Sicangu Lakota
Upland, California
16 years old
Student, Upland High School, Upland, California

My name is Sanaa Johnson. I currently attend Upland High School and currently am a Junior. I am a descendant of the Lower Brule Sioux tribe, my mother is an enrolled member and my grandmother was born and raised on the reservation. My Lakota identity and desire to combat high rates of diabetes that plagues my tribal community has motivated me to participate in programs such as PATHSTAR and the Tribal Learning Community & Educational Exchange (TLCEE) at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Attending PATHSTAR helps me build knowledge that allows me to make a plan to benefit all Native communities. The majority of the population on reservations does not have excellent food sources; this motivates me to continue to be a part of PATHSTAR and make a difference with diabetes rates and healthier food solutions. PATHSTAR gave me a platform to speak for Native communities at programs such as The Women and Men’s Wellness Conference in San Diego where I spoke on the issue of diabetes. I'd like to learn more about the reservations while at PATHSTAR as all that apply and are accepted into PATHSTAR will be Native. Expanding on the Native communities will help me not only learn about health and exercise but also what struggles teens goes through on reservations.

The Tribal Learning Community & Educational Exchange (TLCEE) is a course held by University of California (UCLA) for high school students. TLCEE educates students on American Indian Studies. They offer many different courses such as tribal law, economics and more. Participating in the program teaches me public speaking to overcome fear of speaking in front of others. In my TLCEE classes we often talk about the high rates of suicide and lack of positive opportunities for Native youth. The programs I am a part of allow me to spread the health benefits to teens from different schools and also professors.

I am also apart of programs at my school such as Water Polo, Golf, Swim, Link Crew and Yearbook. I’ve been part of waterpolo since my 8th grade summer, swim since freshman year and returned during junior year. Golf, yearbook and link crew I started this year I enjoy both very much. I am a student athlete on campus and off. These extracurricular activities taught me self determination, commitment, discipline, and time management. These programs have helped me develop myself into the person I am today.

I plan to share the skills that I learn from the program with my TLCEE classmates and fellow PATHSTAR members. I will contribute what I have learned through my experience as an advocate with PATHSTAR and a student at UCLA’s TLCEE to where i will further my education. Being a member of PATHSTAR has also motivated me to teach my family about health and wellness. I want to be an advocate for my people so we can become healthier.

It is my desire to share my indigenous culture and insight about Native American issues with other young people participating in the program. I also intend to support the other participants by being a strong ally. By participating in these program I hope to expand my understanding of health issues affecting Native Americans and create an action plan that I hope to implement under PATHSTAR. Enhancing my social justice skills will help me become a better leader in my community. This program will also help me achieve my college and career goals.
The commitment I have towards this program is very strong. This has been a very important topic for me and my education. Many do not understand the cons of junk food or portion control. And I am willing to commit to learning and expanding my knowledge and bringing it to others.

During this year's swim week I will not only commit to the goals I have chosen but also help others reach theirs. PATHSTAR swim week can be challenging but it is helpful when you have a friend and family to help you along the way and support you when others do not. When returning this year my goals will be (1) planning my meals weekly so it's easier to stay in control of my health and weight, (2) I will want to keep a journal if my days and if anything is different and my sleeping schedule and (3) I would like to document my eating for the day.

I feel these three goals would help shape me into a better person. Of course this may seem easy to people but this is quite challenging when being in high school and being with friends. Through PATHSTAR I would hope to gain more self determination to strive for these goals and conquer them. As a student from a low income background my parents are not able to pay for my education or even cover the costs to participate in extracurricular activities outside of school at times. This is why I strive to maintain a high GPA so that I can earn scholarships to pay for college. When furthering my education I will be able to take one step closer to achieve my dream of becoming a tribal lawyer and continue to make a positive impact as a Native youth advocate.

Savannah Trujillo
Upland, California
17 years old
Student, Upland High School, Upland, California

As a third year returner, I am really intent in venturing deeper into the world of PATHSTAR. The reason I want to participate in this program again is so I can be as involved as possible with the whole ‘shabang.’ I always enjoy my time in PATHSTAR and feel that my partner and I can help newcomers when it comes to getting adjusted to the new lifestyle. As a returner, I have already picked up some important skills that I use everyday. And let us not forget the amazing reward of swimming in the bay’s brisk waters!

I think coming again to participate in the Alcatraz Swim Week will put my training into deeper effect and really help with the rejuvenation of my lifestyle. During the week I would like to learn more about new ways of incorporating healthy habits into my lifestyle as well as possible introducing anything that I have absorbed throughout my journey. As young as I am, I think it is very crucial to start reforming myself now rather than later. PATHSTAR and the people within it have really helped kickstart this whole ideal for me.

A few goals that I have been working on already are eating the proper amount of fruits and vegetables, finding alternatives to salad dressings, avoiding any sweetened beverages, avoiding salting my foods, preparing snacks for my day, and exercising. Overall, I fell like I am doing a decent job and, although these steps may seem small, they add up. In all honesty, i do struggle with some of these based on the fact that I am so used to the ‘bad’ things in life. I really want to continue to prove my dedication to a healthier me. My battle with weight loss is one of the things that bothers me the most. I feel like I am making so many changes but am not putting my full effort into actually pursuing them for extended amounts of time. It seems like I get in and out of routine very easily, and I think the exposure to PATHSTAR again can help get me into a more structured routine.

A few additional goals I would like to work on are eating adequate protein and calories daily, partnering up with someone to become healthier, being part of a family meal at least once a week, and losing a stable amount of weight over the course of the next few months. I absolutely love the fact that PATHSTAR strives to create a ‘family’ and have the utmost gratitude for this value. I truly believe that it makes things extremely easier when you have a support system, and this program offers that. Before PATHSTAR I feel I haven’t had a sufficient support system in my life, but that has all changed. Overall, I genuinely want to continue to build my relationship with those around me and those who have helped me through PATHSTAR.

Michelle Deason
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians
Rocklin, California
44 years old
Financial Trust Officer, Office of Special Trustee

I was introduced to PATHSTAR at a Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) class through Chapa-De Indian Health Clinic in Auburn, CA, the spring of 2015. I had been a first time participant of the DPP class after finding out about the program and having a high risk of developing Type II Diabetes based on my family healthy history, poor eating habits, obesity, and lack of consistent physical activity. I later graduated from the 16-week DPP program in June, 2015, and had successfully lost over 10% of my total body weight. The Chapa-De DPP program and staff at the clinic forever changed my life for the better. I developed essential life skills and gained much needed support from my life coaches, physical trainers, nutritionist, behavioral health clinician, doctors and nurses at Chapa De. I would highly recommend the DPP program to anyone wanting to make a lifestyle change towards better health in the form of healthy eating and exercise.

The first time I heard about the PATHSTAR Swim, I was amazed at the story, impact, and level of achievement and pride the the swimmers attained at completing the program and the swim. I truly wanted to participate, not just for myself, but to give back to the community and inspire others just like the past swimmers had done for me. This year is the year that I am going to make it happen. I’d like to learn more about making healthy food taste great and learning to love a healthier lifestyle. This is what I’d take Home to my Family is helping them to see that one can eat healthy and love a healthy lifestyle. I share my experience with my United Keetoowah Cherokee Tribal Community through pictures and an article in our tribal newspaper, which is seen by 4,000 adult tribal members. I think my participation would inspire our tribal members to take care of their health and that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. I'd also share my experience with the Chapa-De DPP aftercare program, as they have served as my ‘tribal community’ while I’ve lived here in California the past 4 years.

I will commit to these three goals by participating in the PATHSTAR program: (1) To fund-raise the entire amount through donations of friends/family, community organizations and private industry donations. (2)To be in the best shape possible prior to the swim (walking, weight workouts, swimming as much as I can and to lose 10% of my total body weight by October 2018, and (3) to share my experience with at least five wellness organizations or prevention groups within the first two years after I complete my swim.

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Kansas
Sacramento, California
56 years old
Social Worker, Bureau of Indian Affairs

I was introduced to the PATHSTAR program at a conference I attended prior to turning 50 years old. I remember being so excited about the program and telling my children, “I’m going to do that before I turn 50!” Well, I’ll be 57 years old in October and have a new opportunity to participate in PATHSTAR.

I’ve struggled with Food Addiction since I was 25 years old, and it has ruled my life to the point where I’m obese and back on diabetes and high blood pressure meds. I’m well-managed once again and ready to come off all medications (next check up!). I feel that if i participate in the PATHSTAR Alcatraz Swim Program, it would help me to overcome that Food Addiction. My thinking is that if I can swim 1 mile in cold waters, get past my fear of being bitten by a shark or a sea lion and pulled under by a giant squid/octopus, then I can overcome my addiction.

I’m very traditional and believe my grandmother’s Water Spirit will help my fears and will be with me on this journey.

I’d like to learn more about making healthy food fast great and learn to love a healthier lifestyle. I’d take this learning to my Family to help them see that one can eat healthy and love a healthy lifestyle. I’d share my experience with my Prairie Band of Potawatomi Community through pictures and an article in our tribal newspaper, which is seen by 3000+ adult tribal members. There aren’t any oceans in Kansas, but I think my participation would inspire our tribal members to take care of their health and that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. I’d also share my experience with the Wilton Rancheria as they have served as ‘my tribal community’ while I’ve lived here in California the past 2 years.

I will commit to these goals by participating in the PATHSTAR program: (1) To fund-raise the entire amount through donations of friends/Family (2) To be in the best shape possible prior to the swim (walking, weight workouts, swimming as much as I can) and (3) To get to ‘overweight’ (a loss of 7 lbs) or as close to ‘normal' weight (a loss of 38 lbs) by October 2018 and (4) To be off all medications prior to the swim.

Utu Utu Gwaitu Benton Paiute Tribe
Sacramento, California
30 years old
Diabetes Program Assistant, Chapa De Indian Health

My name is Tahvooche Saulque. I am Nuumu (Paiute) from the Utu Utu Gwaitu Benton Paiute Tribe in Benton, CA. I currently work for Chapa-De Indian Health Program as the Diabetes Program Assistant. I love what we do here at Chapa-De and I love helping our patients with their medical needs and getting them connected with the providers and resources in my department. I also perform Retinal Screens on our diabetic patients to detect or monitor for Diabetic Retinopathy. I have learned so much about Diabetes while working in my department, information I didn’t understand before is very clear to me now.

I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2013. Diabetes is very prevalent in my family. My parents and both of my oldest brothers have Diabetes. Growing up I would see my parents check their sugars but they would never talk about it. When I was told that I needed to take metformin I was so against taking medication thinking not me I won’t get it. I was not taking care of myself and after having my 2nd son I was diagnosed. I felt like I had failed and full of regret. I asked myself why didn’t I try harder. When I started at Chapa-De, I got the motivation to start taking care of myself and make it my goal to eat better and live a healthier lifestyle. I want to break the cycle of this disease because I have 4 children and I am teaching them the benefits of eating healthy and daily exercise to prevent Diabetes in their future.

I am excited to learn more at PATHSTAR: I have heard wonderful things from past participants. I am excited to share what I will learn at PATHSTAR with my family and my tribal communities and our patients here at Chapa-De Indian Health Program.

Oglala Lakota
Pine Ridge, South Dakota
38 years old
Information Technology Technician, Pine Ridge High School

My name is Bessie LeBeau. I am 38 years old and currently work as an IT Technician at Pine Ridge School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. I am married to Donnie LeBeau Jr and together we have 5 beautiful, intelligent, athletic children. I am an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. I graduated from Oglala Lakota College in 2010 with my Bachelor degree in Information Technology and one day I hope to earn my Masters in Computer Science.

I first heard about PATHSTAR from Amanda Carlow who was a past participant. I’ve known Amanda for most of my life and she was also a huge part of my daughter’s life as her high school basketball coach. The way Amanda talked about the program, with such passion and motivation, made me excited and interested. Now I want to try it. I am overweight (morbidly obese) according to the Diabetes Prevention Program ideal height/weight charts, but I’ve been trying to make lifestyle changes to help myself get to a better place with my health. Last year I joined the DPP program in hopes of making changes and losing weight. I learned a lot from participating but I feel I still need to do more. I have a strong support system in my family (who think I’m crazy for wanting to do this) but in the end I know they will support and encourage me.

The more people I talk to the more people tell me that it is an awesome opportunity and have cheered my desire to participate. I’ve recently had some hardships (a financial and emotional toll), but I’m gaining my strength and courage back day by day. I began working out in the mornings, which is very hard to do because it’s at 5:30am but being a busy mom that’s really the only time I can make for myself. I’m making small gains and pushing myself out of my comfort zone for some of the workouts we do in the gym, but realizing it will all pay off in the end is all the motivation I need. Some of the things Amanda told me about the program at first gave me anxiety just thinking about it, but the more she told, the more I wanted to learn about the program. I went to the website to learn about PATHSTAR and everything I read was the right path for helping me attain my goal of getting healthy. I’m especially excited about learning better eating/cooking habits. I grew up on bacon grease and everything deep- fat fried. So learning new ways will be the best thing for me and my family.

I’ve never been given the opportunity to be a part of something like this, so I am excited to learn and bring back that knowledge back to share with my friends, family and the community in hopes to make more people aware of the program and want to participate as well. Participating in PATHSTAR will be a huge accomplishment for me as I continue my journey to health. I want to show my children that anything is possible and make my family proud. Thank you for considering my application to participate in PATHSTAR.

Pilamayaye.

Oglala Lakota
Kyle, South Dakota
34 years old
E911 IT Specialist

I’d like to participate in the PATHSTAR Alcatraz Swim week because I would like to continue on my path to healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. My first year at PATHSTAR was a huge adjustment just getting to know my environment but i really learned a lot about my unique nutritional needs.

I have migraines that prevent me from eating and drinking a lot of sugar, caffeine, bread, chocolate, and citrus. Kidney problems keep me from eating foods that are high in oxalates. So it is a constant challenge to find a good balance of nutrition and experiment with my wlieahty without getting bored with my recipes. I love getting introduced to new foods and recipes. PATHSTAR has been helping in those areas tremendously.

I have always been the type of person to lead by example. So when it comes to my health and my family’s health, I try to talk only from experience when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. My family really do watch me because they ask me questions all the time about types of food, what to eat, and what not treat. I try to encourage them to start small because it can get overwhelming to give up so much at once.

This is what I will bring home from PATHSTAR. My community loved hearing about my experience last year so I will continue to encourage my family, co-workers, and community to start taking better care of themselves. This year I really want to have one of my younger family members experience PATHSTAR with me because I think it might be better in the long run to give them the tools to take care of themselves early on to avoid the possibility of heart disease and diabetes.
Three goads i will commit to in participating in PATHSTAR are
1) Commitment to the ‘PATHSTAR diet’ and Health and Wellness goals
2) Continued involvement with my community
3) As for funding, I will donate what I can: food, snacks, star quilt, travel
Three health and wellness goals are
1) I will eat 4-5 servings of vegetables, 2 servings of fruit, and no processed food daily
2) Weight loss goal of 18 pounds
3) I will exercise at least 30 minutes daily at least 5 days a week.

Navajo Nation
Colfax, California
30 years old
Patient Services Representative, Chapa-De Indian Health

I am KC Fallon from Colfax, CA. I was born on the Navajo reservation, but I grew up in rural Northern California in the small town of Hayfork, CA. From a very young age, I helped my family with community events such as fundraising, public service, and helping to educate non Native Americans about Navajo culture.

For me, it is a once in a life time opportunity to be a part of the PATHSTAR family. I would like to be a part of the of the Alcatraz swim week with my two teammates Veteran PATHSTAR swimmer, Shawna Jackson, and my good friend, Tahvooche Saulque- Chavez. I want to be a part of something that is going to challenge me physically, mentally, and spiritually. I’ve heard about the program from several participants that I work with. After I heard the stories from Donna Nunn, Kristen Bradley, and Shawna, I have felt an ever growing need to try the program and make the swim to a new life style.

During the week, I’d like to learn more about a plant based diet and how to cook foods that are higher in nutrients that will help my family but also my community. Over the years, I have really struggled to eat healthy. I want to change, but I have such a hard time deciding on what to cook. I currently don’t have children but I want them to grow up with more vegetables in their diet. As a child, my family had a garden, but we didn’t cook in a healthy way. I wish I had been exposed to more diverse foods as a child. I believe that through the week long program that I will learn more to help me and my future family. What I would like to bring back to my community is that you can change your eating habits, you can educate yourself, and be someone that can promote change and provide encouragement for all those people who felt hopeless with their food choices.

The commitment by our team of three is uncharted. Like most Native American women, we work hard and we are going to make it fun. With our group, you could give us the worst job and not only will we it get the job done, but we will be having great time. For me, these two team mates are my soul sisters. I cant imagine my life without the two of them. To not take this challenge with them would be a regretful decision on my part. I love my teammates like family. We all tease and encourage each other but, it’s always with love. Having each other as a support system is paramount to our education in healthy changes. This allows everyone to be empowered. When one individual may struggle, another can provide support. As for the swim, knowing that each team member is right there can help us mentally finish the swim.

Coming up with some goals for my PATHSTAR program is something I have contemplated for a while. I have goals that I want to accomplish before I arrive at PATHSTAR, goals I want to complete while at PATHSTAR, and goals that I want fulfill after PATHSTAR.

My before goal is to be more comfortable swimming in open bodies of water. I’m not by any means an avid swimmer and to train for the swim I’m going to have to challenge my body to get up and do the work. I would like to be able to swim for two hours or more before arriving. While attending the week long program I would like to learn more about plant based foods, how to choose a balanced plate, and how to prepare different food that I might never have tried before. As for my goals after PATHSTAR, I would like to host a speaking event with my team at my church to help people combat their fears and struggles. Additionally, I want to enlighten the audience about my own struggles.

I just want to do something to better myself, my family, and my community. I believe in your program and if given the chance, I would love to be apart of it.

Oglala Lakota
Pine Ridge, South Dakota
41 years old

My name is Michelle Carlow. I am a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. I have lived here my entire life. I am a single mother to four beautiful children. Kristofer, my oldest son, is 21 years of age. He is currently working for my father’s construction company and will be returning to school in the fall. Maikole (pronounced Michael), is my oldest daughter. She is 12 years of age and will be in the 8th grade in the fall. My son Jesse is 7 and will be in the second grade in the fall. My baby Keegan is 5 and she will start kindergarten in the fall.

In the past three years I have taken it upon myself to get healthy. After my youngest child was born I gained weight and never lost. I was about 198 pounds when I started my journey. I had never been any heavier than 165 pounds in my life. I started doing cardio, running, and elliptical. I began to lose inches and tone my muscles. I then added weight lifting to my workouts and lost more weight and gained muscle. I am now at 170 pounds, losing approximately 30 pounds. I still need to lose another 10 pounds to reach my goal weight.

How I became interested in the program is through my baby sister Amanda Carlow. She has run the New York Marathon, swam Alcatraz, and accomplished many other endeavors in her lifetime. She has always been my role model and my inspiration to get healthy.

My teammates and I have been on a weight loss and healthy eating journey. We have been doing different activities to fulfill our goals. We have done triathlon events, biking events, and daily exercise/workout routines. I feel that this program will be a great opportunity for us to learn more about healthy eating and lifestyles and will also be a great challenge for us to accomplish. We have been very dedicated to our journey and I feel that this will push us even harder. I am very excited for this journey and next step in life.