IEFA connections to the Grand Challenges

From the Office of Public Instruction (OPI)in the state of Montana, there is a list of 7 essential understandings (7EU)regarding Montana Indians. One of those essential understandings is “History is a story most often related through the subjective experience of the teller. With the inclusion of more and varied voices, histories are being rediscovered and revised. History told from an Indian perspective frequently conflicts with the stories mainstream historians tell.” Directly underneath the understanding is an example of how history especially in the United States, has been told from the Euro-American perspective and is lacking the Native American perspective. There is a clear connection between the essential understanding and the Grand Challenge (GC)of understanding the American Experience go hand in hand. Part of the GC is interpretation of the diverse communities of the United States, including Native American communities. Both the 7EU and GC want to build a greater understanding of Native American culture. Through this greater understanding, it will enable an entire people to be seen and heard. It would allow for Native people to share their knowledge and perspective.

With this increase visibility also comes protection, unfortunately the United States and Canada have a astronomical high rate of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. (MMIW) Speaking specifically to the state of Montana, it is ranked 5th in rates of MMIW in the United States. This past February the city of Great Falls, MT created a task force to address the epidemic of MMIW affecting Great Falls. (“Local task force will help missing and murdered Indigenous women crisis,” 2019) The task force’s primary objectives are fostering education, raising awareness, and bolstering prevention efforts on the local level. (“Local task force will help missing and murdered Indigenous women crisis,” 2019) The creation of this task force is a result of many people bringing to the light, just how serious and wide spread the issue is. With greater understanding between the Native American and whole communities, change can be made. Thus both the Native American community and the United States as a whole would be benefit from a deeper understanding of one another. Therefore the 7EU and the GC can work hand in hand to help foster this understanding to help protect an important of the United State’s community.