all of the staffers on Capitol Hill, because most of them are just people in their 20s." 

[00:10:35] I think that's a great, great lesson and great message. Joelnell, I wanna hear a little bit more about... You've mentioned a couple of things that I wanna learn more about. You said something about how community will show up if you show up for them and how talking about things helps to de-stigmatize That topic in particular, this element of modeling the behavior that you wanna receive, and you said that your coworkers actually taught you [00:11:00] this lesson. 

[00:11:00] So could you talk a little bit more about that and how you've carried that into your work now?  

[00:11:04] Joelnell Momberg: Yeah. It was actually really cool. So we are very fortunate as a health center to have, uh, its own prevention department. Me and my coworkers focused on different topics. One was under a suicide prevention grant, but we all basically worked together. 

[00:11:19] And I know a lot of rural communities don't even have a prevention department within their clinic. So that within itself was very neat, and I never really knew about that. The activities and [00:11:30] events of being in the communities was really exciting to see because we would go there and tell the community, like, "Hey, we're putting this event on for you. 

[00:11:40] It's encouraging to be drug and alcohol-free. Come get information while there's, like, a fun activity." And we always got really great turnouts, like numbers that showed up. And I think it was just important for our community to be like, "Oh," like, "they're out here providing these types of activities, information. 

[00:11:58] I might as well take advantage of [00:12:00] it." And I feel like within the past couple of years that we've shifted that narrative of the stigmas and all of that. I can see a lot more growth within our community members of just people talking about topics I felt like I haven't heard when I was little. Even just people, like, getting appointments for behavioral health and wanting to talk to, like, counselors because they were going through stuff, and I feel like I've just seen a lot of growth While being out in the community and just providing as much as info as we can, and people just feeling [00:12:30] comfortable, they're here to help. 

[00:12:30] Kameron Jones: One of the coolest things about working in public health and healthcare is when you get to see results in real time. So that's really amazing that you've been able to see some shifts in the language and the narrative and what people are willing to talk about versus not talk about. This leads me into my next question. 

[00:12:48] And I wanna know, what do you feel is different about youth-led prevention? And so how does youth leadership different from adult-led approaches?  

[00:12:59] Joelnell Momberg: I feel like [00:13:00] youth leadership brings a different kind of energy perspective than if it was adults. I think we just understand each other as young people too, of what we're going through, how to communicate that, how to get it across in a more approachable way. 

[00:13:14] When I, I remember being young, I wanted to hear someone closer to my age too tell me certain things, rather than your parents or someone older than that where it felt like they were preaching even though they weren't, like, they're literally doing it in their best interest. But that's how I feel like youth leadership is. 

[00:13:29] [00:13:30] So to have a voice to be able to communicate to youth, I think is very important.  

[00:13:34] Taralynn Chesley: As someone who has done a lot of peer education, I know science also backs up the effectiveness of peer-led education. Youth are more receptive when their peers are educating them versus when adults are. Specifically, I would say with this specific topic as well can be really intimidating [00:14:00] when an adult who's a lot older than you is talking about this versus you're talking with, uh, friends and you can actually be more comfortable and honest with that person versus being scared to say something and ask questions when it's an older adult. 

[00:14:21] And yeah, youth-led prevention, I think is such a fundamental value of mine as [00:14:30] I'm starting to age out of the stereotypical youth role and become more of a young adult. I think it's still so fundamental to be able to have those conversations because studies show that it's effective, and it does help youth in the long run. 

[00:14:55] Kameron Jones: So we really set the groundwork for all of the tremendous work that you both have done [00:15:00] coming into this, and then the power of hearing things from your peers. So I want to talk a little bit more specifically about the efforts that you all have been doing at NIHB, and I hear that you've been working on a social media campaign related to domestic violence prevention, so I would love to hear a little bit more about that. 

[00:15:18] Taralynn Chesley: Yeah. We have been working on a social media campaign since I believe it was August, maybe last May. [00:15:30] But yeah, it's been really great to be able to connect with different tribes from across the US and all of the IHS regions. Our social media campaign specifically hones in on overall mental health awareness, as well as substance use prevention and suicide prevention. 

[00:15:54] Joelnell Momberg: So backpacking off of what Taralynn said, I think it's just encouraging youth to reach out to their support [00:16:00] systems, practice self-care, reduce isolation, and break stigma around mental health. And I think that can be for whatever topic it is that youth these days are facing. And I'm sure Taralynn already mentioned, like, the topics that we are focused on, a lot of prevention and just promoting healthy boundaries and healthy relationships. 

[00:16:19] Kameron Jones: Well, to see how you all are weaving together a couple different topic areas, but you have a, a strategy across the board with this social media campaign, as Joelnell just mentioned. [00:16:30] I wanna, like, hear what have you learned from this experience? Has there been a particularly meaningful moment? And what was it like creating content on sensitive topics? 

[00:16:40] Joelnell Momberg: Yeah. I would say it's definitely a process, especially when you're working with people from all over, but it's also really impactful 'cause we're from, like, a lot of different places from all over. But just being a part of that group was powerful within itself because all these people and basically youth and young adults my [00:17:00] age are working together to create change, so that itself was powerful. 

[00:17:04] And coming together and being like, "What do we need to do to get across to the youth?" And how to spread that message. On the topic of how do we create that content to address these little sensitive types of topics to our youth, and you just wanna make sure that's really clear, respectful, and engaging. We all had different roles, too. 

[00:17:25] So some of us created, like, the flyers and the posters. Some of us came [00:17:30] up with the captions. And it just took a lot of collaboration and thought and taking advice from others and input. So it was a lot of collaboration and a lot of good thoughts behind it.  

[00:17:42] Taralynn Chesley: Before joining the youth cohort, I hadn't actually heard a lot about National Indian Health Board. 

[00:17:49] And so I was actually so excited to be able to be a part of the youth cohort. And yeah, I think a really good [00:18:00] thing that I've learned from this experience is just being able to connect across regions because I had only really done work in my own home community in Alaska versus doing things across the US, and I think it's been super meaningful to be able to do that and see all of our similarities and differences between each other. 

[00:18:28] Because we [00:18:30] do hold so much power as Native people and as Native youth, and being able to come together in one space is so sacred and beautiful, and also to be doing something that's helping out all of our communities is also super fundamental.  

[00:18:47] Kameron Jones: You both spoke to the intentionality that's going into this work, which I think is really important, and it seems like intentionality and collaboration keep coming up. 

[00:18:57] That sort of leads me into a- another [00:19:00] question. What is the role of collaboration, of your communities, of your identity, of recognizing sovereignty in this prevention work? And the healing and, and, like, the accountability in your communities. So, like, how do all of those things come together in domestic violence prevention? 

[00:19:20] Joelnell Momberg: I think just as sovereign nations too, you wanna always revert back to how we used to live pre-colonization. So tying in those things too that [00:19:30] have always helped us heal as people, which was community, it was always collaboration, and of course, our culture and our healing and community. I think in every work that we do, we are always gonna try to carry those. 

[00:19:42] Because that's how we used to live before, that's how we still live as Native people, and I think that's what also grounds this type of work and provides, like, the strength and the healing, always collaboration, community. So I just think that those will always tie in and play a big role in this type of work. 

[00:19:59] It [00:20:00] also provides support. It also provides safety, not just for us, but also the people too on the other side of domestic violence who we are trying to reach as well.  

[00:20:09] Taralynn Chesley: I would say that the biggest use in domestic violence prevention is your partnerships and your community that's around you. You wouldn't be able to escape domestic violence situations if it wasn't for the community. 

[00:20:28] And I think [00:20:30] especially coming from Alaska, we have the highest rates of domestic violence per the entire nation from the last time I checked. It's especially important where I'm from, and it's something that I think is really vital in the work that we're doing with National Indian Health Board because it's making sure that all of our communities are safe and protected, especially our youth. 

[00:20:59] Because our [00:21:00] youth, as we know, we have most Natives run on a circular system, and youth are at the top, same with our elders. And that is our circle. Making sure that youth and our elders are protected are key values as Native people. And I think it's super vital to do this. And piggybacking off of what Joelnell said, [00:21:30] making sure that we are doing work to Specifically address, like, the generational trauma aspect that goes into it because we haven't been able to live our lives like they would've been pre-colonially. 

[00:21:48] I know for myself, I'm specifically making sure I get my education and going back to my community to do traditional healing [00:22:00] practices, and that's just one way of reclamation of ways of life before pre-colonial times. And that just the absence of our healing practices in modern-day society just often accelerates the trauma that happens within our daily lives. 

[00:22:23] Joelnell Momberg: I kind of wanna piggyback off of Taralynn and mention MMIW, which is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, [00:22:30] and how it's an epidemic across all Indian country, and how that kind of overlaps with domestic violence because a lot of it, too, is rooted in patterns of partner violence, family violence, and just the neglect that they probably dealt with throughout their life. 

[00:22:48] And then it's just a statistic of missing or murdered, and I think that is just super important to talk about and to educate non-Natives and Natives, too, of, like, how we can continue [00:23:00] to prevent that so our numbers aren't increasing. But just also how it just overlaps with domestic violence. A lot of it, too, is rooted with that domestic violence and just continues. 

[00:23:11] So I would like to shed light on MMIW. 

[00:23:14] Kameron Jones: Thank you, Joelnell, for bringing that up. I think that's really important. You're touching on intersectionality of what it's like to be a Native person, a Native woman, a Native young person. All of those things impact how you [00:23:30] experience and walk through the world. So you both touched a little bit on educating our communities, educating peers, and I wanna know how would you describe or define a safe and supportive relationship to a young person? 

[00:23:47] Taralynn Chesley: How I would define a healthy relationship. A relationship can look like many different things. There's not just one specific model that can be proven successful. [00:24:00] There's gonna be hiccups in every relationship, even the best of ones. But you wanna make sure that you feel comfortable with your partner. You shouldn't ever feel unsafe with your partner, like you can't go up to them and talk with them about something. 

[00:24:18] And also, to know that- It is a two-way street and not just one of you is giving and not just one of you is taking. And yeah, I would just [00:24:30] say super good communication, 'cause lots of the times in scenarios where it is an unhealthy relationship, one of the biggest downfalls is not good communication. 

[00:24:45] Obviously, not in this specific instance of domestic violence. Oftentimes, domestic violence is taught just, like, coming into it. They witness it within their own [00:25:00] communities. But yeah, I would just say a relationship where it feels like both of you respect each other and that you feel comfortable with one another and you have good communication. 

[00:25:13] Joelnell Momberg: Yeah, and I also think, too, it's super important to understand your own boundaries that make you feel safe, that make you feel respected and comfortable and happy so that you understand that when someone is not respecting those boundaries, you kind of like, "Hey, this [00:25:30] is not making me happy. This is not safe. 

[00:25:32] I don't feel comfortable." So identifying those boundaries within yourself will make you identify of what's not normal in a sense so that you are always feeling safe, you are always feeling like you are respected. And I repeated that a couple of times, but I think those are really big factors in of what's in a good relationship. 

[00:25:53] And I think Taralynn hit it point on of just, of everything that she said. But I think boundaries are a big thing, so you understand what's normal, [00:26:00] what's not normal, what makes you feel a certain way and, uh, like, you can identify those feelings that maybe aren't so good and they should be good. I guess, if that makes sense. 

[00:26:10] But I would say boundaries, communication, and just always feeling like you are in a safe place and protected even if you don't agree, 'cause there is gonna be disagreements and something that you guys don't fully agree on but it, that's normal. But how do you react to those disagreements or miscommunications? 

[00:26:29] Taralynn Chesley: I [00:26:30] think also to add for a healthy relationship is you should be with someone who accepts you for who you are versus trying to make you change into someone else That is often a cornerstone. People often don't acknowledge that, "Oh, well, my partner wants me to change the way I dress." That is usually a prerequisite [00:27:00] before domestic violence can occur. 

[00:27:02] It starts off with smaller things and leads to bigger things usually. And so just making sure that you're with a person who doesn't want you to change who you are, unless it's for the better.  

[00:27:15] Kameron Jones: You both described some of the cornerstones of what a healthy relationship would look like: communication, reciprocity, feeling safe, and accepted for who you are. 

[00:27:28] Can you speak a little bit [00:27:30] about what advice would you give to a bystander or someone who's maybe starting to witness some of those things, Taralynn, that you mentioned of maybe you have a friend or maybe it is your sibling, that you're starting to witness where one of their relationships might be becoming unsafe and you have concern for them 'cause you care about them so much. 

[00:27:50] So what advice would you give to someone who's a bystander and starting to witness these things happen, even if it's at the earlier stage, but they are indicators for something that could [00:28:00] happen down the line?  

[00:28:01] Taralynn Chesley: I feel like some really good advice I would give is just making sure that person has an outlet. 

[00:28:10] Make sure that you're fostering a safe and supportive environment for them. Because especially with youth, it can feel like we- Do not have any power in a situation that we are witnessing. And so something I have done in the [00:28:30] past is just make sure that people I know who are going through those situations, making sure that they feel safe with me. 

[00:28:37] "Oh, like, do you want a cup of tea? Oh, let's go for a walk." And just making sure to really harbor a safe environment for them, but also letting them know that they are able to go to a trusted adult with this information if they can't turn to their families with that information.  

[00:28:58] Joelnell Momberg: I think, too, just reminding [00:29:00] people that safety always comes first. 

[00:29:02] If you're in a situation that feels dangerous, it's okay to step away, and it's okay to get help instead of stepping into a dangerous situation directly. But I think it's important, too, to know the people that you can go to for help. So if it is happening in families, who is that other person that isn't the family that can help you where you feel safe? 

[00:29:25] And just staying connected with those people you trust, and you have a plan of how [00:29:30] to approach them and what to do when you are feeling unsafe. And always remember, too, it's okay to ask for help. You don't need to do it alone or isolate or keep it in, because there are people who will help you. So it's okay to go look for that. 

[00:29:44] And I think on our part, too, it's always a good thing to let people know, like, you are always open to helping whoever it is. Because sometimes, too, domestic violence happens within families, within people who you think are closest to you, but there will always be help. [00:30:00]  

[00:30:00] Kameron Jones: Joelnell, I'm really glad that you mentioned that sometimes stepping away is the safer and better thing to do and going to get help elsewhere, and that stepping in isn't always the way to be helpful and isn't always the way to keep people the safest. 

[00:30:14] So I think that's a really good message. I'm curious if off the top of your heads, if you have any resources or tools that you would like to share with youth who may be experiencing or witness domestic violence?  

[00:30:29] Taralynn Chesley: There's a really [00:30:30] good organization back where I'm from, um, that's called STAR, and it is specifically targeted towards domestic violence prevention as well as sexual assault prevention, and it's a really great resource. 

[00:30:47] You can often find them at events. But also, if you are not within the Alaskan region, there's still a hotline there where you can call, and they will refer [00:31:00] you to your state.  

[00:31:02] Kameron Jones: We can link those resources below for sure. 

[00:31:08] A couple more questions to go before we wrap up. But I want to ask, how do you care for yourselves while you're doing this work? There are other youth out there that are interested in domestic violence prevention, likely for similar reasons, maybe because it's things that they've witnessed or stories that they've heard in their community. 

[00:31:26] And so how do we care for ourselves? How do we care [00:31:30] for our communities while we're doing this really important but really hard and heavy work?  

[00:31:35] Joelnell Momberg: For me, I think it's really important to have hobbies or kind of different things to do that aren't related to the work that you do, and just not thinking and just creating. 

[00:31:47] I always revert back to crafting, beading, sewing. And another big thing for me, too, is just, like, our community ceremonies as well. Just within, like, our culture here on Rocky Boy as well, it's always good to [00:32:00] revert back to those things because it really gives you a clean mind and a clean slate to continue to do this work. 

[00:32:06] And another big thing for me too is being surrounded by family. I'm a really big family girl, and just being with them too refills my cup and being surrounded by love and support, and I feel like that just carries me throughout this type of work and wanting to continue to be better every day.  

[00:32:23] Taralynn Chesley: Yeah, making sure that you have hobbies is huge. 

[00:32:28] My biggest [00:32:30] hobbies that I have is I'm a very creative individual, and I found that especially expressing the emotions I'm feeling through art is an even more powerful way to use art as a tool. And that could be just a really great outlet for someone who's going through something more hard, whether it's painting or sewing or beading, as well as I [00:33:00] will always, if I am just feeling a heaviness in my soul I'll go out to the lands and seek out my answers there. 

[00:33:10] And the land is so healing for us as Native people. My mom would always tell me that we as Native people, no matter where we go, we gotta find a piece of land. Even if we're in a huge city, you gotta find that one tree and make sure that you make a connection with [00:33:30] that tree. And then also talking with your elders. 

[00:33:35] Elders are our libraries, our wisdom keepers. They have so much to share with us. And when you talk with the elders, it just makes you feel better on the inside. And then I usually do Yurok, which is Native dancing where I'm from, and that always just fuels my spirit and makes me feel really [00:34:00] good. As well as just eating healthily, if I have access to that, making sure my body feels good and ready for each day. 

[00:34:10] Kameron Jones: So many pearls of wisdom that you both shared. I have a little bit of a follow-up question. If there is a Native young person out there who maybe is a little bit distant from their community and they wanna learn more, or for example, if they wanna learn how to bead, what resources or where would you direct them to? 

[00:34:29] I know that [00:34:30] there's so many things out there online, uh, but i- is there anything that comes to mind that you would recommend folks to do if they feel like they're far away from their community? How can they center themselves and practice some of the things that you both shared?  

[00:34:43] Joelnell Momberg: I would say there's a lot of great Native creators, um, on Instagram that I would say for the ones who don't live on their reservations or were never fully, didn't feel connected. 

[00:34:53] I feel like that's a lot of... That's a great resource to reach out to learn to craft and all of that. My biggest thing [00:35:00] too for youth on our reservation is getting them to this new center. They will have opportunities to learn about their culture and speak their language and make regalia and bead and sew and learn about their history of their people, along with a bunch of, like, recreational activities So that's what a lot of my work does now, is just making sure that we are providing youth with everything that they can get to feel connected to not only their history and their tribe, but just within today's [00:35:30] society as well. 

[00:35:31] And I know social media sometimes plays a negative effect, but I feel like it's also a great connection for our Native people who don't feel as connected and they don't live near, like, a Native community, but to reach out. And 'cause I, I come across people too that, like, give tutorials on how to bead, how to sew, and I think that's really great. 

[00:35:50] But also just cultural teachings or language teachings, real quick on, like, TikTok or something I feel like is a great way to start.  

[00:35:57] Taralynn Chesley: I would say if they're feeling [00:36:00] disconnection and they're in an urban environment, if they have a Native hospital that's near them, um, Native hospitals often provide free programming, free classes for the community to join in, and that is a huge way to be able to connect with your people if you're feeling that disconnection. 

[00:36:23] Whether it's, for example, at my Native hospital, they do buckmaking classes, [00:36:30] which is our regalia, or they'll do plant identification classes, and there's just so many goods, resources at the hospital for you to go to. And if not there, I would suggest looking at your tribal website because they often link things for you to do within their own website. 

[00:36:55] And if you are in connection with your Native [00:37:00] family, giving them a call, being like, "Oh," like, "what's something I can do to fill my free time?"  

[00:37:08] Kameron Jones: I love all of those. What is your vision for the future and Native youth and healthy relationships? What changes do you hope to see, and what is currently giving you hope? 

[00:37:20] Joelnell Momberg: I just hope to see more healthy, supportive relationships, like all relationships, family-wise, community member-wise, peer-to-peer across [00:37:30] our communities and just having more open conversations about these topics, which I feel like we're moving towards that right now within this generation. And I just want youth to feel confident and feel empowered to speak up and to never feel like they have to carry anything alone, and that there will always be someone out there that you can go to help. 

[00:37:49] Youth have a big role that they can play in creating a future, and I just want them to know that, and that we're already doing the work and raising awareness and supporting each other, but that [00:38:00] they are gonna have that role one day as well because they are our future.  

[00:38:04] Taralynn Chesley: What gives me hope is just the fact of being a good ancestor, making sure that we're doing the work within our communities to make sure that our following generations are able to experience the things that we're able to today, and to carry forth those traditions. 

[00:38:25] But also just to make sure that we're [00:38:30] continuing being the stewards of the places we've always been. And I would also say something I really hope to see in the future is I feel like when we're talking about these things, we never see the positive outcomes in the scenarios. We only see the negative scenarios. 

[00:38:51] Making sure that we do talk about the positives versus only talking about the negatives in our reality because [00:39:00] that really bogs us down when we're doing this kind of work to prevent these issues if we're only looking at what's going wrong. But we should also be focusing, making sure it's balanced and looking at what's going right within our community. 

[00:39:19] Kameron Jones: And I think that's a perfect transition. Thank you, Taralynn and Joelnell, so much for this conversation. We unpacked a lot, and there's a lot of resources that we'll be sharing below. [00:39:30] Really appreciate your time on this episode.  

[00:39:31] Joelnell Momberg: Yes, thank you, and thank you for allowing us to have the opportunity to speak on this, as I feel very important, and I enjoyed my time talking with you both. 

[00:39:41] Taralynn Chesley: Kameron, for hosting us today and letting us be able to discuss on these important issues that are affecting our communities.[00:40:00]  

[00:40:00] Kameron Jones: Thank you all for joining us on this episode of MCH Bridges. This episode was funded by and created in partnership with the National Indian Health Board in support of their Tribal Youth Advisory Council efforts. We hope that you enjoyed this conversation and encourage you to check out the tremendous work that NIHB is leading. 

[00:40:17] In addition, we also kindly ask that you take a few minutes to fill out a quick feedback survey and let us know what kind of MCH-related topics you're interested in and who you want to hear from on future episodes. A link to the podcast feedback [00:40:30] survey, as well as a transcript of this episode, can be found at our website, www.mchbridges.org. 

[00:40:38] Be sure to follow AMCHP on social media and subscribe to our newsletters. We hope that this episode created some new connections for you. Be well, and I hope that our paths cross again on the next episode of MCH Bridges.