Some of the themes I will continue to write about in the new year are happiness, mindfulness, movement, gratitude, reflections on climate change, health and childhood trauma. I will also continue to learn new information daily. I am excited to see the possibilities in the new year. I wonder what upgrades the Tesla will develop. And what adventures are planned for the space industry. like everyone on the planet I am looking forward to a COVID vaccine, and people being able to hug each other once again.
I made some resolutions at the end of 2019. They were pretty much the same as in previous years. I said I would read 90 books, but what actually happened is I spent more time listening to podcasts and only read about 60 books. I am not going to make resolutions this year because I am going to continue doing what I've always been doing keeping an open mind and learning.
Inasmuch as we are anticipating that 2021 will be different, we should be prepared for much of the same. And we also should be asking questions like: “How can we thrive in more of the same environment? What can we do differently to ensure we are grateful, happy, and thriving? More importantly, how can we maintain our humanity?”
I am encouraged by teenager Swedish climate activists Greta Thunberg. In her plea on March 15, 2019 she said: “Our house is on fire, I want you to panic.” That simple statement drove 1.6 million young people onto the streets for better climate protection and by extension the survival of 7 billion humans on this planet.
At the end of 2019 I had no idea or even a desire to create a federal charitable foundation, or to produce and host a podcast. But both things happened. These are the two things I am most proud of achieving during a global pandemic. The federal charitable foundation is a continuation of the work that I did as chair of Nechi Institute Center of Indigenous Learning. When I resigned from the Board of Governors in August, I felt my work was incomplete. My desire to help Indigenous people understand and recover from substance abuse was still strong. I couldn't just walk away without having something in that space.
I founded Seventh Generation Indigenous Foundation and Training. (G.I.F.T.) and to help promote the foundation I am producing and hosting the Empathetic Witness podcast. It is inviting people to a conversation to unpack and to begin the process of decolonization on areas that impact Indigenous peoples’ life. I produced three episodes in 2020, one inviting you to a conversation on decolonizing addictions, and another on decolonizing Indigenous adoptions.
I ended the year with a powerful and contentious conversation about decolonizing Indigenous Storytelling with Dr. Betty Bastien Professor of Social Work at the University of Calgary, Alberta. Questions discussed were:
· Does the media like CBC hold some responsibility in perpetuating and promoting self-identifying as Indigenous? In the example of Michelle Latimer we can assume she got a CBC job producing a documentary series – at least in part -- because she claimed to have an Indigenous identity.
· The language we use, and its contexts are important. Are there specific terms that we should be avoiding, and what terms should we use instead?
· When our stories are told from a perspective that is not our own, what harm is it creating?
· If it is an Indigenous person telling these stories on Indigenous themes is a native person that has never lived in the community and who has been raised in a city and never lived a"
typical” indigenous experience in an indigenous community, do they have a right to tell the story? I can think of my granddaughters who live in Hawaii, who have not been raised around my brothers and sisters, who have limited understanding of the challenges we faced, can they at some point in their life if they wanted to write a book, do research, produce documentaries on Indigenous themes and will their work be accepted Some of the themes I will continue in the new year are happiness, mindfulness, movement, gratitude, reflections on climate change, health and childhood trauma. Once the final podcast has been edited I will post it here.
I am encouraged by teenager Swedish climate activists Greta Thunberg. In her plea on March 15, 2019 she said: “Our house is on fire, I want you to panic.” That simple statement drove 1.6 million young people onto the streets for better climate protection and by extension the survival of 7 billion humans on this planet.
I ended the year with a powerful and contentious conversation about decolonizing Indigenous Storytelling with Dr. Betty Bastien Professor of Social Work at the University of Calgary, Alberta. in particular we discussed the Michelle Latimer controversy Questions discussed were:
· Does the media like CBC hold some responsibility in perpetuating and promoting self-identifying as Indigenous? In the example of Michelle Latimer we can assume she got a CBC job producing a documentary series – at least in part -- because she claimed to have an Indigenous identity.
· The language we use, and its contexts are important. Are there specific terms that we should be avoiding, and what terms should we use instead?
· When our stories are told from a perspective that is not our own, what harm is it creating?
· If it is an Indigenous person telling these stories on Indigenous themes is a native person that has never lived in the community and who has been raised in a city and never lived a"
typical” indigenous experience in an indigenous community, do they have a right to tell the story? I can think of my granddaughters who live in Hawaii, who have not been raised around my brothers and sisters, who have limited understanding of the challenges we faced, can they at some point in their life if they wanted to write a book, do research, produce documentaries on Indigenous themes and will their work be accepted as authentic? And who has the legitimate right to tell our stories?
· What can we do now to preserve our stories in the most authentic way?
My intention for 2021 is to promote, support and encourage family members to realize their dreams in 2021. My nephew Gitz Crazyboy has been very busy. He published a children's book, and accepted a number of interviews to promote his book, 'Secret of the Stars' from as far away as Australia.
2020I am not sad to see you go. Thank you for teaching me lessons of patients, acceptance and to dig deep to find gratitude in adversity. it has made me stronger and more determined to be of service to others.
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