Minnesota Institute of Public Health

The following Blog is written and offered here by Kevin Spading, our Minnesota Prevention Resource Center (MPRC) Director here at MIPH.  Kevin’s message is timely, important and of great interest.  Read on…

The United States of America is a nation of immigrants.  When each person looks into the mirror and asks him/herself, “Who am I?” one thing that every person in this country shares is a common immigrant journey.  For many, that journey is a story that has been told for generations, for others it is a faded memory. For some, the story is being told today as it unfolds.

We need to listen to that story.

Here at the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center (www.emprc.org), a project of the Minnesota Institute of Public Health, making sure we serve all Minnesotans is a mission we embrace.  MPRC recognizes that families aspire to have healthy families in their schools and communities.  This in turn motivates us to bring our alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention services to as many communities as we can possibly reach. 

Creating products and trainings that allow communities to tell their story is one way MPRC can strengthen families and communities.

One such effort is the recent production of:
Drugs and Alcohol:  Immigrant Perspectives

In a joint effort with TPT of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Human Services – Chemical Health Division and MPRC, a brand new DVD will soon be available through MPRC.  If interested, you can call us at 763-427-5310 or 1-800-782-1878. 

This DVD examines compelling stories of several new immigrants as they learn about and negotiate acculturation issues as well as the challenges related to substance abuse in our culture.  The stories share hopes and dreams of the immigrant journey yet provides keen insights to the resilience needed to deal with these challenges families face when presented with access to alcohol and drugs.

On Sunday,  this 28-minute new documentary will premier on December 14th at 8pm on Channel 17.  It will air again on Saturday, January 3rd at 8pm on Channel 17.

When I saw the tears of joy broadcast on television on the night of the election, I was feeling like it was more than just about a President being elected.  In community centers and churches across this nation, the story of the immigrant’s journey, the freedom to be all you can be was being celebrated.  All because of the strength of our diversity – a diversity that is our story. 

Let’s bring that same strength to the test of alcohol and drugs and let’s celebrate the strength of our families, our communities, our story, as well as our diversity and the freedom that it brings!

Click here if you would like to order a copy of this program.