Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health

The recent news about the removal of federal information on the Navajo Code Talkers and Indigenous service members’ contributions during World War II deeply disturbed many of us. At Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, many of our loved ones, relatives, and staff members have a proud tradition of military service. This sense of patriotism and commitment to protecting our country and families is a core part of our identity, despite our complex history with the U.S. government. Native Americans have a long and distinguished history of military service in the US. We have served in every major conflict for over 200 years since the Revolutionary War. Our People serve in the U.S. Armed Forces at a higher rate than any other ethnic or racial group in the nation. In World War II, Navajo Code Talkers used the Diné language to create an unbreakable code crucial to U.S. victories in the Pacific. There were 29 original Code Talkers, and by the end of the war, more than 400 Navajos had participated in the program. During the invasion of Iwo Jima, Code Talkers sent over 800 coded messages without error. Additionally, we honor Ira Hayes (Pima), one of six Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima, and the notable contributions of military members of other tribes such as the Cherokee, Choctaw, Lakota, Meskwaki, and Comanche. The erasure of this information can impact our mental and emotional health. We encourage you to prioritize your physical and spiritual well-being in light of distressing news like this. As with all previous challenges of our collective history as Indigenous Peoples, we will prevail, we will speak our truths and we will continue to honor the contributions of our veteran warriors. Read the article at the link in our bio or https://lnkd.in/efERrCHu #NavajoCodeTalkers #Navajo #CodeTalkers #WorldWarII #IndigenousMilitary #IndigenousVeterans #IndigenousPride

In Lakota and Dakota cultures, horses are known as sun'ka wakan or “holy/mysterious dog.” They are revered as relatives, connected through a spiritual bond, and believed to be gifts from the Wakí?ya? (Thunder Beings). Peter Lengkeek, Chairman of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe [Hunkpati Oyate], explains, “Horses are not viewed as animals by our people. The colonial view is to call them animals. Our relative, the horse, has a sharp mind. They are capable of every emotion you and I have. They can love. They can hate. They can be traumatized to the point they are just existing—just trying to get through the day. Horses ‘feel’ just like we do emotionally, mentally.” We are thrilled to announce that we have received support from The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) to customize our Lakota Equine-Assisted Therapy program for Indigenous adolescents and young adults at risk for or recovering from opioid use disorder. This grant, titled “Equine and Culturally Grounded Treatment for Substance Use Disorder,” will enable us to support our youth from the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe in South Dakota through weeklong camps. These camps will blend horse therapy (LEAT curriculum) with traditional healing practices. By leveraging the profound connection between horses and our cultural heritage, we aim to foster resilience, mental well-being, and a deeper sense of cultural identity among our youth. This initiative represents a significant step towards healing and empowerment for our communities, paving the way for a brighter, healthier future. Read the press release - https://bit.ly/41OdEfV #opoid #opioidcrisis #substanceuse #equine #horses #equinetherapy #lakota #dakota #crowcreeksioux Indian Country Today Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health National Indian Health Board Native News Online Urban Indian Health Institute We Are Healers Loretta Grey Cloud Donald Warne Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

?? Concerned about the measles outbreak? ?? Join Indian Country ECHO and UNM Project ECHO this ?? Wednesday, March 26 at 2 pm ET for the first of a series of seminars covering prevention best practices, vaccine outreach strategies, and vaccine communication approaches. Register through the QR code or the link https://lnkd.in/gM6iUJ9X #Measles #PreventMeasles #GetVaccinated #HealthMatters #VaccinateYourKids #VaccineAwareness #MMRvaccine #MMR #MeaslesOutbreak #NativesStopTheSpread #NativesDoingTheirPart #NativeAmericanHealth #IndigenousHealth #NativeAmerican #AmericanIndian #AlaskanNative #HealthyTribes #IndigenousPeople #NativeHealth #TribalHealth

HIV rates are rising in Native communities, but many don’t know their status—getting tested is key to protecting our People. On National Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we are sharing information about a study led by Indigenous researcher at the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, Dr. Christopher Kemp, to understand HIV testing preferences for Native adults. Increasing access to HIV testing in Native communities could improve HIV prevention, care, and treatment services for Native people. Click the QR code or visit https://lnkd.in/eThkkuUc to access the intake survey. Reach out to Dr. Kemp at [email protected] for questions. #NNHAAD #NNHAAD2025 #hiv #hivawareness #aids #aidsawareness #NativesDoingTheirPart #NativeAmericanHealth #IndigenousHealth #NativeAmerican #AmericanIndian #AlaskanNative #HealthyTribes #IndigenousPeople #NativeHealth #TribalHealth?

???What Makes Podcasting Accessible—With Sarah Stern ?? Wednesday, March 26, 2025 - 12:00 - 1:30 pm ET ??Macksey Seminar Room (M2043), Brody Learning Commons Are you an active podcaster ???or an enthusiastic listener? Are you curious about how podcasts can be a tool for improving access in teaching, research, and other activities? Sarah Stern, Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, joins others at Sheridan Libraries' Tabb Center on March 26, 12-1:30 pm ET, to chat about the Center for Indigenous Health's "Indigenae Podcast." This is a hybrid event. In-person attendance includes lunch. Register ?? https://lnkd.in/eB2ayDrM #podcast #podcasts #podcaster #Indigenae #NativesDoingTheirPart #NativeAmericanHealth #IndigenousHealth #NativeAmerican #AmericanIndian #AlaskanNative #HealthyTribes #IndigenousPeople #NativeHealth #TribalHealth?

From August 2021 to May 2022, Emily E. Haroz, associate professor of public health, and her colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health surveyed parents and other primary caregivers of students at schools that serve the Navajo Nation. They found high rates of depression and anxiety among the parents and caregivers. 15.7% of children were at risk of mental distress, based on parent and caregiver reports. Yet the survey also showed that strong connections to culture gave the children higher levels of resilience and academic “self-efficacy.” "Part of mental healing is relational, particularly in (Indigenous) communities,”Dr. Haroz told MindSite News. She and other Johns Hopkins researchers are now studying whether community mental health workers could be trained to provide coping strategies, peer support, home visits, and other services in tribal communities – a model of extending behavioral health care that has been used in low-resource areas globally. “Training people from the community, who understand the local context and culture, is a potential real solution to some of these barriers to accessing services,” Dr. Haroz said." Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/eSHtmXCq #NativesDoingTheirPart #NativeAmericanHealth #IndigenousHealth #NativeAmerican #AmericanIndian #AlaskanNative #HealthyTribes #IndigenousPeople #NativeHealth #TribalHealth Lavinia Cody (pictured below) has her students use a form to trace their connections to members of other clans. Photo: Michele Cohen Marill

?? This Wednesday, March 12th “Multilevel Interventions with Indigenous Populations” with Dr. Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan - 4:00-5:00 pm ET. Register with the QR code or https://lnkd.in/e5eYAw7N

The Center for Indigenous Health deeply mourns the loss of Emily Pike. Emily was just 14 years old and hadn’t begun to realize her dreams before her life was tragically taken. Native women and girls are up to 10 times more likely to be murdered, and 80% experience violence in their lifetime. We stand together with our Relatives?in Indigenous communities, the San Carlos Apache Tribe and MMIW organizations throughout the US to honor Emily’s name.?https://lnkd.in/exkGjdC3

On?#InternationalWomensDay...?Flashback to August 2024: The SPIRIT Project partners traveled from First Nations (BC, Canada), Aotearoa (New Zealand), and Turtle Island (US) to gather in Mparntwe (Alice Springs, Australia) on the traditional homelands of the Arrernte people. During our weeklong stay, folks participated in various cultural excursion day trips and witnessed remarkable work happening in the world of play around the globe. We?work in partnership with communities to advance Indigenous well-being and health leadership to the highest level. Three of those partnerships include Indigenous-led organizations in?First Nations Health Authority?(BC, Canada),?Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (Australia), and?University of Otago?(Aotearoa). This work is made possible through the support of the?The LEGO Foundation? We are excited to share the final video of our gathering! ?? Watch the full video at ?? https:/https://lnkd.in/eSs9zvSm ?? Learn more about the project and partners at ?? https://lnkd.in/e3czBXCQ #familyspirit?#indigenous?#health?#johnshopkins #internationalwomensday2025

Join us on Wednesday, March 12th – 4:00-5:00 pm ET, for a webinar on “Multilevel Interventions with Indigenous Populations” with Dr. Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan. Dr. Jernigan will share findings from randomized trials on improving Indigenous food systems and reducing cardiometabolic conditions through a community-led research approach. The session includes a presentation followed by a live Q&A. Register now with the QR code, link in bio, or https://lnkd.in/eTZwrztU #CIRCLECenter #NativesDoingTheirPart #NativeAmericanHealth #IndigenousHealth #NativeAmerican #AmericanIndian #AlaskanNative #HealthyTribes #IndigenousPeople #NativeHealth #TribalHealth