Communities Supporting Education

LaDonna Richardson is a member of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe of North Carolina. She shared the challenges of being a first-generation family member who went to college.
LaDonna shares how the validation and affirmation from her Tribal community and support from college instructors, a community mentor, and a sorority for Native women all contributed to strengthening her resiliency and helped her accomplish her academic goals.
Cultural Connections are Indigenous-focused digital stories created to strengthen emotional resiliency and highlight the importance of building opportunities to harness teachings and traditions as vital cultural protective factors.