As many of us celebrate our loved ones and our blessings during the Thanksgiving holiday, please remember that Thanksgiving has a very different meaning for many people in our state and our country.
For many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is another harsh reminder of the damage of colonization. Native American people are reminded on a daily basis of the injustices their people face, and far too often, they remain invisible and ignored – a grave injustice in itself. When schools, non-profit organizations, social justice organizations, government, media, and other institutions refuse or avoid the work it takes to understand, advocate, and address issues facing Native Americans, they are only perpetuating the destruction of Native communities and cultures.
Much work remains to address the injustices of the past and work towards healing in Native communities and our nation. Centuries of oppression, institutionalized racism, and the extraction of resources from Native lands have resulted in Native communities being plagued with compounding disparities in health, education, child welfare, criminal justice, employment, and income. Efforts to resolve these injustices should not be placed on the shoulders of Native communities alone. Rather, this work requires the combined efforts of all people to come together and rally on behalf of advancing equity for Indigenous populations. It requires communities to strive to better listen to, understand, and respect Native peoples.
Some of this work has collectively begun through steps taken at the state government level, such as the Executive Order announcing Indigenous Peoples Day, and the proposal for a task force centered on the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. We are also encouraged by the growing list of Indigenous candidates running for public office, and the creation and broad dissemination of important educational tools like those found at Wisconsin’s First Nations.
However, there is far more that needs to be done, and we need to hold ourselves and others accountable to this work. It requires standing up against ongoing environmental degradation on tribal land (and all land), and blatant disregard for treaty rights, sovereignty, and that which is held sacred. We need to continue to uplift Native voices and activism, such as Winona LaDuke’s call for an Indigenous-led Green New Deal, especially as we reckon with the impacts of climate change. All communities benefit from the clean water, air, and soil Native leaders have been fighting for, and we all lose when these voices are diminished, impeded, or threatened. Last week, legislation known as the Felony Trespass Bill (AB426 / SB386), was passed and signed despite the coalition of voices opposing it. As Native Americans face serious disparities in both access to clean water and incarceration, this legislation sets back our work toward ending injustices faced by Native people.
Despite all of these challenges, Native communities remain strong. They are culturally-rich, brilliant, vibrant, and hold the solutions needed to address these big issues. Regardless of how you choose to spend Thanksgiving, remember that you are celebrating on Native land. We challenge you to spend some time educating yourself, educating your children, discussing the injustices that Native people face, and committing yourself to being an advocate for Native people.
