To raise awareness of impaired driving and motivate change within the Blackfeet community, we worked with tribal leaders and MDT’s Safe on All Roads program to create a moving video titled “Impaired Driving: A Blackfeet Crisis.” By weaving together poignant personal stories and highlighting tribal pride, we told a story that both informed and empowered the community to take a stand against impaired driving. After careful outreach and recruiting, we spoke with several individuals who shared their personal stories. From a young man whose bright future was derailed by paralysis after he chose to drink and drive, to a widow who lost her husband due to an impaired driver, to a grandmother whose daughter’s death left her responsible for caring for her grandchildren, each person offered a candid description of the devastating effects of driving under the influence. The closely knit nature of the Blackfeet Tribe made it plain to see that these deaths do not just hurt individual families, but the overall community. We accentuated Blackfeet traditions to demonstrate the strength of the tribe and build a message of hope.  

To ensure that our message was accurate, we needed feedback from the Blackfeet community. Using focus groups, we garnered reassurance that the video told a truthful, painful, important story, and appropriately addressed the tribe’s cultural heritage.