We are made of many stories

This week I learned that who we are is made up of many stories and in order to understand an individual, a community, or a culture, we have to seek many overlapping stories in order to get the whole picture. Something else that stood out to me was the way the history is written, down to individual words, affects the ways we remember things and pass it down. A lot of communities have not had a voice in their own story and instead their history is written by the dominant members of society. Thirdly, I learned the importance in always asking and knowing who’s land we live and work and play on. We cannot ignore the communities of Native American peoples that have been stewards of these lands for thousands of years before they were taken from them. This week I had feelings of inadequacy and motivation for action. I felt inadequate in my knowledge of the Japanese Exclusion and of the Native American presence in modern society. I felt motivated to learn more where my knowledge was lacking and excited to incorporate these important histories into my teaching. How does the sovereignty of Native American people intersect with the US government and what are some of their goals in changing this relationship?