Ashliegh Ramirez: All programs are connected
By Andrea Taylor
Ashliegh Ramirez was raised in Siletz
and benefited from Tribal youth programs
before anything else, mostly participating
in prevention activities that opened doors
to new friends and introduced her to new
people in the community. Guided by her
peers and others who’ve faced the same
obstacles, she was witness to the positive
influence so many teens need.
Prevention activities granted Ashliegh
the strength to make the conscious choice
to avoid the use and abuse of substances,
adding that “going to leadership confer-
ences and being in a leadership position
holds you to a higher standard that you
feel good about. It was easier to say no
and keep myself at that level.”
After graduating high school, Ashliegh
sought the help of many more Tribal ser-
vices that added to her achievements. The
summer following her senior year, she took
a work experience position with the 477
Self-Sufficiency Program, which helped
her earn money and gain experience.
Using the Higher Education program,
she was able to attend Lesley University
in Cambridge, Mass., and obtained her
Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology
with a double minor in social work and
sociology.
Tribal education specialists helped her
apply for student aid and find scholarships
and grants that paid for classes and books.
The Temporary Tribal Student Assistance
Program in the Housing Department lifts
much of the financial burden for students
paying for housing. This meant Ashliegh
could prioritize classes without worrying
about rent.
Using these Tribal programs opened
alleys to pursue specialized learning
opportunities and exposed her to new
cultures and their people. Ashliegh now
works for the Siletz Community Health
Clinic’s Behavioral Health Department as
an outpatient counselor trainee.
“I’m a more rounded person. Had I not
accessed services growing up, I don’t know
how well I’d have done. Not to say that I
couldn’t, but that I would be less likely to
have the same outcome,” said Ashliegh.
She has a close relationship to her
family, most of whom live in Siletz and
the surrounding area. She spends the most
Courtesy photo
Ashliegh Ramirez
time with her mom, Angela Ramirez, who
works in the Enrollment Department, and
keeps in close contact with her brother,
Cristian Ramirez, who’s currently serving
as a U.S. Marine.
Expressing how Tribal members
shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help, Ashliegh
Community invited to St. Patrick’s Day dinner in Logsden
LOGSDEN, Ore. – The Logsden
Community Club invites members of the
community to enjoy a St. Patrick’s Day
dinner on Saturday, March 10, at 6:30 p.m.
Corned beef and cabbage will be
provided by the club. Desserts and side
dishes are welcome. Wear green and bring
your favorite leprechaun to enjoy dinner
with old friends and new acquaintances.
The Logsden Community Club is a
non-profit 501 C-3 that donates a por-
tion of its profits back to the community,
including the Siletz Valley Volunteer
Firefighters. Located at the junction of the
Logsden/Siletz Highway and Moonshine
Park Road, the Logsden Community Cen-
ter is situated on a historic site where the
local school once stood.
Today’s facility, built in the 1980s,
is available to rent and is a wonderful
location for local gatherings, including
weddings, family reunions, memorials
and other celebrations. The facility also
houses a commercial kitchen for cot-
tage industry entrepreneurs who market
home-canned goods and is a designated
emergency shelter.
Rental rates for events are reduced
for individuals who become members of
the Logsden Community Club. The cost
to join is $25.
For more information, contact Teresa
Simmons at 541-557-1695 or e-mail logs-
den1@gmail.com.
Peratrovich, continued from page 1
According to the Anchorage School
District, “Elizabeth Peratrovich Day
provides an opportunity to remind the
public of the invaluable contribution of
this Native Alaskan leader who was an
advocate for Native citizens and their
rights. This courageous woman could not
remain silent about injustice, prejudice
and discrimination.”
Further, in the school district’s board
resolution of 2012, it was noted: “Her
efforts came nearly 20 years before the
federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. Because
of her eloquent and courageous fight for
justice for all, today’s Alaskans do not
tolerate the blatant discrimination that
once existed in our state.”
Back in the 1940s in Alaska, it was not
uncommon to see “No Natives Allowed”
signs at stores and public accommo-
dations or even “No dogs or Natives
allowed.” But those were simply the most
visible manifestations of pervasive dis-
crimination against the original Alaskans.
As it has for more than 37 years, First
Nations works diligently to strengthen
Native American economies and commu-
nities, including American Indian, Alaska
Native and Native Hawaiian communities.
We and our grassroots partners in those
communities are making great progress,
but there is still a long way to go to fight
discrimination and bias against Native
Americans at every level of society. That’s
one of the many reasons we’re co-directing
a national effort called Reclaiming Native
Truth: A Project to Dispel America’s
Myths and Misconceptions.
So even if you don’t observe the holiday
on Feb. 16 like we do, please take a moment
that day to think of Elizabeth Peratrovich
and the trailblazing effort she dedicated
herself to in order to fight discrimination
against some of our original Americans …
and for the ultimate good of all Americans.
Learn more about Elizabeth Peratro-
vich online, particularly on Wikipedia
at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_
Peratrovich. For more information about
First Nations Development Institute, visit
firstnations.org.
8
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Siletz News
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This is open to all ages who are CHS-
eligible only. You must have a scheduled
screening appointment during one of the
four screening days to be considered.
thus place emphasis on these items in
order to achieve it.
The unbiased selection process is
performed under the guidance of an
orthodontic specialist and participants are
chosen through a committee.
February 2018
CEDARR
Community Efforts
Demonstrating the Ability to
Rebuild and Restore
Mission Statement
We will utilize resources to prevent
the use of alcohol and other drugs,
delinquency and violence; we
will seek to reduce the barriers to
treatment and support those who
choose abstinance.
Feb. 7 • 5:30 p.m.
Funded orthodontic treatment screenings set for 2018
The 2018 Funded Orthodontic Treat-
ment Program is fast approaching! All
interested parties should contact the
dental department to be placed on a list.
The screening dates are April 16-17
and May 16-17, 2018. The program and
amount of accepted applicants will be
dependent on the funding for that year.
Applicants are selected by case sever-
ity, motivation of the patient and guardian,
reliable transportation, routine dental
checkups and the oral hygiene history of
the patient, to name a few. We want the
best results possible for the patient and
said, “All programs are connected here, all
the departments work together because
they’re all here to service us. Just ask ques-
tions, a lot of people don’t know what’s
out there.”
Right now Ashliegh’s plans are to gain
the knowledge necessary to advance in her
career. Future plans include going back to
college to earn a master’s degree in mental
health with dual diagnoses of addiction in
mental health. Conveying how common
the two occur together she said, “It’s harder
for them to find the help they need because
it’s less widely recognized.”
Her hope is that being certified to treat
this disease will provide better and faster
service to Tribal members, resulting in an
increase of clients seeking help and more
successful outcomes.
Each year’s selection process is inde-
pendent from previous years and does not
carry over. Selected and treated individu-
als can only be selected once for the dura-
tion of the program. All applicants will be
notified by mail if they have been chosen.
Please contact the Siletz Dental
Clinic at 541-444-9681 or 800-648-0449,
ext. 1681, to be put on the list.
Siletz Tribal Community Center
402 NE Government Hill Drive
Siletz Tribal
Behavioral Health
Programs
Prevention, Outpatient Treatment,
and Women’s and Men’s
Transitional
Siletz: 800-600-5599 or
541-444-8286
Eugene: 541-484-4234
Salem: 503-390-9494
Portland: 503-238-1512
Narcotics Anonymous Toll-Free
Help Line – 877-233-4287
For information on Alcoholics
Anonymous: aa-oregon.org