'My Hat is Off' 

Editor:

Congratulations on the CNPA first place award for coverage of youth and education, as well as the second place award for Jonathon Webster's infographic, "The Cost of Childhood Trauma." ("Winning While Losing," May 27.)

Iridian Casarez' Oct. 1 article, "Reaching for Resilience," was an insightful work, weaving crucial elements on health antecedents, the Humboldt experience and the many local efforts to improve our community health. 

Many thanks to the North Coast Journal for its community-focused, candid lens and the NCJ team that supported all that went into the article — and to Iridian Casarez for her discernment, journalistic skills and solid understanding of the science of trauma and resilience. As you know, the California Surgeon General's Office featured the article in their October 2020 ACEs Aware newsletter, website and social media outreach on adverse childhood experiences. 

It takes understanding, collective effort and heart to create the change that will nurture lifelong healthy outcomes for Humboldt's youth. "Reaching for Resilience" not only took a strong step toward that goal, it also reached thousands of others in California with the message that communities can work together to create community health.

My hat is off to Ms. Casarez and the NCJ team. 

Mary Ann Hansen, Eureka