Speaker to lead discussions in Drug Abuse Prevention classes April 27, May 4

Speaker to lead discussions in Drug Abuse Prevention classes April 27, May 4

Carol Falkowski

Carol Falkowski, director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, will lead discussions April 27 and May 4 on campus.

Everyone is welcome as Falkowski discusses the issues listed below with students in the Health 298: Drug Abuse Prevention class. The class meets from 12:15 to 1:20 p.m. in Room 203, O'Shaughnessy Hall.

Those interested are invited to attend one or both of these sessions: 

Monday, April 27

  • "How Alcohol Came to the American Indian" – American Indian communities experienced an immediate onslaught of rampant alcohol addiction in the 1950s following the legalization of alcohol. Learn about this and the role of boarding schools, the reservation system and the associated cultural trauma in understanding the nature of longstanding alcohol problems among American Indian communities.
  • "Opium Use: A Hmong Perspective" – From the mountainous villages of Laos to frigid Minnesota, the traditional use of opium is examined as Hmong immigrants adjust to American culture.

Monday, May 4

  • As if immigrating to America is not difficult and challenging enough, imagine a new immigrant's first encounter with the country's drinking and drugging society. See a new TPT/DHS documentary, "Drugs and Alcohol: Immigrant Perspectives." This program examines the compelling stories of several immigrants and presents their perspectives on substance abuse in the American culture spoken in their own languages: Hmong, Somali and Spanish. Falkowski, producer of the program, will moderate a discussion following the program.

To R.S.V.P. for or inquire about Falkowski's presentations, e-mail Jolynn Gardner.