2026 American Indian Suicide Prevention Convening

2026 American Indian Suicide Prevention Convening

Threads of Life: Weaving Hope & Healing

Presented by the Urban Indian Coalition of Arizona and the Phoenix Indian Center, this convening is a safe and supportive space for local organizers committed to building suicide-safer communities for urban American Indian families.

Participants can engage in sessions across three tracks:

Clinical
Cultural
Youth & Families

Each track is dedicated to elevating both traditional and contemporary Indigenous knowledge.

Who should attend:

Behavioral Health Professionals
Service Providers
School Staff
Youth-Serving Organizations
Community Members (Parents, Caregivers, Allys, etc.)
Young Elders

Come together to learn, share, and strengthen our collective efforts to prevent suicide. REGISTRATION IS FREE.

Featured Keynote Speaker

Dr. Monique Apple

Ihanktonwan Dakota & Oglala Lakota

Our Generation – Consulting & Training Center

Event details:

Date: April 23-24th, 2026

Day 1: Thursday April 23, 9:00am-4:00pm

Day 2: Friday April 24, 9:00am-1:00pm

Location: Doubletree by Hilton Phoenix Mesa

Address: 1011 W Holmes Ave, Mesa, AZ 85210

Registration: Click HERE

Free breakfast & lunch provided each day.

AGENDA

Subject to change

Thursday, April 23

8:30 AM – Registration Opens & Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM – Welcome

10:00 AM – Keynote Address: Integrating Cultural Interventions into Behavioral Healthcare: Working with Children Using a Family Systems Approach

Presenter: Dr. Monique Apple

11:00 AM – Break & Raffle

11:20 AM – Breakout Session Tracks

Cultural – Culture is Regulation: Re–Storying Suicide Prevention Through the Indigenous Healing–Centered Regulation Framework (C)
- Presenter: Kimber Olson
Clinical – Transforming a Trauma Memory into Healing: A Cultural Perspective
- Presenter: Lenny Hayes
Youth & Families – Building Brighter Futures Through C.A.R.E Centers
- Presenter: Jason Jones & Paula Wilson

12:20 PM – Lunch (provided by Phoenix Indian Center)

1:15 PM – Breakout Session Tracks

Cultural – Reclaiming Connection: Cultural Resurgence as Indigenous Suicide Prevention
- Presenter: Kelly Vallo
Clinical – Every Fiber Has a Purpose: The Power of Integration
- Presenter: Estefana Johnson
Youth & Families – Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education – Project AWARE Wildcats (PAWs)
- Presenters: Cody R. Elliot & Chastity Bega

2:15 PM – Break & Raffle

2:25 PM – Breakout Session Tracks

Cultural – Weaving Ourselves Together through Storytelling: A Cultural Practice that Creates Interconnectedness and
Belonging
- Presenter: Sonya Brooks
Clinical – Calling in the Helpers: Indigenizing Ego State Resourcing for Suicide–Safer Clinical Care
- Presenter: Brandi Sweet
Youth & Families – Transforming Tomorrow’s Youth: Weaving Culture, Connection, and Prevention to Strengthen Indigenous Youth Wellness
- Presenter: Melody Billy

3:35 PM – Closing

4:00 PM – Adjourn

Friday, April 24

8:30 AM – Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM – Welcome

9:10am – General Session: A Solution as Big as the Problem

Presenters: Thundermaker Wellness
- Arrow Funmaker
- Hunter Thundercloud
- Che Jim

10:10am – Survivor & Resiliency Story

Presenter: Delvina Charley

10:45am – Breakout Session Tracks

Cultural – Healing the Healers: Grounding & Balance for those who Carry the Work
- Presenter: Allen King
Clinical – Family Spirit Strengths: A Home–visiting Program Tailored to Support Postpartum Mental Health in Indigenous Communities
- Presenter: Leonela Nelson
Youth & Families – Understanding the Teenage Brain Under Stress and Trauma: How We Can Help Our Young Relatives Navigate the Hard Stuff
- Presenter: Elicia Goodsoldier

11:45 AM – Break

11:55 PM – Cultural Performance – Akimel O’odham/Pee–Posh Youth Council

12:35 PM – Closing

1:00 PM – Lunch (provided by Phoenix Indian Center)

For more information, please contact our Prevention Team at 602-264-6768 ext. 141 or czephier@phxindcenter.org.