A Call to Action

Two Mohawk youth who recently toured the Colorado State University campus were questioned by campus police because of a call from a “nervous parent.” As I listened to the 911 call and watched the video from the police body cam, I was reminded once again of the level of bias and danger that our youth experience in their pursuit of higher education.

At the American Indian College Fund, we are involved with and hear many stories about situations involving high school and college students dealing with the daily burden of racial prejudice and ignorance. We know how important it is to create a path to college from an early age and how difficult it is to do so under these conditions.

I personally experienced the same things that these youth and others encounter. Members of my family also experience this in their educational pursuits, at work, and in many social situations. We are often angry or hurt because these types of occurrences are not uncommon. Many times we are afraid and torn over whether we should speak out or remain silent. It can all be disheartening and confusing.

Despite all this, we persevere and achieve our educational goals. We can be inspired by the many Native graduates who are celebrating their accomplishments right now at schools and colleges all across the country, including the very institutions where we feel the most unwelcome or at the most risk. Native graduates are role models, showing by their persistence and focus that we have the inner strength and the support that we need to succeed. Our ancestors give us that strength as they watch over us.

Our families and our tribal communities want us to succeed because they know that “education is the answer.” Education gives us the skills and abilities to use our traditional knowledge and our contemporary learning to help our families and communities.

Colorado State University is only one of many institutions whose desire for diversity and inclusion is counter to the experience of racism that this recent incident represents. Racism and bias permeate higher education and are part of American society. Much of that racism is passive-aggressive and experienced in the many micro-aggressions of our daily lives. Much of it can be hostile and puts us at risk.

We have a powerful advantage, as our people survived hundreds of years of racial politics and social injustices because we are citizens of tribal nations with rich cultural values and kinship. We know how to navigate a contentious world. Every time one of us walks across the stage to get a diploma, we are demonstrating our power and honoring our citizenship.

Higher education needs to be more active in leading the way to a safer, more inclusive society. As students, college graduates, and supporters of equity and access, I invite you to be advocates for action in higher education. On behalf of Native students and citizens everywhere, we are issuing the following call to action to higher education institutions nationwide to increase the number of Native students in higher education:

• Acknowledge the Indigenous people on whose lands work is being done and where institutions exist.
• Implement training to help students, faculty, and staff to name racism when it occurs; train college personnel about Indigenous culture, history, and inclusion.
• Examine existing curriculum to ensure fair representation of Native people’s history, accomplishments, and contributions.
• Report on the status of Native American students at their institutions by including their student data in all institutional data points.
• Increase resources and investment in access and opportunity through scholarships, student support services, and increases in Native faculty and staff.

We are also initiating conversations with higher education institutions and organizations nationwide to determine how we can work to achieve the above call to action.

Cheryl Crazy Bull (Sicangu Lakota) is the president and CEO of the American Indian College Fund.