Out of Darkness walk shines light on suicide prevention efforts

By Nicole Montesano

Smoke Signals staff writer

SALEM -- Community support and direct, unflinching conversations can help to prevent people from dying by suicide, speakers said on Saturday, Oct. 12, at the annual Salem Out of the Darkness Community Walk for suicide prevention.

Rose Treasure, who co-chairs the walk, told the crowd gathered for the event that talk saves lives.

“If you fear someone in your life may be considering suicide, one of the best things you can do is directly ask them,” she said.

People often fear that asking about suicidal intentions may cause people to carry them out, Treasure said, but research shows that it decreases risk.

“Listen, be willing to have a hard, honest talk and offer to help them find help,” she said.

Training is available from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Yamhill and Polk county also offer training for talking with potentially suicidal people.

The annual walk is intended to remind those struggling with mental health that they are not alone, and to draw attention to suicide prevention efforts. Attendees wore beaded necklaces to show their connection to the problem, with different colors designated for those who had lost parents, children, relatives and friends, had lost a member of the military or first responder, struggled with their own mental health, or simply wanted to support the LGBTQ community or the cause of suicide prevention in general.

Grand Ronde Tribal Council members Kathleen George and Denise Harvey attended, along with General Manager Angie Blackwell and a contingent from the Youth Empowerment & Prevention Program, which brought several young people to join in the walk.

Tribal Native Connections Project Coordinator Keri Kimsey helped organize the Grand Ronde group.

“The Youth Empowerment & Prevention Program has prioritized participation in the Salem Out of the Darkness walk for the past four years, highlighting its significant impact on both youth and adults,” she said. “The event fosters community support and provides vital resources related to mental health and suicide prevention. A particularly moving aspect is the bead ceremony, which allows participants to reflect and share their experiences in a meaningful way. Witnessing the youth engage in the walk and their collective journey of healing is incredibly powerful.”

The event took place at Salem Riverfront Park. After listening to several speakers and participating in a ceremony of holding up their beads to signify their losses, attendees walked together across the pedestrian bridge over the Willamette River and back.

SMOKE SIGNALS SHORT: Tribal youth join Out of Darkness Walk in Salem

Students from Youth Empowerment walked together in groups with adult mentors, enjoying the sunny afternoon and the event.

“I love how everyone gets together and we’re able to support people who need it or who have been lost,” 13-year-old Sam Hedrick said, in between chatting with friends and calling out friendly compliments to passersby.

“We had several Tribal members and families attend the event,” Harvey said at a Tuesday, Oct. 15, Legislative Action Committee meeting. “It’s always a heartfelt, emotional event but it was good for all of us to gather and walk in peace and harmony together to remember our loved ones and people that are having mental health issues.”

Tribal youth can be at particularly high risk. According to data collected by Youth Empowerment from the Oregon Center for Health Statistics, suicide rates for American Indian and Alaska Native people in Oregon increased by about 150% between the mid-2000s through 2019, although the rate has decreased over the last five years. Suicide was the second leading cause of death in Oregon from 2018 through 2022 for Indigenous people between the ages of 10 and 24.

For more information about finding help, contact:

Yamhill County suicide prevention trainings information: 971-312-2981 or MurrayK@co.yamhill.or.us.

Polk County suicide prevention trainings information: Abby Warren at warren.abby@co.polk.or.us.

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988.

The Trevor Project LGBTQ Youth Hotline: 866-488-7386 (talk), 678678 (text).

Senior Loneliness Line: 503-200-1633.