Feb. 17, 2009 — Andrew Soliz, founder of Sacred Ways Native American teaching center in California, returns to the territory Wednesday and Thursday to help in a program promoting non-violence among young adults.
Soliz will take part in "Stop the Bleeding," a youth summit hosted by Cheryl Francis, wife of Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis.
The summits will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Island Center on St. Croix and Thursday at Reichhold Center on St. Thomas.
Soliz and actor LeVar Burton came to St. Croix in August 2008 to talk to inmates at the Youth Correction Center. (See "Burton, Soliz Reach Out To Troubled Youth.")
He and Francis will be joined by local author and motivational speaker Devin Robinson, a contributing editor to the V.I. Daily News. They will conduct interactive discussions with adolescents at the summit. Additional presentations will be made by the district superintendent of schools, members of Teen Line and the cast of WTJX's "Graffiti Street."
Soliz has a long history of working with at-risk youth and families, as well as inmates in California. Sacred Ways teaching center instructs youth, adults and families in the principles of the Native American culture, which constitutes learning from and living with nature.
Devin "Dutchie" Robinson, a native Virgin Islander who at one time was himself an at-risk teen, will return to speak at the Teen Summit on his teachings of "Going Against the Grain," which focuses on creating a better tomorrow starting with today. Since his teen years, he has become a decorated military veteran, author, columnist, radio-show host and business owner.
The "Stop the Bleeding" Foundation is a non-profit organization designed to promote, educate, confront and foster accountability in the V.I. community against violence and abuse of V.I. youth through innovative communication, agency collaboration and responsible action.
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