Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI), the public health division of Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB) and a Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC), has launched a national public health campaign based on the self-published children’s book Magical Millie’s Courageous Journey. The national campaign uses American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) storytelling, humor, and representation to support family conversations about wellness and community care, including messaging that immunization helps the people we love. The culturally grounded story, created by SIHB president Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee) and UIHI’s youth intern, centers around the conversations a magical unicorn named Millie has with her relatives.
As part of UIHI’s broader national public health education efforts, the Magical Millie campaign materials reached Tribal and urban AI/AN communities, including over 70 Native-serving organizations, and 41 Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) across the United States. In 2025, UIHI distributed more than 29,000 campaign items, including 13,000+ coloring books, posters, unicorn plush toys, Croc charms, and pediatric wellness schedules.
Magical Millie also appeared on billboards in San Jose, Sacramento, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, and Seattle, spreading uplifting, culturally grounded messages about health and protection.
Magical Millie’s Courageous Journey was created to address the need for AI/AN-attuned storytelling to engage AI/AN families in public health education. The project uses joy, humor, and representation to make conversations about immunization approachable and meaningful.
Echo-Hawk shares the intention behind the campaign,
“This project shows the power of culture and creativity in protecting our communities. When we lead with our values, we create solutions that truly resonate.”
The story centers on the conversations a magical unicorn named Millie has with her relatives. Horses are sacred and have deep cultural meaning as helpers for many Native people. As recognized healers, horse medicine creates connections and facilitates wellness. Horses remain sacred to many AI/AN communities today, continuing to play an important role in cultural and ceremonial practices. Including these elements in Magical Millie connects the book’s themes of courage, care, and protection to longstanding cultural teachings.
UIHI will continue developing and updating pediatric immunization materials to support families in discussing respiratory illness prevention and immunization through culturally grounded messages centered on community care.
Learn more about Magical Millie on UIHI’s Pediatric Immunizations page
Read about Millie’s Courageous Journey in the South Seattle Emerald
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