NIH funds Wakaya: Grounded in Choctaw Indigenous Land-based Healing

The National Institute of Health/NIH R01, Wakaya, is led by Choctaw Nation enrolled members, Dr. Michelle Johnson-Jennings (UW Full Professor, Public Health and Social Work, and Director of Environmental Health and Land-based Healing Division, IWRI) and Dr. Karina Walters (UW full professor, Social work and co-Director IWRI) as multiple PIs in partnership with the Choctaw Nation. This project seeks to lower diabetes risk factors through increasing exercise and a healthy diet by returning to the land. This multi-level intervention is grounded in Choctaw Indigenous knowledges and includes a health promotion leadership framework. Through this land-based healing intervention, in which each activity will be conducted in nature, high school youth will reconnect to mother earth, ancestral teachings, and learn healthy environmental stewardship and individual coping skills in order to improve overall health and well-being.