I am is a perso

rst thing “I know

m a womanI am is a person m . And Ibecause

am part of

Indian
the Indiannation
The first thing .

I am a woman . And I am part of a nation,

nation . Butduri
much
. But people either peo
relate to you as an Indian or as a woman. They relate to you

to you as an Indian or
as a category. A lot ofas adon't
people woman.
realize that They relatealt
my tribe,
I am not that different
as a category. A lotfrom
ofeveryone
people else.
don't realize that
conti

m not that differe

My
Winona LaDuke
(Anishinaabe/Ojibwe)

from everyone else.

32
on
wI can survive
. anything

my family
f a nation, overcam
I can survive I know anything in life

because my family overcame so

ople either
ing assimilation, and and my people are stilland alive and

facing challen
much during assimilation, my people are still alive and well

my tribe, although facing challenges ,

to you
lthough continues to flourish, just as it has for thousands of years.

My tribe has survived ,

inues to flourish, just as it has for thousands of ye

and so will I.

yent
tribe has surviv
Jen VanStrander
(Western Band of Cherokee)

and so will I.”

33
it could have been me
 Natanya Ann

ALLIN
Pulley (Navajo)
In my mother’s world we
all fall from cliffs. She
points to a sign by an
outlook of Canyon De
Chelly. It shows a young
Indian woman falling from
a cliff, her hand clamped
to the arm of a soldier as
she pulls him down with
her. My mom is chatting
on her cell phone to a
friend about our trip.
She pauses and points
to the sign and side-says
to me, “That could have
been you.” Goes back to
her conversation. I think
of all the times falling,
the ways. I think she
might know. “What?”
I ask. Staring at the girl
in eternal plummet who
pulls her assaulter with
her, I look over the side
of the cliff. My mom says,
“The wind is strong here
and that could have been
you. Be careful. I rather
you be terrified than
think,” she warns, “that
you can beat the wrath
of Mother Nature.”

Morning Star by Rayna Hernandez (Lakota)

 I don’t want to be afraid
“All over the news there are Native girls being
hurt and abused. I feel afraid when I walk
around. But I don’t want to be afraid.
I want to have good energy.”
— Imajyn Cardinal (Cree/Dene)

Actress Imajyn Cardinal in The Saver

39