There is a complex interplay between historical and ongoing traumas and disparities that adversely impact too many young Indigenous people and communities more broadly and an undying push for healing and maintaining hope for the future. Here in Minnesota, the areas of disparity for Indigenous people are many, such as lower rates of receiving adequate prenatal care (46% vs. 83% for Whites)1, higher rates of childhood poverty (41% vs. 8% for Whites)2, over-representation in the homeless population3, increased likelihood of having an incarcerated parent (3 to 3.5 times more likely than White children)4, lower high school graduation rates (50.6% vs. 86.3% for Whites)5, and increased mortality rates (2 to 3.3 times higher than for birth through 24-year-old Whites)6, 7. At the same time, there are people working very hard to do such things as replant seeds of Indigenous languages with young children8, 9, 10 and do cultural teachings for older youth and families 11, 12.
Love, compassion, and empathy are strong ties that bind and can help to support individuals and communities through tragedy. What I keep questioning, though, is why our society as a whole continues to accept so many acute, ongoing, and enduring traumatic experiences to continue to persist and test the endurance of even the strongest of bonds. The life and livelihood of some people should not be held of higher value than others. At birth, no healthy infant is inherently endowed with an expiration date that is 10 or 20 or 30 years in the future.
Sources:
1 Wilder Research. (2011). Statewide school readiness report card. Retrieved from http://www.wilder.org/Wilder-Research/Publications/Studies/School%20Readiness%20Report%20Card/School%20Readiness%20Report%20Card%20-%20All%20Fact%20Sheets.pdf
2 Children’s Defence Fund-Minnesota (2015)
3 Wilder Research. (2014). 2012 Minnesota homeless study: Homeless children and their families. Retrieved from http://www.wilder.org/Wilder-Research/Publications/Studies/Homelessness%20in%20Minnesota%202012%20Study/Homeless%20Children%20and%20Their%20Families.pdf
4 Wilder Research. (2014b). Who has an incarcerated parent in Minnesota? (info graphic). Retrieved from: https://www.wilder.org/Wilder-Research/Research-Areas/Documents/who-has-an-incarcerated-parent-in-Minnesota.pdf
5 Minnesota Department of Education. (2015). Minnesota report card. Retrieved from http://rc.education.state.mn.us/.
6 Minnesota Department of Health. (2015). Infant mortality reduction plan for Minnesota: part one. Retrieved from http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/program/infantmortality/content/document/pdf/infantmortality.pdf
7 Minnesota Department of Health. (2014). Advancing health equity in Minnesota: report to the legislature. Retrieved from http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/healthequity/ahe_leg_report_020414.pdf
8 Wicoie Nandagikendan http://wicoienandagikendan.org/
9 Bdote Learning Center http://www.bdotelearningcenter.org/
10 Montessori American Indian Childcare Center http://www.americanindianmontessori.net/
11 Prevention Through Cultural Awareness Program http://www.maicnet.org/project/prevention-through-cultural-awareness-program/
12 American Indian Family Center https://www.aifc.net/home.html
Love, compassion, and empathy are strong ties that bind and can help to support individuals and communities through tragedy. What I keep questioning, though, is why our society as a whole continues to accept so many acute, ongoing, and enduring traumatic experiences to continue to persist and test the endurance of even the strongest of bonds. The life and livelihood of some people should not be held of higher value than others. At birth, no healthy infant is inherently endowed with an expiration date that is 10 or 20 or 30 years in the future.
Sources:
1 Wilder Research. (2011). Statewide school readiness report card. Retrieved from http://www.wilder.org/Wilder-Research/Publications/Studies/School%20Readiness%20Report%20Card/School%20Readiness%20Report%20Card%20-%20All%20Fact%20Sheets.pdf
2 Children’s Defence Fund-Minnesota (2015)
3 Wilder Research. (2014). 2012 Minnesota homeless study: Homeless children and their families. Retrieved from http://www.wilder.org/Wilder-Research/Publications/Studies/Homelessness%20in%20Minnesota%202012%20Study/Homeless%20Children%20and%20Their%20Families.pdf
4 Wilder Research. (2014b). Who has an incarcerated parent in Minnesota? (info graphic). Retrieved from: https://www.wilder.org/Wilder-Research/Research-Areas/Documents/who-has-an-incarcerated-parent-in-Minnesota.pdf
5 Minnesota Department of Education. (2015). Minnesota report card. Retrieved from http://rc.education.state.mn.us/.
6 Minnesota Department of Health. (2015). Infant mortality reduction plan for Minnesota: part one. Retrieved from http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/program/infantmortality/content/document/pdf/infantmortality.pdf
7 Minnesota Department of Health. (2014). Advancing health equity in Minnesota: report to the legislature. Retrieved from http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/healthequity/ahe_leg_report_020414.pdf
8 Wicoie Nandagikendan http://wicoienandagikendan.org/
9 Bdote Learning Center http://www.bdotelearningcenter.org/
10 Montessori American Indian Childcare Center http://www.americanindianmontessori.net/
11 Prevention Through Cultural Awareness Program http://www.maicnet.org/project/prevention-through-cultural-awareness-program/
12 American Indian Family Center https://www.aifc.net/home.html