Au revoir, mis niños y niñas!

Dear Youth, Family, and Community Members,

It has been a fulfilling year and a half with the San Diego American Indian Health Youth Center. Since I have become a licensed psychologist, there is a stronger need for me to focus my workday in the Behavioral Health Department with adults. This means I will no longer serve as the Youth Center Project Coordinator. This position has been awarded to a much-deserving Christopher Scott. I know he will take the Youth Center in a positive direction.

If you ever want to stop by, I am across the street in the Behavioral Health Department and will be available for individual therapy sessions. No, individual therapy isn’t just for “crazy people” :). We can all benefit in having someone to talk to from time to time. For those of you whom I have worked with, I will continue to provide individual therapy. Please contact me to schedule an appointment, if necessary. I can be reached by telephone at (619) 234-2158 x128 or by email at melanie.cain@sdaihc.com. Please remember, I care about each and every one of you and will have many fond memories of my experiences with the Youth Center. I wish all of you the best. Remember to study hard and be “respectful” of one another, especially your parents :). You will be a grown-up before you know it and it’s important to develop a healthy sense of who you are. Use the Youth Center as a positive space for growing up. Take care of yourselves and make all your dreams come true!

Sincerely,

Melanie J. Cain, Ph.D.

Licensed Psychologist

PSY 23411

What do YOU want to cook on November 10th?

Youth members have requested to pick the main course for an upcoming Wednesday Night Dinner.  November 10th is that night!  If you have any ideas, feel free to discuss them with your fellow members here at the Youth Center or on the comment section of this post.  What we eat is up to all of you, as long as the meal follows these requests:

• balanced (includes healthy sources of protein, carbohydrates and fat)
• fresh vegetables are included
• the starch source is from a whole grain or root vegetable
• none of the foods require deep-frying
• prep/cook time is not more than 2 hours combined

After the decision has been made, let me (Daniel) know what's being made so we can purchase the supplies.  Let us know by Friday, November 5th.  We will, of course, supervise the kitchen, but all preparation, cooking and serving is all up to youth members!

Halloween Party Next Tuesday!

What are you doing next Tuesday? That's right. You're going to the Halloween Party. What's that? Yes, you're dressing up as a kooky character, and then you're entering the costume contest to win a variety of prizes. And then what? And then you'll play games, get spooked in the haunted house, eat wonderful food, and after a bit of free dancing, dominate the dance contest by showing off your newest moves. It was so much fun last year...remember these pictures? Oye, here's the information, just in case the specifics slipped your mind:

"A Halloween Party"

Tuesday, October 26

Ballard Parent Center (2375 Congress Street, Old Town)

6-9PM

Please bring a DESSERT to share!

A little alternative health, a little dancin'...

We are blessed to have two special programs at the Youth Center these next two weeks: on Wednesday, we will have a free (FREE!) dance lesson from Culture Shock (we don't necessarily have to wear masks like the Jabbawockeez, though...).  Next week, we have an extra gift and get to experience the dance lesson at the Culture Shock Dance Center (pending good behavior the week before, of course).  Learn more about Culture Shock here.  Last but not least, on Tuesday 10/19, the Alternative Health Network is coming to do a presentation.  Learn more about the Alternative Health Network here.

"They say cut backs, we say fight back!"

Youth Center members, guardians and staff joined hundreds of other students, teachers, and community members in the National Day of Action to Defend Education and Public Services yesterday at Pantoja Park in Downtown. The day started with a rally, followed by a march, and ending with a festival back at Pantoja Park, where are very own member Bella presented a speech on how budget cuts are affecting her educational and after school programming. The event made local headlines, including a piece on CBS 8, which can be viewed here (you can see Youth Center members and staff at 0:46 and 2:06!). Pictures from the event are posted in our Photobucket album here in the 2010 Oct 7 Day of Action for Education album.

Join us next Thursday to defend Education!

On October 7th, we will participate in the Day of Action to Defend Education and Public Services.  The Youth Center members have already voiced their concerns over the cuts to education locally in California; if you haven’t seen it yet, check out their YouTube video entitled “What is Happening to Our Education?” at http://www.youtube.com/SanDiegoAIHYC.  We will join other concerned students, parents, grandparents, teachers, and community members for a rally, silent march, and festival at Pantoja Park in Downtown.  Members, parents, families, friends: if you want to join us, we'll see you at the Youth Center or at Pantoja Park next Thursday!

AIDS Walk 2010

Last year, AIDS Walk participants were blessed with overcast and a slight breeze. A late start to summer was the theme for this year's AIDS Walk, but our members, parents, friends and staff were troopers for the entire 5k! Even though the day started bright and early with a 7AM breakfast at the Youth Center, SDAIHYC participants made it through the entire route (which went up 6th Avenue, onto University, down Park and through Balboa Park) in less than 1.5 hours. Visit the 2010 AIDS Walk album on Photobucket here for pictures from the event!

2nd Annual Beach Party: Too Cool

We had fun times at the 2nd Annual Back to School Beach Party, held once again at Mission Beach! Due to a busy summer, we planned this year's party early on in the school year before everyone's schedules got too crazy.


Even though the water wasn't the warmest and the weather not incredibly steamy, this potluck-style gathering was a blast, so much so that we forgot to take pictures throughout the day! Click here to visit the 2010 Beach Party album on Photobucket; if you have any pictures you'd like to share, let us know!

Need community service hours? Be a Trash Talker!

Do you need to complete community service hours for school? In collaboration with the Operation Samahan Youth2Youth Program, members of the San Diego American Indian Health/Youth Center can get up to 8 hours of community service in one day!

On Saturday, October 2nd, as part of the 6th Annual FilAmFest (the picture at right is from last year's Festival), volunteer youth will serve as "Trash Talkers," educating and demonstrating to Festival attendees the importance of environmental health, sanitary practice and recycling. We have a limited number of applications, so if you're interested, send an email or stop by the Youth Center to sign up! This opportunity is for youth 13+.