Wrapping Up: Community Ceremony and Reflexive Learning

For the past 2.5 years, I have had the distinct honor of helping to build a community-led pilot project with Native veterans in and around Seattle, WA. As an outsider to this community, I have constantly sought ways to build rapport and trust with community members and institutions. My experience as the Native Veterans Research Coordinator has been one of the most rewarding and humbling experiences in my personal and professional life. Recently, I was honored with a blanket at the JAIVAC meeting hosted by the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe. I feet incredibly humbled and grateful to be recognized for my community work, and don't take this recognition for granted. The Joint American Indian Veterans Advisory Council (JAIVAC) is a partnership between the VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) and local Tribes. JAIVAC meets on a quarterly basis to share updates, align system partners, facilitate communication between agencies and organizations, and make recommendations to the VAPSHCS to enhance health care delivery for American Indians/Alaskan Native veterans. I am excited to continue the important work of aligning systems to help improve services and outcomes for Native Veterans. Thank you to everyone that has worked alongside me throughout this project!

 

The Native Veterans Podcast is a collaboration between the Native Veterans Program and the Daybreak Star Radio Network at the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation. This podcast series aims to capture, promote, and archive the diversity of experiences and stories within our Native veteran community. We recorded Episode 1 at the "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Powwow" on March 21, 2026 at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center in Seattle, WA. Three Native veterans shared their reflections on the theme of "Home", and how their military service impacted their relationship to family, land, country, and culture. We recorded Episode 2, "Native Women Veteran Stories" in August 2026 with three incredible, brave community members who reflected on their service, healing journey, and connection to community, culture, and home. You can watch Episodes 1+2 NOW on @daybreakstarradio on Youtube.