As many of us take a break from our busy lives to 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 horrible effects colonization has had on our people—effects that linger today in the form of alarming racial disparities: high poverty rates, high domestic abuse rates, poor health, low graduation rates, and so on.

But as Native American people are reminded on a daily basis of the injustices our people face, far too often, we remain invisible and ignored—an injustice and form of genocide in itself. When schools, non-profit organizations, social justice organizations, government, media, and other institutions refuse or shy away from doing the work it takes to understand, advocate, and address the issues facing Native Americans, they are only perpetuating the destruction of Native communities and culture.

The impact of ignoring and dismissing Native lives continues to have a toll on the livelihoods of Native people, and this is especially true for Native women. Right now, Indian Country is facing an epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women, but we’re not hearing about it on the local news or in our newspapers, and very few politicians are paying attention. How would this conversation be different if white women were disappearing and murdered at alarming rates?

A lot of work needs to be done to heal Native communities and heal our nation. Hundreds of years of oppression, institutionalized racism, and the intentional removal of resources have resulted in Native communities being plagued with disparities in health, education, child welfare, criminal justice, employment, and income. Despite all of this, Native communities remain strong. We are culturally-rich, brilliant, vibrant, and hold the solutions needed to address these big issues.

That’s why it’s so important that we do a better job of listening, understanding, and respecting Native communities. That’s also why we need to let Native people lead— especially here in Wisconsin where we have the opportunity to take our state in a new direction. Earlier this month, people in other states embraced this notion, and elected two Native American women, Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids, to Congress for the first time in history. Peggy Flanagan, a citizen of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, was elected Lieutenant Governor in Minnesota.

At Kids Forward, we’re working to put together resources for people to better understand Native communities in Wisconsin. You can access this information on a new section of our website called “Native Nations.”

Regardless of how you choose to spend Thanksgiving, remember that you are doing so on Native land. And while Native families spend the day celebrating our culture and our resilience, I 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.

Wenona Wolf
@TheRealWenona