Mission

The 5th Direction is committed to building the capacity of Native American Youth to overcome intergenerational trauma and thrive in contemporary society and culturally in their communities.

Purpose

Native American youth struggle disproportionately with mental, physical, emotional, and substance abuse issues. Many of these issues can be traced back to trauma suffered by parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents traumatized by boarding schools, unjust tribal policy, and even gold rush and mission era trauma. The 5th Direction has been offering capacity-building alternatives and wellness-focused activities to socially strengthen Native youth. When we understand trauma and work to create stronger individuals we can build socially responsible communities able to bring about social change that changes the negative narrative of what Native communities look like.