For many conference-goers, opportunities to learn from session presenters sharing information on specialized topics is one of the best parts of a National Conference. Here’s a sample of just some of the many sessions attendees could choose from.
Presenter Jeffrey Gilchrist of the Oklahoma-based SageHawk Foundation spoke to the need to extend computer literacy to underserved populations, especially on reservations. Despite the proliferation of smartphones and other technology, many people cannot operate a computer beyond social media, texting, and gaming. This lack of computer skills, he said, is keeping people of all ages from employment, education, and fully engaging with a wider world. To address the computer literacy gap, SageHawk works to provide free training to those who have fallen behind the technological curve. Gilchrist views this as training for empowerment. “One of my first students was able to get a job using a computer,†he said. SageHawk is also in the process of teaming with Wells Fargo on promoting financial literacy, a major initiative of the bank.
According to presenter Vanessa Benally of consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, cybersecurity is a rapidly growing field and certifications like Security+, CISSP-ISSEP, and CSSPP really matter for IT professionals. She pointed to Norwich University as one highly ranked program that offers online courses in information security. Urging attendees to be aware of security in all their devices, including those they carry around, the apps they use, and email, she pointed out that cybersecurity makes sense from a Native American perspective because “we are all about protection and security.†She explained the foundations of cybersecurity as a “classic CIA triadâ€: C=Confidentiality (data is private, limited access); I=Integrity (data is retained unchanged); A=Availability (data is accessible, ready). She cautioned that for many Native Americans, their smartphone is their only computer but as the population skews younger, they will be likely to have multiple social media accounts and less awareness of the reasons to protect themselves online. To illustrate confidentiality, she gave the example of the code talkers. After Cherokee, Choctaw, and Comanche code talkers took part in World War I, the Japanese and Germans sent students to the U.S. to learn those languages. In World War II, the Marines turned to Navajo code talkers for a more secure language. The code talkers could memorize messages to maintain code secrecy, and the code was unbreakable, which was necessary to maintain the accuracy of the message as it was transmitted. At the Battle of Iwo Jima, six Navajo code talkers transmitted 800 messages without an error — they could translate three lines of English in 20 seconds, compared to 30 minutes for the code-breaking machines of the day. To keep up with the field of cybersecurity, Benally recommended thecyberwire.com.
Don Motanic of the Intertribal Timber Council presented a hands-on way to identify virtually any plant with the free app PlantNet, which has a catalog of plants from all over the world. Attendees had an opportunity to download the app and use it with photos on a session handout. The app’s catalog is being expanded to include medicinal plants and some tribal languages. Motanic contrasted the app with what has been done in recent times to ID plants using paper plot sheets and field calculators, which have improved significantly over time but now cell phones offer substantial computing power at relatively low cost. The presenter also covered available internships, scholarships, tuition waivers, and stipends and pointed out that opportunities in forestry include a diverse range of endeavors like woodworking, watershed management, and maple syrup production.
The panel was presented by members of the Association of American Indian Physicians, including Dr. Amy DeLong (family medicine and MPH), Dr. Ken Bernard (emergency medicine and MBA), Dr. Bret Benally Thompson (family medicine and palliative and hospice care), and Steven Just (doctor of pharmacy candidate). In an effort to address the disparity in health care providers, panelists talked about what got them into medicine and their respective professional roles. Dr. Bernard said of emergency care, “We take care of some of the most vulnerable. My profession is excellent because I work at the front end of care. I also earned an MBA so medicine wouldn’t be run by people who were not in the field.†Another panelist pointed out that family medicine is the opposite — it covers front end, back end, and everything in between. “I see people making mistakes at every stage of life,†he said. Steven Just pointed out, “Pharmacy is a lot more than what you see at the drugstore. Pharmacy is right there taking care of patients, especially in hospitals, and there is a great need in the Indian Health Service.†Dr. Benally Thompson explained that he was a nontraditional med student who started training at age 40. “If you want to do something,†he said, “only two people can take it away from you: you and the Creator. It’s such a privilege to be a physician. You are a keeper of stories.†Dr. DeLong closed with the thought, “Natives make up less than 1 percent of the physician workforce, but as I look around this room, I’m inspired. That disparity will change.â€
Presenters Prairie Rose Seminole and Montoya Whiteman led participants in the KAIROS Blanket Exercise. This facilitation process model was developed in Canada as a teaching tool where Indigenous and non-Indigenous people interactively participate in a 500-year history lesson. In this workshop participants reflect on their own personal journey and cultural experiences, and that reflection can be emotionally and intellectual revealing. The blanket exercise illustrates the impact of colonization from contact to the contemporary period. The workshop ends with a talking circle where participants share their thoughts and experiences in a confidential and supportive environment. Participants emerge with new perspectives, new narratives, and a newfound ability to change the future when it comes to promoting intercultural understanding, interpersonal growth, and respect for the history of nations.
This session was a panel discussion addressing the differences between Western science and traditional ways of knowing, and how integrating the two adds to and elevates research. Panel members spoke about their forthcoming peer-reviewed articles in a special issue on Indigenous science in the journal Human Biology, addressing issues of equity and research in communities. “Relationship building is an important component,†said a panelist. “Showing up to community events demonstrates to community members that you are serious. This is science by us and for us.†One panelist, Rene Begay, discussed her work on genetic research involving Navajo people. “The Navajo have an innate understanding of genetics because of traditional knowledge about breeding sheep for wool color. But our knowledge was not included in past studies. We have the ability to do these genetic studies for ourselves, in our own interests, and to advocate for our people.â€
This panel of pre-college students and their moderator from Denver Public Schools discussed applying Indigenous methods of making observations and testing and refining approaches to interact more effectively with others at school and, eventually, in the workplace. Several shared personal experiences. Suggestions about things to say when you encounter conflict included the following: (1) We remember things differently, (2) If you continue to speak like this, I am not engaging, (3) I am stepping away, (4) We will talk about this later, (5) I hear you and that is not my experience, (6) I know my truth and I am not debating with you. In addition, they offered three tools to promote cultural understanding. (1) Inward: Prioritize the issues. Gain some perspective. Ask for clarification before engaging. (2) Outward: Avoid making the other person defensive. Don’t start with an inflammatory statement like “you are a racist,†but instead try an “I†statement like “I thought I heard you say…†(3) Afterward: Get ahead of potential future problems by incrementally engaging with a few students to create community. In cases of bullying, document examples with specifics such as date, actions, and what is being requested. Don’t forget that humor can be effective — so can food samples! The more people know about Native Americans, the more favorable the outcome will be. Native Americans have the ultimate moral authority because this is our land.
