Julie Lynn White Bear-Ortiz’s family is a mix of different cultures and heritages. Parents José and Julie Lynn are working to instill a sense of tradition in their children while dealing with multiple health issues and challenges. Phillis, who is adopted, and Manuel participate in traditional pow wows in and around the Minneapolis area and Michael is a student in Kansas studying music and education.
How do you keep the kids interested in their heritage?
I make sure they know what’s going on in the community. We keep up with ethnic foods and languages and are a part of community events. We celebrate Nigerian holiday, the Nigerian Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo. We also go back to my home reservation and attend pow wows. We’re very connected with our family and celebrate birthdays, rituals, and different ceremonies together. We also prepare traditional foods (Hidatsa, Ojibwe, Mexican, and Ibo) together at home. We make sure at least one traditional food is on our table at all times.
It’s absolutely important to me to preserve our culture and language. The kids see where they’re coming from and get involved in dancing, sewing, beading, and quilting. They get to see another world we don’t see often since we live in an urban area.
What about your family’s health issues?
I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1993. I’m still being treated but as of now I’m in remission. I’ve also had diabetes since January of 2000. It’s fairly well controlled: I take 20 pills a day and insulin at night. If I have too much sugar it affects me, but there are so many things going on I can’t let it bother me too much. I’ve got the household, a marriage, and the children. The past three or four generations have died because of diabetes-related things and it’s very prevalent in the American Indian community. We try very hard to encourage the kids to eat healthful foods and be active.
Manuel has ADHD and a speech disturbance. It’s a challenge, but we keep him organized and do what we can. Any parent of a child with a disability knows how difficult it is.
You’ve been nominated to be on the State Advisory Council on Mental Health. What work will that involve? What are some things you would like to see happen if you’re appointed?
The State Advisory Council on Mental Health is a citizen group of 30 people from throughout Minnesota; we would meet once a month to advise the governor and legislators. It ranges from experts to people like me; who are the parents of or work with people with mental illnesses. I do both; I’ve worked with people with mental illnesses and the homeless for 29 years.
I don’t have a definite agenda right now. I can safely say that I will commit to the best interest of the children, adults, elderly, and families who have mental health issues in Minnesota.
