Due to the generosity and tremendous organizational efforts of the Blackfeet Nation (who reached a 95% vaccination rate on the reservation), my spouse and I got vaccinated much earlier than we expected. What can we do but look for ways to give back? We donated to FAST Blackfeet (https://www.fastblackfeet.org) and will try to do more with their local supporting partner Farm Hands (https://nourishtheflathead.org/home-2/) this year.
Love that, Nia. I've taken so much joy in the Blackfeet Nation's vaccination effort and what it could mean for shaping political imagination in the future. What would it look like if in all facets of governance Sovereign Nations were (a). actually granted autonomy and (b). had access to resources commensurate with the debt they're owed? Think about how transformative that would be, for example, both for Blackfeet and non-Native folks in Northwest and Hi-Line Montana? We're literally getting a little case study in it right now and I hope we just hold this lesson tight.
It's huge. And you're right, imagining what those realities wold be like is enormously transformative. And given the entrenched racism in my area, that's where I have to dig deeper and work harder. It's part of why your work and story hit so hard when I first read it.
This is an amazing piece, and they even more amazing piece that you don't get a chance to talk about is the impact that this kind of philosophy has on the people who witness it. I was shocked and even dismayed that you weren't pressing us all for donations, and then of course when I received your beautiful, detailed email about what kind of giving there was to do, I realized of course you had a plan. And the experience of seeing so explicitly laid out a description of what having means meant helped me not make excuses about what I can and can't give and really start valuing the things I value and not the things our culture values. Having worked in education for a very long time, the monetary values we assigned to things in this culture are very very damaging not just financially. As you say, the tools are right there if we can just figure out what to do with them.
Dang, that's both kind and really, really cool to get to hear how that impacted you and the really incredible way you processed it. Also, here's the really cool thing (for me at least) about your story-- that document you mentioned that made you reflect so much wouldn't have happened if other cohort members hadn't helped me understand why it would be really useful. It's all a super rad circle! Love you, Wheeler.
Nailed it, Garrett!
Due to the generosity and tremendous organizational efforts of the Blackfeet Nation (who reached a 95% vaccination rate on the reservation), my spouse and I got vaccinated much earlier than we expected. What can we do but look for ways to give back? We donated to FAST Blackfeet (https://www.fastblackfeet.org) and will try to do more with their local supporting partner Farm Hands (https://nourishtheflathead.org/home-2/) this year.
Also, I now know that you and your spouse are vaccinated so that gets you a hearty "hell yeah."
💜!
Love that, Nia. I've taken so much joy in the Blackfeet Nation's vaccination effort and what it could mean for shaping political imagination in the future. What would it look like if in all facets of governance Sovereign Nations were (a). actually granted autonomy and (b). had access to resources commensurate with the debt they're owed? Think about how transformative that would be, for example, both for Blackfeet and non-Native folks in Northwest and Hi-Line Montana? We're literally getting a little case study in it right now and I hope we just hold this lesson tight.
It's huge. And you're right, imagining what those realities wold be like is enormously transformative. And given the entrenched racism in my area, that's where I have to dig deeper and work harder. It's part of why your work and story hit so hard when I first read it.
This is an amazing piece, and they even more amazing piece that you don't get a chance to talk about is the impact that this kind of philosophy has on the people who witness it. I was shocked and even dismayed that you weren't pressing us all for donations, and then of course when I received your beautiful, detailed email about what kind of giving there was to do, I realized of course you had a plan. And the experience of seeing so explicitly laid out a description of what having means meant helped me not make excuses about what I can and can't give and really start valuing the things I value and not the things our culture values. Having worked in education for a very long time, the monetary values we assigned to things in this culture are very very damaging not just financially. As you say, the tools are right there if we can just figure out what to do with them.
Dang, that's both kind and really, really cool to get to hear how that impacted you and the really incredible way you processed it. Also, here's the really cool thing (for me at least) about your story-- that document you mentioned that made you reflect so much wouldn't have happened if other cohort members hadn't helped me understand why it would be really useful. It's all a super rad circle! Love you, Wheeler.