A text messaging campaign has rolled out, that aims to promote sexual wellness for Indigenous youth across the region and beyond.
Called “Talking is Power”, the goal is to get parents, guardians, and trusted community role models to sign up for texts that’ll provide resources for having important conversations with their kids and other youth. Topics include consent, protection, HIV and STDs, and intimate partner violence.
Michelle Singer is with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB), one of the partners behind the text campaign.
“The effect and the reach of text messages can reach far and wide," she told KLCC. "And that’s why text messaging is so popular in a lot of our native communities.”
Singer said so far, nearly 200 parents have signed up for the weekly text messages.
Federal data shows American Indians and Alaska Natives have a higher risk of sexually-transmitted infections and HIV than other groups.
Copyright 2020, KLCC.
