Young eyes and ears absorb everything adults say and do. The way adults speak, act and handle challenges can leave a lasting impact on each child.

Witnessing and being directly affected by drug addiction can potentially lead to a similar path that was set for them by their parents.

The Salt River Strategy Team N team recognized a need and developed their Youth Drug Prevention initiative, which was formed by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Council to address increasing substance youth and overdoses among Community youth.

The result: a two-day youth conference called My Future is Bright.

“[Strategy Team N] is charged with improving, communicating, and enhancing services that support proactive drug prevention for Community youth, and in particular with increasing education and supports at a younger age and expanding protective factors,” said SRPMIC Community Prosecutor Alane Breland.

Breland and the Community Prosecutor’s Office are on Strategy Team N, along with Council members Cheryl Doka and Mikah Carlos, SRPMIC Court, Administration, Health and Human Services/Behavioral Health Services, Education, Youth Services, Defense Advocate, Recreation and Social Services.

The conference was paid for with Opioid Abatement funds.

From July 18-19, the conference was attended by several Community member youth and featured presentations from motivational speakers and some of the Community’s youth-oriented programs in Salt River’s Eagle Mark Ballroom at Courtyard by Marriott.

While attendees ate a buffet-style breakfast, Allen King shared his powerful journey of healing after addiction, incarceration and loss.

“I was a young kid when I started doing drugs and alcohol. I hid that very well. I was very functioning. I passed my grades. I did the things that I needed to do,” King began. “But in the meantime, I was huffing gas, and I was huffing markers, doing all the rez things. Because remember, on the rez, there’s no store that’s two minutes away. We had to compromise as an addict.”

Youth sitting at their round tables listened intently to his story, which included a chapter about his resentment toward his mom and her trauma, and how affected him.

Community member Markus Carlisle, 13, felt connected to King’s story.

“The fact that he felt the way about his mom, I kind of felt the same way too. I’m not with my mom. I’m with my grandparents,” he said. “I don’t hate my mom. I love her, but she can’t take care of me because she won’t fix herself. My dad, he tried, but he just went back to that same old. I thought one of my parents were going to fix themselves, but he didn’t.”

Community member Saul Leyva, 16, was also moved by the talk.

“I think hearing someone actually speak on it, you know, their own struggles and what they’re going through, I think a lot of people in here, including me, could relate in different ways,” he said.

“Not just about how their struggles are, but how he accomplished and how he kept going. I think it was inspirational. I know for a lot of people it was hard to hear or hard to hold back tears, but it was nice to hear, knowing that you’re not the only one going through those struggles, that everyone else is there with you.”

The first day continued with a presentation by Lynnette Gray Bull about the opioid crisis and human trafficking, especially in Native communities. She also shared information on how to break the cycle.

Later, Salt River Schools educators and behavioral health experts guided participants through six prevention theories, techniques and hands-on, research-based exercises.

Before the end of the day, there were two more sessions: a presentation from Behavioral Health Services on talking with your kids about substance use, and a cultural session from the Cultural Resources Department about healing and resilience through culture.

The second day of the conference began on a Saturday morning with an informative and introductory presentation about SRPMIC’s Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court, and how the court’s approach to treatment, education and Community involvement empowers young people to make positive changes.

After a morning break, Youth Services and Recreation provided an update on the current activities at Ske:g Himdag Ki: and offered an overview of the Echoes of the Akimel Color the Rez initiative, which utilizes graffiti immersion to engage youth in positive and creative activities.