T.The day after the 2020 presidential election, a graphic from CNN dominates my Facebook news feed. When depicting voter turnout, it includes the word “something else” to refer to voters who are not white, Latin, black, or Asian.
Many Native Americans, quick to unite around the cause of laughter, responded with their own graphics and memes, congratulating themselves with play and sarcasm.
In reality, however, people were angry at another example of erasure – and at the chosen line, which promoted indigenous invisibility on the national stage, there were many stories that could have increased the importance of Native American participation in the electoral process.
This year saw a record six Native Americans elected to Congress.
Native voters were also crucial to the Democratic Party’s success in the original swing states. Flipping Arizona, which turned blue for the second time in just 70 years, can be credited to the state’s original vote. About 67,000 eligible voters from the nation of Navajo filed for Biden at a rate of 60-90%, resulting in their number in the state surpassing 12,813 votes.
The insult to CNN was particularly ironic that it is also Native American Heritage Month. In addition to voter opinion stories, the mainstream media of the time, cultural and political institutions, and all Americans influenced ways to increase engagement with Native American peoples and nations. Research from the nonprofit group Illuminati found that state-level history%% history standards fail to cover Native people in a post-1900 context, and 78% of Americans want to learn more about Native peoples, cultures, and contemporary stories.
Due to my own desire to simplify these reflections and expand the space for indigenous narrative narratives, I was able to run an oral history project with a profitable VSF witness. For the past three years, I have heard and published stories of the loss, injustice, and resilience of indigenous peoples in cities and throughout the continent on reserves and reservations, in the ongoing struggle for indigenous land, rights, and the protection of life. From the international heritage of Indian residential schools to the impact of environmental catastrophe on fishing, hunting and traditional lifestyles, the plight of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, I hope these stories of resistance will be moved to American schools. And public discourse. They offer an alternative to ultra-so-called stories, such as the colonial-scattered and historically inappropriate Thanksgiving story.
There are so many stories that need to be heard, and there is so much more to do. Here are some ideas to get you started:
.. Remember that we are all occupying tribal land. With the help of a discoverable map developed by Native Land Digital you can find out whose traditional area you live on. Territory Research on the history of who occupied the territory historically, who is currently doing it and how it was stolen, etc.
2. Accept land to raise awareness about the presence of indigenous peoples and to recognize our ongoing relationship with the land. For guidance on how to observe this practice, Landck Ledge Legions. However, don’t let land acceptance become a token gesture. Know your history and remember that acceptance should also be a commitment to take action towards a more just future.
3. Read works by indigenous authors such as Tommy Orange, Billy-Ray Belcourt, Lee Miracle, Terrace Marie Melhot, Vine del Lou Rhea Jr., Louis Erdick, and Anne Scott Momade to learn how Indigenous peoples represent themselves and their cultures, histories, and communities. Native individuals are only covered if the individual is one of 4 Ds: drumming, dancing, drunk or dead. The original authors give a more balanced depiction of our lives.
4 Your local school board lawyer to include Native American children’s literature, Perspectives on history and curriculum, especially of local tribes. If you are a teacher, add more original material to your syllabus. As the United Nations says, respect for indigenous cultures and lack of resources can lead to a critical gap in education. Start exploring colonization and contemporary indigenous experiences with these free lesson plans.
5. If your formal formal education has not made room for indigenous knowledge, it is not too late. Search #Nativitwitter to find indigenous users, opinions and events. Follow @ Idlinomore 4, @ Vinonaladek, The_Red_Nation, repdebhaaland, repdavids, DNDN Collective, jnoisecat, CrystalEchoHawk, ImSimonMoyaSmith, apihtawikosisan And others.
6. Support your local Indian center. You can find them in Los Angeles, Toronto, Denver, Winnipeg, Chicago, Auckland, New York City, Victoria, Minneapolis and many more cities in North America.
7. Donate money or time to original led programs and organizations. For example, you can support the work of the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center to end the crisis of violence against indigenous women, girls, and dual-minded people; Or the work of the Bear Clan Patrol, a profound initiative promoting security and support for Winnipeg’s indigenous population. Check out the Native American Community Response Fund to support those who have been disproportionately affected by the epidemic.
8. Dive! Avoid banks like Wells Fargo and Chase that violate the rights of the original treaty by bankrolling the development of environmentally destructive fossil fuels. Visit the local independent environmental network for an overview of the fossil fuel diversion case, guidance on how to contact CEOs and executives, and guidance on what steps you can take for diversion and reinvestment.
9. Campaign and vote for the original candidates at all levels of government – we need more representation at the local, state and national levels. Also the greater demand for currently elected governments; Advocates for policy and legislation supporting indigenous communities. Add your voice to the movement for the nomination of Representative Deb Holland as the first Native American Secretary of the Interior.
10. Educate yourself about the land back movement, which aims to bring the stolen territory back to the indigenous countries. If you are interested in land reclamation, build relationships with local indigenous peoples and land reclamation organizations. If you have access to land where direct compensation does not make sense, support the struggle by selling your own land and donate income to the movement. You can also donate to land tax or land compensation movements.
History, as is taught to most North Americans, also often excludes, treats, and colonizes Indigenous peoples. As the peripheral of the story of the continent. By making this history more accessible and expanding contemporary indigenous voices, we can change the story for future generations – and avoid referring to “something else.”
