Dear John,
When I was a very young woman I lived for one year in New Mexico. My exposure to Native American culture at that time had a deep influence on me and has remained so.
Today, as we commemorate Indigenous Peoples' Day, we recognize a lot of what I saw during my time in New Mexico: the rich cultural tapestry that indigenous communities represent. From agriculture to spirituality, the traditions of native peoples on the North American continent have been some of the richest and most advanced in the world. And today we should acknowledge as well the history of injustices, abuse, even genocide, all of which were perpetrated against the indigenous people as Europeans settled the North American continent.
We can atone for the past, and become more responsible in the present. The legacies of European colonialism on the North American continent are with us still, and the challenges confronting indigenous Americans are many and varied. From the erosion of tribal sovereignty to inadequate healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. In 2021, Native American life expectancy dropped down to 65 years old – so low that it is roughly identical to the life expectancy of the U.S. population in 1944. According to one statistic, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation has a male life expectancy of 47 years old – among the lowest in the entire Western Hemisphere.
Our Native American Policy seeks to address these issues head-on, advocating for a restoration of tribal sovereignty, improved access to healthcare and education, and economic empowerment. We must stop forcing through pipelines and other construction projects through indigenous land without tribal consent. We must deal with the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women, which is too often ignored. We must end the hundreds of years of violations of indigenous human rights. As we do so, we can co-create an era of indigenous prosperity.
Though great wrongs have been perpetrated on indigenous peoples in our past, much of the brilliance of Native American culture is reemerging today. A kind of indigenous cultural renaissance is upon us, a blessing not only Native Americans but anyone fortunate enough to be exposed to it.
May the genius of indigenous cultures be never again suppressed in this country. May they in all ways be honored with the respect and gratitude they deserve.
All my best,
