James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of depression and suicidal thoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Transgender teens are at a higher risk of being victims of violence, using drugs and attempting suicide compared to their peers, according to a new report.
High school students were asked about gender identity as part of a pilot question on the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Among the sample from 19 sites, about 1.8% of students identified as transgender, 94.4% said they were not transgender and the remaining students were unsure of their identity or did not understand the question, according to the study by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
About 27% of transgender students said they feel unsafe at school compared to 5% of cisgender males and 7% of cisgender females. More transgender students also reported being bullied at school — 35% compared to 15% of cisgender males and 21% of cisgender females.
Transgender teens were more likely than their peers to have their first sexual intercourse before age 13. They also were more likely to be forced to have sexual intercourse, according to the report.
Researchers also found just over 26% of transgender teens have experienced physical dating violence, compared to 6% of cisgender males and 9% of cisgender females.
Transgender teens’ risk factors for suicide also were higher including suicide attempts — 35% compared to 5.5% of cisgender males and 9% of cisgender females.
Substance use among transgender teens was higher for nearly all substances in the survey. Authors noted this could be linked to their high rates of violence victimization. They called for more support for these teens.
“Taking steps to create safe learning environments and provide access to culturally competent physical and mental health care might be important first steps to improving the health of transgender youths,” they wrote.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
