This article talks about the idea of what being a Native american is. It explains how us, American Indians, have adapted to today's society and have lost our ways of being Native American. We have started to lose our languages and traditions and are starting to stray away from our beliefs. It also brings up how some believe there's a difference between native american and american indian and how we have to show our “Nativeness” to be accepted.

I believe that we indeed have lost our ways of being Native American in many ways in my community. We have adapted to our countries language, religious beliefs, and many more. Not only can it be hard to identify as a Native American but it can be even harder when you don’t know the language. Many like to say that just because some people don't know the language that we aren’t Native American but that shouldn’t be a way to determine what we are or aren’t.

Horse, Perry G, “Native American identity” in New Directions for Student Services, no 109, Spring 2005 in Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Pages 61-68

In this article we see how Jeanette Armstrong sees her community and everything around her differently than others. It is a way of showing the reader how the okanagan people view life and everything around them. They have very in-depth meanings for life and what makes them who they are. They have many responsibilities to their families and to themselves and try to incorporate the earth and its many virtues to them.

I can agree how native american responsibilities can be very different for people and how they view them in their communities. I have always been taught that we have a connection with mother earth and everything in it and that we need to incorporate them in our prayers and traditions. They are what give us meaning and life and that we need to show praise towards them. I can really connect with the reading because just like Ms. Armstrong I like to include my traditions and beliefs into my understanding of life.

Armstrong, Jeanette. “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community,” in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds), The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco, CA, Sierra Club Books, 1996. Pp 460-470.

At Southern Illinois University, the teachers and students bring up a very valid point during their studies. They point out that there needs to be more diversity in the educational system and the school should have a more multicultural amount of teachers. One teacher says it's a struggle trying to teach a Native American class from lack of connection to the actual culture. She believes that more students would benefit from learning from a person of that culture. The university is now trying to find mentors and teachers to make their community more diverse which will help in the long run.

I believe that this article is very helpful to not only my topic but to show my community what it's like to learn from teachers that know only what's in a book about a certain culture. I have come from a school where there was not much diversity amongst teachers and it was a struggle to learn about my own culture. Although there are those teachers that go the extra step to learn and teach their students all they can there is still a barrier. I very much agree that diversity does have to do with what we are learning and how we are taught about certain topics having to do with people’s unique culture.

“Faculty discuss lack of diversity on campus.” Alestle, The: Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville, IL), sec. News, 2 Feb. 2021. Newsbank: Access World News, infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/18065564B44FA5B8.Accessed 4 Feb, 2021.

Many Native American communities believe that universities are unfair and not friendly places to learn about Native American studies. They believe that most do not teach the right criteria that is needed to show the struggles of tribal life. Not only do these programs not teach the tribal cultures and history right but they are not informing others on Native American issues they have today.

This has been a real problem with many of today's Native American study groups and programs because although the students are being taught the general teachings of our history they don't go into depth about most of it. Many of our struggles today most people have no clue about and if people knew more about what is happening in our tribal communities many of the problems could be resolved. The education system tends to only really focus on Native American studies when the students are already in college and have less time to really engage in what they learn. It should be taught at a younger age so more people can know the struggles Native American people have to deal with in their communities and everyday life.

“Improve American Indian Studies For Community Betterment.”Indian Country Today Feb 20, 2008,pp. 2. ProQuest, http:// search-proquest-com.sfis.idm.oclc.org/newspapers/improve-american-indian-studies-community/docview/362638925/se-2?accountid=39531.

Most of what this article has to say is about the struggles of boarding schools throughout the years. Many Native American children had to endure going out of their reservations to be educated. Although they were getting an education they were being forced to forget about their beliefs and traditions and be taught about anglo education. As the years passed the boarding schools became more and more popular even though the students would get brutally attacked for praising their own culture. Finally towards the 1900’s many Native American students were attending public schools and were finally getting to learn about their culture also and they are still working to this day to fix the issues of Native American education.

I remember hearing about how horrible those boarding schools had to have been and couldn’t imagine what they would have to go through. Old relatives and peers would tell me the stories of the sad and brutal things that they would do to get you to learn their ways. I have learned that many people of the non-native blood only know of what was told in history books and how “great” it was going for the growth of boarding schools around the world but many don’t know the misfortune events that occurred. I wish more people knew about the ugly side instead of being taught only what books like to show.

Haggard, Dixie Ray. “Native American Education.” Indian Country, 1866 to 1933, Facts On File, 2016. American Indian History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE43&articleId=381642. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

In this article we view the importance of language in the educational system. Many Native American people and even other people of different languages believe it should be allowed to speak their native tongue in school. In 1990, The Native American Languages Act was passed where they allowed Native American children to speak their native language without the penalty of getting in trouble. This was a big issue to many students, that hiding their culture and language was a good thing and finally people made a change.

I believe that everyone should be allowed to speak their language wherever they please because it is what makes them them. They get to express themselves and their culture though language and culture. It makes me happy to see so many keep their language alive and use it to express themselves and be proud of where they came from. By passing this act it encouraged many people to be open to learning their language but also showing a way of bravery and courage to share it with others around them.

Reyhner, Jon Allan. “Indian Language Policies and Education Goals.” Education and Language Restoration, Revised Edition, Facts On File, 2019. American Indian History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE43&articleId=185137. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

Cinnamon Janzer goes to places around the world to see what people are doing about the Native American history in schools curriculum. She finds out that “content about indigenous peoples and communities into K-12 classrooms across the country, the report found that 87% of state history standards include no mention of Native American history after 1900, and 27 states don't mention Native Americans in their K-12 curriculum.” Many schools are finally wanting to make a change so that their students can learn about Native American tribes all around the world and not just a slight mention of them in history books and classes. Teachers from North Carolina, Minnesota, and Washington are starting to use NK360( native knowledge 360) which is a way for teachers to teach their students about native cultures and values.

Hearing about others wanting to teach their students about Native American history and culture really makes me happy and know that people actually care about Native American people. Not only do they want to better educate others but they also want to get people out of stereotyping Native American people as all the same. I do hope that more places start to include Native American studies in their classes and that they use more resources like NK360 to teach their children instead of the history books the schools are given.

Janzer, Cinnamon. “States Move to Add Native American History to Curriculum”. U.S. News & World Report. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Nov. 29,2019. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2019-11-29/states-move-to-add-native-american-history-to-education-curriculum. Accessed March 12,2021.

In this article you are shown how many people don’t know about Native American people. It is said, “People were less likely to support certain rights and social justice issues for Native people when they had zero perception and understanding of who we are.” Not only is there a lack of understanding towards Native American history but there is a big rate of bias towards Native tribes and cultures around the world. It shows that “59 percent agreed the United States committed genocide against Native Americans.” The article also gets to show us a community in the BlackFeet Indian reservation and how they are trying to preserve their language and keep their culture alive in schools. Not only do they have a class only on Native American studies but they are starting to teach these classes as low as kindergarten.

In this survey I have learned so much about how people view Native American people just because they weren’t taught who we really are and instead have been told false information at a young age. I have seen that a big percentage of people are biased towards Native American people and that it’s happening not just with a couple of regions but in every region to the point where people think Native people don’t even exist. I really enjoyed watching how the blackfoot community has stepped up to make their culture and beliefs known and to forever keep their language alive. By teaching these young children of all color and race American Indian studies keeps them open minded and unbiased towards other cultures. Education being taught at a young age shapes the person you are when you grow up and I believe that if we start having a Native American studies class in k-12 education it could change many people's view which could benefit everyone in the long run.

Inbody, Kristen.“Survey: People think Native Americans don’t exist/aren’t discriminated against.” Great Falls Tribune. Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Aug 7. 2018. https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2018/08/07/survey-people-think-natives-dont-exist-arent-discriminated-against/923250002/. Accessed March 12, 2021.

In my action plan I decided to make a letter and send it to District Representative Derrick Lente. In my letter I brought up my reasoning for the letter and also the graduation requirements for New Mexico. Within those requirements there is nothing that brings up Native American History or anything at all about Native American studies being included in the curriculum. I believe this is a huge issue because the majority of New Mexico history has to do with Native American people and leaders. Unfortunately I have not gotten anything back but if anything changes and I get feedback I will be sure to let it be known.

Located below contain our education laws and curriculum for New Mexico.

22-13-1.1.-Graduation-Requirements.pdf (state.nm.us)