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April 1, 1998
Making a Difference
Tribal member aims to promote AIDS awareness
By Tracy Dugan
Dave Brummitt, has been helping people living with HIVAIDS for
more than six years, and has decided to begin outreach programs "'
for adults and youth affected by AIDS within the Tribe. He has
been asked to speak to tribal youth from tribes, schools, and
Indian communities all over the west coast, and has volunteered
time and services to Indian people with this disease. Most
recently, Dave will begin working as the administrator of
Positive Community Project, an organization out of Portland
that conducts outreach and awareness activities for people
who first test positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
"We were awarded a grant that will help us create an
informational brochure that will be in doctors' offices and
clinics in Oregon," said Dave. "This brochure is aimed to
help people deal with the emotions and trauma after they
first find out they are HIV positive."
Dave interviewed many Native people for this brochure,
even a couple of tribal members. "The main thing people
with HIV must realize is that they have been sent a mes
sage, given a challenge. After all the feelings of anger and
denial are over, everyone must ask, 'How am I going to live
the rest of my life?'"
Dave isn't speaking to people about this disease on a one-
dimensional level. He knows about the sadness and anger these
young people are feeling. He's been there himself. He tested
positive for HIV six years ago, but his HIV status isn't what de
fines him as a person. The help he provides to Native people is the
result of a lifetime of experiences and challenges.
"When I was born, I was immediately adopted into a white family,"
said Dave. "I just met my maternal family two years ago." Dave, who is now
in his early fifties, says that his adoptive family was extremely dysfunctional,
and has in recent years had to overcome the painful issues of his past in order
to face the future and all that he could be as a person. "I grew up in Portland,
went to an all-white school where I was the pnly identifiable Indian person..
My Indian heritage has always been an issue for me."
As an adult, Dave turned to drugs and alcohol to numb himself to the pain
of his childhood, and it wasn't until he entered recovery that he
learned spirituality and was inspired to continue and go on. Dave
was hired by the American Indian AIDS Institute in San Fran
I . cisco as a street outreach worker, and also worked on the Na-
vajo Reservation helping tribal families living with AIDS. He
' 1 moved back to Portland to be close to the Tribe, and re
' ceived offers to speak to tribal youth. He has provided con
' suiting services to the Grand Ronde Health and Human Ser
vices Division. It is very important to Dave that Native
people be educated about AIDS, both the youth and adults.
"People are still in denial about who AIDS affects. Many
think its still a white, gay man's disease, but it isn't," he
said. "The face of AIDS is changing. The highest in
crease in AIDS cases is within the 13-25 age group. The
high rate of teenage pregnancy, the statistics on drug use
within the Tribe these behaviors increase the risk of
I ' getting this disease."
Dave said we all must work to destroy these myths about
how a person get contract HIV or AIDS.
"It is important to take a proactive approach to educating
youth of the risky behaviors associated with HIVAIDS, and
also how you can't get it," he said. "But if you do test posi-
tive, it is important to know you aren't alone. The people who
live the longest are those who take an active, responsible role
in their health care. It is important to question doctors, seek out
information. I believe AIDS is well on its way to becoming a man
ageable disease. A disease like diabetes or heart condition that
requires care, but in no way means that we can't live long and full
lives." Dave recommends turning to your tribe and family for support if you
test positive for HIV. ' "Native Americans are resilient people and we are at
our best when our people need help. Go with peace in your heart and remem
ber it's not how long you live, but how you live the life that you have.".,
Dave is a member of the HIVAIDS Advisory Council and; the Ryan, White
Title I Planning Council. If you have questions about HIV or AIDS, please
call Positive Community Project at (503) 281-0432 or (503) 768-9301.
Photo by Vernon Kennedy.
Foster providers
for ADHD children
The Family Resource Center in
McMinnville is providing a support
and information group for parents of
attention deficit disorder children.
Friday, April 10 from 7 to 9 p.m. will
focus on information by a local psy
chologist. For more information you
may directly call the Family Resource
Center at 434-4413; or Mychal Leno
at 879-2045 or 1-800-422-0232.
Foster Care certification
The second Foster Parent Training
for Certification is being offered
through the Tribe beginning on
Thursday, April 9 in McMinnville.
This training is for all foster care pro
viders interested in foster parenting
or foster parents who just recently
became certified in 1998. Classes are
already underway in Dallas. Please
call Mychal Leno at 879-2045 or 1-800-422-0232
for day, time, and lo
cation of this second class.
Caseworker reflects back on first year
By Tracy Dugan
DANIS BAZZY-BUCKNELL is
not a tribal member, but she grew up
in Grand Ronde, and decided a long
time ago that working for the Tribe
would be the best way to help the
people in her hometown.
So after earning her Associate's
degree at Chemeketa Community
College in Salem, Danis applied for
the caseworker position at Commu
nity Resources, and was offered the
job. She is approaching one year
with the Tribe, and has said that help
ing tribal children and families has
been a rewarding career choice.
"It's a good feeling to give back to
the community I was raised in. I
know a lot of these families."
But Dams says it's important to note
that a Family Service Caseworker vis
its many homes in the Six County Ser
vice Area, and many of them who
live out of the area are families she
does not know. ,
"I just want to help all tribal
families," she said. "I want
parents to know that I am here
to help them meet their objec
tives, determine the things
they need to work on in order
to be a complete family with
their children again."
Danis feels strongly in favor
of the Tribe's preference that
tribal children who need to be
placed in foster homes should
be placed in a tribal home
whenever possible. She wants
to encourage tribal member
families who are interested in
becoming foster parents to call
Community Resources to
learn more about it.
"We want children to remain
with their culture if possible,"
said Danis. "These are tribal kids.",
As a caseworker, Danis' duties in
clude supervising family visits, ap-
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v. '
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pearing in tribal and state court hear- , ation.
ings, making recommendations, and
assisting parents in meeting their
goals and requirements tor reconcm-