Tusaayaksat – Fall 2018

One of the most ubiquitous messages adults give youth today is to go out and change the world. We talk a lot in this issue about challenges in the North, whether they be addiction, suicide or acceptance. Many bright-eyed young people have noble dreams to improve their community in adulthood. That should absolutely be encouraged, but we must first turn our attention to ourselves. To help another person, let alone an entire community, you must be in a stable and positive place yourself. It’s not that easy. There are some uncomfortable truths we must confront within ourselves before we can attempt to direct others. If you can’t get to work on time, if you are flaky and unreliable, if you can’t keep your home reasonably tidy, if your addictions get the better of you more often than not, you’re in no place to truly help others. You have to help yourself first. We learn this lesson in all sorts of ways, but especially in relationships, whether they be with family or significant others. We must look after ourselves first, because you simply can’t help someone else if you can’t help yourself. By focusing on ourselves as individuals, we indirectly improve the world around us. To make the best community, we need the best individuals. By improving yourself, you improve your relationship with your family and your contribution to the community. Every reliable person improves the world. You don’t need to be out there starting the revolution to improve your community. You just need to be someone with your own life in control. And if you don’t have your life under control, what lack of humility persuades you that you can change your community for the better?” In this issue, we delve into some of the social problems affecting the North. They might seem large in the macro sense, but each battle is individual, and that’s where solutions have to start. 

—Stewart Burnett, Editor-in-Chief