The Narrative

It is no surprise, as humans are abundant with flaws and shortcomings on an individual level, that there are a myriad of conflicts and shortcomings dually present on a collective scale. This is abundantly understood through war, group violence, tribalism, and the endless number of atrocities that have taken place within and between communities and groups.

But how can this be when communities are the mortar which binds all civilization? Communities and groups of individuals are dually one of the most human things one can participate in, being apart and fostering something that is greater than oneself.

How can both of these instances be true?

Over the past couple of years, I have had the honor and the privilege to spend time in both Uganda and Rwanda Africa, aiding in local initiatives curated toward fostering community, and through it addressing many of the sociopolitical, economic, and cultural issues that these countries face daily. Throughout my time in Rwanda specifically, I have been exposed to both the beauty and the horror ‘communities’ can cause through my edification of the Rwandan genocide that took place in 1994.

By way of colonial influence, the Rwandan people had been separated into ‘groups’ and grotesquely forced to vilify one another, eventually leading to the brutalization and killing of over 800,000 individuals.

But against all the odds, Rwanda is healing. Through continued stiving for unity, social cohesion and a life giving community is being restored. This has been fostered by stripping the fallacious group titles given by colonial powers and supplemented for a unifying social identity of Rwandan.

Culmination

Why do I tell this anecdote and how does it relate to the issues faced in the fight of lethal means safety and suicide prevention?

Within the world of lethal means safety and suicide prevention, legislative confliction, a lack of information and resources, and the ripple effects of addiction and the mental health crisis all intersects and is perpetuated by a degree of intercultural misunderstanding. In previous posts, this newsletter has talked abundantly on the lack of trust and understanding between many firearm owners and mental health professionals. This has lead to a lack of genuine correspondence aimed at true understanding. How are the issues of mental health and suicide to be discussed if our words must travel through a thick cultural turbidity? 

One of the most fundamental aspects of lethal means safety and suicide prevention work thereby becomes the fostering of a broader understanding of community and the diverse array of perspectives and individuals that reside within. A life giving community that takes disagreement and conflict in stride, not allowing it to divide us but rather strengthen the love for the work that we do and the love we have for one another.

A Call to Action

Continue to seek understanding, and be courageous enough to allow yourself to be understood. Keeping a community strong means recognizing that the areas with the most disagreement or malice towards your personal views are precisely where you are called to engage the most. This isn't about swaying others to your perspective; it's about nurturing a sense of community that transcends differing opinions and stances. A community that saves lives from suicide.

Local Initiatives and Involvements

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention 2025 EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN MESA COUNTY Register Here!

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST): March 20-21, September 18-19, November 6-7 This two-day workshop(16 hours) helps participants learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, providing a skilled intervention, and developing a safety plan to keep someone alive.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA): February 21, April 11, September 26, October 17, December 5 This eight (8) hour training teaches people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care.

Youth Mental Health First Aid (Youth MHFA): March 7, April 18, August 29 This Six and half (6.5) hour training for adults who regularly interact with people ages 12-18. It introduces common mental health challenges, typical adolescent development, and plan for how to help in crisis and non-crisis situations

Soul Shop™: February 20, October 2 This 90-minute workshop equips faith community leaders and other people of faith to train their congregations to minister to those impacted by suicidal desperation.

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, call or text 988. The National Suicide Hotline is staffed around the clock with certified members of the American Association of Suicidology. Or the Crisis Text Line, text CO to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from a secure online platform.