This was a very difficult thing for me to watch. The videos that were in the first module, some I knew about and others were very eye opening. My mother was 50% Mohawk Native American and was adopted at a very young age to a white couple. Until about 7 years ago when she found her birth family. Something in this module that resonated with me was the videos on what the Native Americans went through. Its crazy when I hear the word immigrant I can't help but feel unless you were here as a Native American than everyone is an immigrant. We all came from all over. I personally will never fully understand how any one race can feel superior to another it hurts my soul. I am an empath by nature and the beginning of this module was difficult for me emotionally. The amount of pain and suffering that individuals experienced and still experience just because they are not "white" is sad.
Amanda,
Thank you for sharing your personal context. The experiences white supremacy have created are truely horrific in their inhumanity. But like any system, it can be taken apart and replaced with systems that are equitable and respectful of all. Your empathy to the experiences of other is a gift, though it extracts a toll from you in the energy needed to navigate such difficult material. I hope you keep perservering in your empathy. - Brenda
Thank your for sharing about your personal context in working through this module. We really wanted to include the piece on Native American history because many Americans have never been educated about this in the public (or private) school systems. Institutionalized racism has negatively affected everyone who isn't white in some way. ~ Brenda
The whole Native concept was all new to me too, as I came here from Norway. Never have I heard or learned something that raised the inside aggression in me. I felt furious. To try to get the native side out of a person to make it more American? Taking the children away from their biological roots and try to change them? Then when that did not work anymore, start adopting them out so they could grow up the white way? Horrific.
The Eurocentric culture was horrific in the past. Shameful what happened to native Americans. The most I learned in public schools was colonialism. We need to re-educate our children and communities. Additionally, change Comes with transforming our preconceived views.