Recognizing & Supporting Native American Heritage Month
Looking out over the cliff dwellings in Southeast Colorado on a sunny day is breathtaking — one of those sights that makes one question how something so extraordinary can be real.
I feel very fortunate to have been exposed to Native American history and culture while growing up in Colorado and to have visited the places where the Ute, Apache, and Navajo tribes lived and worshipped. Places like the Cave of the Winds, which is believed to be the home of the Great Spirit of the Wind in the Apache tribe. Those dwellings I gazed upon — where communities lived in cliffs constructed out of sandstone — seemed as if they were from a different planet entirely.
As we observe National Native American Heritage Month — and as I step into my role as an Inclusion Ambassador on the Board.org/FiscalNote team — I’ve made time to reflect upon my personal experiences living near reservations, the history of Native Americans, and the challenges they face presently.
In high school, at age 13, I first learned of America’s long history of disproportionately affecting Native Americans. A course I took was dedicated to teaching the true history of the Natives, including the genocide following the colonization of western land in the 1700s and 1800s — dubbed “Manifest Destiny.”
To me, it was a clear-cut case of the massive depopulation of the local tribes and an attempt to destroy entire cultures. From pointlessly killing off buffaloes as a way to limit food and supply sources to the forced displacement that was the Trail of Tears, on which the Cherokee tribe was forced from their lands.
Later, I immersed myself even more as a collegiate journalist at Northern Arizona University. Our school borders 17.5 million acres of Navajo tribal land, the largest in the U.S. The school has dedicated a lot of its resources to teaching and serving local tribes.
During a project as the features editor for the school newspaper, I met a local medicine woman who partnered with the university to report on some of their traditional medicines made from the plants in the region. Through her, I learned more about the displacement of Natives and the impact that colonization had on their resources; even how things like climate change directly impede their access to medical resources. She commented on the texture of my hair, too; that she loved it and appreciated that I grew it out.
My education continued when I entered a basketball tournament with some friends in college. Rez Ball — a twist to how basketball is played in some Native communities — is no ordinary style of basketball. It was the kind of fast-paced, fast-scoring, continuous running, run-and-gun gameplay that resulted in my team being routed and eliminated.
While I found it easy to learn about the culture through my own, first-hand experiences, it was honestly heartbreaking to learn about Native Americans’ ongoing, present-day challenges.
In listening in on panels and discussions, I learned these alarming challenges include the highest rate of type 2 diabetes in the country and the highest poverty rate; health impacted by food deserts; and indigenous people being three times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes because of food insecurity. This leads to many relying on low-cost, energy-dense, and nutritionally-poor foods (think: fast food, gas station sodas, etc.).
Then, there are the inequities in education and representation. Native American students are college-enrolled at an alarmingly lower rate than the overall population. With only about 19% achieving higher education, this perpetuates in the U.S. workforce and reflects a lack of representation in Native American leadership in a lot of organizations. In 2017, indigenous people accounted for only 0.2% of senior executive roles in F500 companies.
According to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “the unemployment rate of American Indians and Alaska Natives was 6.6 percent, considerably higher than the rate of 3.9 percent for the country as a whole.”
Learn, Support, Recognize
As suggested by these Native women, there are myriad ways companies can increase and improve representation and opportunities for advancement for Natives, including the providing of career opportunities through mentorships and sponsorships; creating more inclusive practices to protect a tribe’s sovereign immunity; and, improving and expanding recruitment efforts.
What can we do as individuals to raise awareness and support Indigenous people? One of my favorite ways: become ingrained and involved with cultural traditions and practices.
In Flagstaff, Arizona, there’s the Community Wellness & Healing Pow Wow, which I attended a couple of years ago. There, I was able to try some of the best fry bread while watching the celebrations. Here in Austin, Texas, the Austin Pow Wow is an excellent opportunity to partake in festivities (although it’s postponed until 2022).
I urge you to consider taking some time out of your day to learn about Native American history and heritage. The virtual Native Cinema Showcase — a Smithsonian partner — is an annual celebration of the best in Native film. The Library of Congress and National Archives also host events about the history and culture of Natives.
Alternatively, you can get ahead of holiday shopping by bolstering small businesses owned and operated by Native Americans. Here’s a site from the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association, which lists independent artists you can purchase from, and delicious food products you can buy.
I continue to be grateful for the experiences I had growing up in places still heavily influenced by Native Americans. The cultural sites are other-worldly, and the Pow Wows are such a vibrant and social celebration of Native heritage. However, there’s still a lot of work to be done in terms of support and education. This month, I plan to learn even more through attending local events — and I’ll hopefully indulge in some more fantastic fry bread.
