HOPEful Conversations about Child Development

← HOPEful Conversations about Child Development29 Apr · 21 min

Empowering Indigenous Youth with Culture and Belonging: Featuring Dr. Jason Deen

Empowering Indigenous Youth with Culture and Belonging: Featuring Dr. Jason Deen29 Apr21 min

In this episode, Dr. Robert Sege and Dr. Baraka Floyd are joined by Dr. Jason Deen, a pediatrician and founder of the University of Washington Center for Indigenous Health. The conversation explores how Indigenous families provide positive childhood experiences (PCEs) by deeply connecting youth to their culture and traditions. Dr. Deen discusses the healing power of cultural socialization, such as participating in powwows and traditional activities, as a "decolonizing concept" that builds self-worth, community health, and resilience against historical trauma. The hosts also highlight Dr. Deen's inspiring work in creating pathway programs that introduce Native youth to medical careers, normalizing the experience of being an Indigenous healthcare professional.

For more on the HOPE framework, visit positiveexperience.org.