Shakedown Social

DoomsdaysCW<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanaki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanaki</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Educator" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Educator</a> Receives National <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CommunityService" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#CommunityService</a> Awardby Jillian Kerr, October 10, 2024"Lynn Amakehs (butterfly) Mitchell, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Passamaquoddy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Passamaquoddy</a> citizen and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maine</a> Indian Education Facilities Manager, is deeply committed to preserving her community's culture. Her unwavering dedication has earned her different awards, recognizing her service to her community and her passion for preserving language and culture. In September, Lynn was honored with the prestigious 2024 National Indian Education Association Community Service of the Year Award. This award recognizes Native community members who are role models and have served their community. "Lynn’s journey to become a teacher and active community member is a testament to her passion and dedication. It all began when she became a mother and started participating in school and community activities. Lynn’s involvement in organizations like the Girl Scouts and PTP (Parent Teacher Partnership) marked the beginning of her service to the community before she started her decolonization work and focus on culture and language. "Her <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/decolonization" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#decolonization</a> journey deepened after she attended the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/UpstanderAcademy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#UpstanderAcademy</a>, where she met a <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Micmac" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Micmac</a> woman and spiritual healer from Canada. Their time and conversations inspired her to learn more and share what she knew, leading her to become the community leader she is today. "After attending the Upstander Academy, Lynn's commitment to promoting cultural engagement intensified. She traveled to different tribal gatherings and immersed herself in culture as much as possible. She aimed to share her experiences and knowledge and motivate others in her community to participate in and learn cultural activities. "Lynn plays a pivotal role in nurturing a sense of community and togetherness. She does this in various ways, including by planning community gatherings. Lynn planned a large cultural gathering that the Passamaquoddy hosted, but after much planning and organizing, she became ill and could not attend. She said that her falling ill was a 'blessing in disguise' because it resulted in something beautiful…. community members who usually do not participate in community activities took the lead and ensured the gathering went as planned. These individuals continue to be active community members, a testament to Lynn's success in promoting cultural engagement. "One of Lynn's most significant contributions is mentoring youth, a responsibility she takes very seriously. In community service projects with youth, she saw how they responded positively, which deepened her desire to do more. These projects demonstrate her commitment to the future of her community. "Currently, Lynn is mentoring a group of girls through their rights-of-passage ceremony. One activity the girls completed was learning how to honor berries. The girls picked berries and then gave some to the elders when they visited. The girls spend much time with the elders, learning from and talking with them. Lynn's commitment to passing this knowledge on to the next generation provides hope for the community’s ability to preserve tribal culture. This is Lynn's 38th year working for Maine Indian Education. Since being hired, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in College Studies, focusing on Native Studies from the University of Maine at Machias. She enjoyed her courses, and what she learned provided her with the knowledge and skills needed to create the curriculum and served as a basis for the content she uses in her classes. "Lynn began teaching the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PassamaquoddyLanguage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PassamaquoddyLanguage</a> at Calais High School before she graduated. Her classes are extremely popular and usually have a waitlist. Lynn was surprised when her classes began to have a waitlist, but anyone who knows Lynn was not surprised. Her positive energy and love radiate from her and draw people to her. Her dedication to her students and community makes Lynn a perfect recipient of the NIEA Community Service of the Year Award. "The <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NIEAConvention" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NIEAConvention</a> was established to mark the beginning of a national forum for sharing and developing ideas and influencing federal policy. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NIEA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NIEA</a> was founded in 1969 and incorporated in 1970 to meet the needs of educators, students, and the community. NIEA held its first 'First Convocation of American Indian Scholars' at Princeton University in 1969. During this meeting, several Native educators discussed concerns and issues related to the education of Native children. For many educators, this large meeting was the first opportunity to share, discuss, and learn about ideas critical to Native Americans in the United States. "Several Natives who attended that gathering wanted an opportunity to continue the dialogue and share ways to improve education. They desired to explore ways to become more effective teachers and better school administrators and discover practical experiences that could improve schools serving Native students. "Since its incorporation, NIEA has become a massive organization committed to addressing various issues that Native Americans face. These issues include Boarding School Healing, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeLanguage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NativeLanguage</a> Initiatives, and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CulturallyBasedCurricula" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#CulturallyBasedCurricula</a>. NIEA’s mission is to advance comprehensive, culturally based educational opportunities for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeAmericans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NativeAmericans</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AlaskaNatives" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#AlaskaNatives</a>, and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeHawaiians" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NativeHawaiians</a>. The organization advocates for policies and creates programs that support self-determination and the development of comprehensive, culturally grounded learning opportunities for Native students. "National recognition through the NIEA Community Service Award underscores Lynn’s exceptional contributions to Native education and her dedication to serving the community. Lynn’s drive to preserve language and culture in her community is a tribute to her commitment. Her contributions, which go beyond the classroom, are evident in impactful community service projects that profoundly affect the lives of Native students and their families."<a href="https://www.wabanakireach.org/wabanaki_educator_receives_national_community_service_award" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.wabanakireach.org/wabanaki_educator_receives_national_community_service_award</a><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeAmericanNews" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NativeAmericanNews</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeAmericanEducators" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NativeAmericanEducators</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LynnAmakehsMitchell" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LynnAmakehsMitchell</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Decolonize" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Decolonize</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiReach" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiReach</a>

DoomsdaysCWHow the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeAmerican" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NativeAmerican</a> Vote Continues to be Suppressedby Patty Ferguson-Bohnee February, 2020"The right to vote has been an uphill battle for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeAmericans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NativeAmericans</a>. The <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/VotingRightsAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#VotingRightsAct</a> of 1965 helped to secure and protect that right for many Native Americans and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AlaskaNatives" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#AlaskaNatives</a>. With the Voting Rights Act, voter participation among Native Americans increased. However, the Supreme Court invalidated the Section 5 preclearance formula in 2013 (Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 529 (2013)), removing one of the most powerful tools to ensure equal access to the ballot, including Alaska and Arizona, and two jurisdictions in South Dakota with significant Native American and Alaska Native populations. Since the Shelby County decision, efforts to suppress the vote have increased. For Native Americans, these voter suppression efforts can and do have devastating impacts. "Despite the passage of the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, many Native Americans living on reservations continued to be excluded from the democratic process. In 1948, Native Americans in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NewMexico" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NewMexico</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Arizona" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Arizona</a> successfully litigated their right to vote. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Utah" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Utah</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NorthDakota" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NorthDakota</a> became the last states to afford on-reservation Native Americans the right to vote in 1957 and 1958, respectively. When the right to vote was finally secured, voter suppression laws kept Native Americans from voting and seeking elected office. In Arizona, for example, Native Americans could not fully participate in voting until 1970 when the Supreme Court upheld the ban against using literacy tests (Oregon v. Mitchell, 400 U.S. 112 (1970)). Today, the right to vote continues to be challenged through the passage of new laws and practices that either fail to consider, disregard, or intentionally target Native American voters."In order to understand the challenges faced by Native American voters, one must recognize the vast differences in experiences, opportunities, and realities facing on-reservation voters as compared to off-reservation voters."I will never forget the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Navajo" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Navajo</a> grandmother who spoke only Navajo and could not vote after Arizona passed its voter ID law in 2004. She tried several times to obtain an Arizona ID on her own but was denied because she was born at home in a hogan, and the boarding schools changed her Navajo name to English. She lived in a modest home on the Navajo Reservation without electricity and running water, and lived a traditional lifestyle taking care of her sheep. She was embarrassed and devastated when she was turned away from the polls for not having an ID. Working with her, a team from the Indian Legal Clinic traveled five hours to meet her at multiple agency offices to obtain her delayed birth certificate; we then went to two separate Motor Vehicle Division Offices. The first one did not issue same-day photo IDs, and the other initially denied her request. The office rejected her delayed Navajo birth certificate, until I was able to intervene and demonstrate to them that it was an acceptable document. The system failed to consider her reality as a Navajo woman and failed to value her as a voter. Fortunately, she was persistent in exercising her right to vote, but not all voters are, nor should they have to be."This example helps explain why voting can be difficulty for Native American voters. Turnout for Native Americans is the lowest in the country, as compared to other groups. While a number of issues contribute to the low voter turnout, a study conducted by the Native American Voting Rights Coalition found that low levels of trust in government, lack of information on how and where to register and to vote, long travel distances to register or to vote, low levels of access to the internet, hostility toward Native Americans, and intimidation are obstacles. Isolating conditions such as language barriers, socioeconomic disparities, lack of access to transportation, lack of residential <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/addresses" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#addresses</a>, lack of access to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/mail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mail</a>, and the digital divide limit Native American political participation. Changes to voting processes further frustrate the ability of Native Americans to vote."Read more: <a href="https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/voting-rights/how-the-native-american-vote-continues-to-be-suppressed/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/voting-rights/how-the-native-american-vote-continues-to-be-suppressed/</a><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RightToVote" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#RightToVote</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/VoterSuppression" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#VoterSuppression</a>

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