Amanda Henry

Project 4 Part 2
English 181- 001
Dr. Mandy Suhr-Sytsma
11.11.16
Mitchell, Christina M. et al. Alcohol Use Among American Indian High School Youths From
Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Latent Markov Model. Journal of Studies on
Alcohol and Drugs 69.5 (2008): 666675. Print.
Frank Waln on Understanding The Native American Experience Through Hip Hop. WBUR,
01 April 2016. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
Wiles, Mitch. 'We Matter' campaign speaks directly to Indigenous youth contemplating
suicide. CBC News, 19 October 2016. Web. 12 Nov. 2016.
High Stakes of Alcohol Abuse Amongst Indigenous Young People
Are you an Indigenous youth who knows someone who has died due to alcohol? In this
article, the authors inform readers about the patterns of alcohol use among Indigenous youth in
America and the outcomes six years later. The article highlights multiple studies that have found
that Indigenous youth drink more often than other youth in the United States. The authors also
say that alcohol related death is fifteen times more common among Indigenous youth than other
American youth. This study collected data from 861 Indigenous people ages 14-20 and later
again in young adulthood from ages 20-26 and the results showed that nonusers continued to
abstain and the consistent drinkers continued to drink. They also discovered that patterns of
alcohol use during adolescence were related to greater levels of drug use in young adulthood.
Are you an Indigenous young person who drinks? Struggling with alcohol and drug
addiction will make it difficult to fulfill your dreams. Listen to aboriginal hip hop artist Frank
Waln and set goals to rise above the historical trauma from societal prejudice. In an interview, he
explains that he targets the Native youth audience because he understands what they are going
through and, it's really important that young Native youth see positive Native role models doing
what they love and succeeding (Frank Waln). Are you an Indigenous young person who does
not drink? You can make a difference in the lives of future generations by creating programs that
educate and support vulnerable families in your communities. This study provides evidence of
the effects of alcohol use on Indigenous young people and, through support programs such as the
We Matter campaign, Indigenous youth can watch videos to see Indigenous people who have
experienced similar struggles and overcame them (Wiles). If alcohol use is prevented earlier,
Indigenous youth will be more likely to become healthy and successful adults.