Where are we today? - Justin Henson

Hello y’all,

Representation of Native people in modern culture has always been an interesting topic to me because of how outdated and stereotyped society views us. I’ve met people who have thought that Natives were extinct, who still think that we live in Tipis, who think that I do rain dances, and who’s ONLY perspective of Native people are from textbooks that ONLY talk about the “Trail of Tears”, Missions, etcetera. What about hwéedli (Diné’s long walk)? What about AIM (A movement that I only learned of from my parents/relatives/other Natives, or from documentaries that I watch OUTSIDE of school)? What about the long lasting effect that Natives still feel in the modern age?

Modern representation of Natives depict us as having a lot of money from Casinos, or that we all still live on the reservation. There’s little if any representation of any of us (Hawaiian, Mixteco, Diné, Pacific Islander, etc.) if any in both the realms of modern society and in public education. Where are is Native representation in the news? Why aren’t our CURRENT Native problems being more widely discussed. Why are our cries for help being ignored? Why is it that whenever we are in the news, it’s because of things like this?

I would love it if our Native issues were at least heard about news, instead of our issues being added onto. Long story short, we NEED to be heard, and we MUST NOT stop until we are. #IndigenousProud.