There’s an Indigenous Mental Health Crisis. This Changemaker’s App Can Help.

WHEN THE PANDEMIC ARRIVED and the world went into lockdown, Sutton King saw another crisis looming: one of mental health.

American Indians and Alaska Natives face a 20 percent higher suicide rate than the non-Hispanic white population. They are also 60 percent more likely to experience a feeling of “everything is an effort” all or most of the time, compared to non-Hispanic whites, according to data from the Office of Minority Health.

King, a descendant of the Menominee and Oneida tribes who grew up in Wisconsin, has experienced his own mental health struggle. “My family on the native side was [once] sent to a school where the motto was ‘Kill the Indian, save the man’, so [I had an] understanding of that trauma,” she says, “and that the mental health experience I have in my own body didn’t start with me.”

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But seeking professional help remains a challenge, because most therapists are not indigenous. “We have to explain intergenerational trauma. We have to explain the cultural nuances just so we can start talk therapy,” says King. Many Native Americans are also denied access to federal Urban Indian Health Program services because they do not meet federally mandated “blood counts,” a measure of direct lineage that many Indian advocates view as intentionally restrictive and overtly racist.

That’s why it launched the Urban Indigenous Collective (UIC) in New York City in October 2019. The nonprofit mental health and wellness organization advocates for resources for all self-identified Indigenous peoples, regardless of the amount of blood. As the world went into lockdown with the pandemic, the group surveyed the indigenous community to hear firsthand what they thought their most pressing needs might be.

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Sutton King is the co-founder of ShockTalk, a mental health app.

The result: In July 2020, UIC members produced ShockTalk, a free pilot app on Facebook Messenger that connects all Indigenous Peoples with Indigenous therapists for telehealth visits. The service helps people book appointments while negotiating hurdles like benefits and insurance. UIC has partnered with researchers at Columbia University to further test and improve its service and hopes to launch a mobile app.

The group remains committed to being as informed and intentional as possible in everything it does. “We really curated this around the voice of the community,” says King. The goal now is to keep listening.

OTHER INDIGENOUS ACTORS OF CHANGE TO FOLLOW

@NOTORIOUSCREE
A hip-hop dancer turned hoop-dance artist who has performed at the Olympics and honors an ancient art. He went viral after sharing his performance from TikTok’s “Blinding Lights” dance video.

@CHELSEY.MOVES
An influencer who co-founded Well for Culture with her husband Thosh Collins. She shares her own active lifestyle and culturally inspired workouts and training tips.

@HOT.GLUE.BURNS
A cosplayer who has elevated the art form with his bold portrayal of Native American Captain. His heroic character reinvents the iconic super soldier as a tribal icon.

@ARIELTWETO
An Alaskan runner who has run every day since May 2002. Her nonprofit organization Popping Bubbles works to break down social and physical barriers so people can lead happier lives.

@SUPAMANHIPHOP
A DJ, hip-hop artist, and flutist who wears bold ceremonial outfits. His award-winning music blends indigenous cultural vibes with looping beats and clever social commentary.

@HUDDLEBERRYFINN
Fashion designer and creative director behind the Sovereign line at Urban Native Era. His streetwear collection is based on reinterpreting the concept of self-government.