How to Respect and Support Indigenous Peoples / National Native American Heritage Month

For a good half of this year I committed myself to learning about the history of Indigenous peoples native to North America (like the Seminole nation that is native to the Floridian land where I now live), as well as Native American wisdom and their way of life. They were here before us and have learned (through force) European ways, but settlers then and Americans now know little about them and their ways. It’s time that changed.

In this post I am sharing resources I've found that can help you begin your journey of honoring and respecting Indigenous peoples.

First, it has to be said...

EDUCATE YOURSELF:

Nowadays, in the Age of Information, there's really no excuse for ignorance when there's so many resources out there and with how Google is accessible through the help of libraries and schools and Wi-Fi hotspots. Not to mention that libraries are there for this exact purpose. Only through educating ourselves will we ever be able to grow. Only through educating the next generation will anything change for the better. This doesn't just go for teachers, who should be allowed to teach our children about the true, full history of America (the things that have been erased or covered up or ignored), but this also applies to parents, guardians, and grandparents, even aunts and uncles. In other words, everyone.

Resources:

- Indigenous Resistance Homework - This is a PDF with questions that can help you to begin your Indigenous education journey.

- How to Talk About Native Nations: A Guide from Native Governance Center

- A Self-Assessment from Native Governance Center

READ:

You can participate in the #NativeLiteratureChallenge2021 hosted by @NativeGirlsReading on Instagram. It may be November, but you still have time to read a book or two. With this challenge, you don't have to complete every prompt. You can check out suggest for each theme on The StoryGraph here.

Also check out these book recommendations:

 40 Best Native American Authors to Read in 2021 (article)

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

Why Indigenous Literatures Matter

Bad Indians: A Tribal Memoir

The Sacred Hoop: Recovering the Feminine in American Indian Traditions

Sister Nations: Native American Women Writers on Community 

Firekeeper’s Daughter (fiction)

FOR TWILIGHT FANS:

Are you a Twilight fan (or do you detest Twilight)? Donate to the Quileute Nation, either way. Why? Stephenie Meyer appropriated from the Quileute Nation who live in Forks (the setting of Twilight) in her series, and she never gave them any compensation for it. 

Move to Higher Ground is a project to help the Quileute Nation relocate their tribal school out of “a tsunami zone at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.”

Read about the cultural appropriation in Twilight: https://filmdaze.net/twilight-sagas-issue-with-indigenous-culture/ 

Learn more about the Quileute Nation: https://quileutenation.org/

Donate To:

Move to Higher Ground: https://mthg.org/

FOR TEACHERS:

Check out these articles:

10 Tips to Decolonize Your Classroom

Lessons Learned in Teaching Native American History

"In many schools, students are learning that Native American tribes no longer exist, or they gain the impression that Native Americans continue to live in teepees—misconceptions and biases that are damaging to modern Native communities." [1]

 

Good Causes to Support / PART 2

Causes and Donations for Books, Animals and People / Part 1

GOOD CAUSES TO SUPPORT / PART 2

Below are causes you can support through signing petitions, donating money, participating in events, learning more, and, of course, sharing.

ORANGE SHIRT DAY:

Below are causes you can support through signing petitions, donating money, participating in events, learning more, and, of course, sharing.

Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters occurs on September 30th. This event "opens the door to global conversation on all aspects of Residential Schools. It is an opportunity to create meaningful discussion about the effects of Residential Schools and the legacy they have left behind." [1]

2021 has been a heartbreaking year for Indigenous folks as countless graves have been uncovered at the sites of closed Residential Schools around Canada. This is not just a Canadian issue, though. The United States had MANY "boarding schools" for Native children, and we haven't started to look for graves, yet.

Get an "Every Child Matters" orange shirt from an Indigenous artist like Agnes Wooward to remember those who were lost to Residential Schools, as well as to honor survivors. Check out ReeCreeations shop for a shirt.

Learn more at OrangeShirtDay.org.

You can also participate in the Remembrance 5K Run (a virtual event) on September 30th for $25 or support a runner in need if you can't participate for whatever reason. 

IDA RELIEF:

Hurricane Ida struck Louisiana on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Now communities and impacted people and families need help.

DONATE:

Imagine Water Works: Donate to Hurricane Ida Relief & Recovery

UNICEF USA is aiming to help children impacted by Hurricane IDA. 

Greater New Orleans Foundation Disaster Response and Restoration Fund

THE CROWN ACT: 

Dove, National Urban League, Color Of Change, and Western Center on Law & Poverty have co-founded the CROWN Coalition to advance the CROWN Act. 

CROWN stands for: Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.

The CROWN Act is a a law that prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and hairstyle.

ACTION ITEMS:

Sign the petition asking for the CROWN Act to be passed in all 50 states.

Email your senator.

STOP LINE 3:

People always show outrage at oil spills in the ocean (and rightly so), but what about inland oil spills? Also, for any animal rights activists, wildlife and other animals won’t have clean drinking water, either, like the dogs on reserves.

40% of America’s water will be contaminated. Are you in that 40%? Do you want to drink clean water? Remember Flint, Michigan? Do you know climate change is a serious problem? What about the safety of women and girls and two spirit people? Human trafficking increases at these pipelines. Four Line 3 workers have already been arrested in trafficking stings.

ACTION ITEMS:

- If you care about any one of those things, text PUCZGE to 50409 (Resist Bot will ask for your name and address because letters to government representatives require them.)

- You can also DM PUCZGE to @ResistBot on Twitter to do the same thing.

- Then sign the four petitions on RiceIsLife.Carrd.co.

Diverse Children's Books and Adult Books on Anti-Racism

 

I take learning and UNlearning seriously, so I wanted to share with you books I've read this year and last year. Most of these pictures were taken from my Instagram account.

DIVERSE CHILDREN'S BOOKS:

Graphic Novels:

BLURB & BUY @ BOOKSHOP

This graphic novel is packed with history that many don't know, because we're not taught these things in school as we should be. I first learned about Japanese American internment camps when I read Silent Honour by Danielle Steel on my own when I was a teen.

Asian hate is not new. It has sadly been a reality for many for a very long time. This story spans decades and includes several presidents. I highly recommend this graphic novel to everyone who is interested in real American history.

P.S. the sewing machine in the picture is a nod to George’s mom. This sewing machine is, in fact, my mom’s.

Displacement - This is another graphic novel about Japanese American internment camps but with a current twist. The main character is from modern times and is "displaced" to the past. I also highly recommend this graphic novel. George Takei's graphic novel was more written in the eyes of a child who didn't quite understand what was going on, but in this one, the main character is sixteen and understands and sees things that happen. I stand firm that this time in American history needs to be taught in every school and every classroom, for most grade levels.

BLURB & BUY @ BOOKSHOP

Ad Astra Interview / Olivia and Fiona Discuss Banned Books and Intersectional Feminism

 

I am so happy to welcome Olivia and Fiona of ad astra to Write with Fey. Ad Astara is an Instagram account I discovered this year, but they also have a website and a newsletter. I love their posts about social justice and the topics and current events that they bring awareness to. For that reason, I wanted to spotlight them here to help share these important subjects with more readers and writers.

Welcome, Olivia and Fiona!

1. Hi, Olivia and Fiona! I am thrilled to be able to chat with the both of you and to share what you do on Instagram and your website with the readers of my blog. First, can you tell us about your journey as bookstagrammers?

We’ve known each other for a long time now—the two of us met through a singing program we participated in from elementary school through high school (picture: various iterations of black, sparkling dresses that never really fit either of us). Somewhere along the way, we realized we shared a passion for books.

Dear Publishers Interview / Jess Lee Talks About Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Antiracism in the Publishing Industry

Today I am welcoming Jess Lee, the founder of Dear Publishers, to Write with Fey.

I am thrilled to have Jess as a guest. I asked her if she would be interested in doing an interview here because I believe what she (and everyone at Dear Publishers) is doing is important, and I wanted to help Dear Publishers' mission to reach more people, like the lovely people who follow my blog. <3

Her answers about Dear Publishers, diversity, equity, inclusivity, and antiracism are amazing. When I read them, I became even more excited, and I hope they impact you as much as they've impacted me.