“I pledge to live, honor and protect myself from any harm, to love my life, my family, my friends and my village.”

Cynthia Erickson decided to do something about the destructive suicide culture prevalent in her village. “I got tired of attending funerals” she said, “I decided to do something, stop talking about doing something, and do something!”  Erickson, working with 4H in Talkeena, began holding gatherings in her home giving village youth a place to hang out and talk. Out of those gatherings the “Take the Pledge” campaign was formed.