1 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to woke AF with me Danielle Moody. Last month, 2 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: I enjoyed an insightful conversation with Dunay activists Ali Young, 3 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: founder of Protect the Sacred, a group focused on protecting 4 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: elders within her community. With the recent public health news 5 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: of coronavirus surges and the Delta variant, I wanted to 6 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: bring you our full conversation to give you an idea 7 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: of the issues facing the Navajo Nation that are typically 8 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,879 Speaker 1: ignored in the mainstream media. Of course, so you can 9 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: hear me tackle plenty of issues that don't get airtime 10 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: in the media by supporting me on Patreon at patreon 11 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: dot com slash woke AF. For now, though, I hope 12 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: you receive insight and information from my conversation with Ali Young. 13 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: I want to start off with just can you explain 14 00:00:55,160 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: to us how Protect the Sacred started and why sure? 15 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: Protect the Sacred started at in March last year, right 16 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: at the beginning of a pandemic late March. Actually, it 17 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,039 Speaker 1: was right around the time that the Navajo Nation was 18 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: being hit very hard and I felt like I needed 19 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 1: to do something, and I was also being called upon 20 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: by some of my former colleagues at Shiprock, Indian Health 21 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: Service physicians and public health professionals who also knew that 22 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 1: we needed to be communicating to young people to relay 23 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: this message of staying home and what the CDC was 24 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:44,839 Speaker 1: coming down with. So I worked with them to really 25 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: develop messaging that would that that was sort of digestible 26 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,919 Speaker 1: because you know, you think about our communities, and especially 27 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: in Navajo Nation, we have a lot of elders who 28 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: don't always understand what's happening on the news because they 29 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: don't speak English fluently. So to be able to communicate 30 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: that important messaging to our youth who could then translate 31 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 1: it and pass it on to our elders who we 32 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: were trying to protect because of the ancestral knowledge and 33 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: the culture and the language that they that they hold 34 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: and that they're still passing down to many of our 35 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: young people was really at the core of our work. 36 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: You know what struck me when I was watching UM 37 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,239 Speaker 1: I think it was an expose that was being done 38 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 1: on you and on Protect the Sacred I think it 39 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: was on NBC, And what struck me was this desire 40 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: to protect knowledge right and understanding that the wisdom and 41 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 1: knowledge that you were working to protect is encapsulated in 42 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: your elders. Which has struck me about the pandemic in general, 43 00:02:53,840 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: is how disconnected American culture seems from actual community. Like 44 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 1: this virus right to me in a lot of ways, 45 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: was an exercise in how we care and have empathy 46 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: for each other. Right that it isn't the pull yourself 47 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: up from the bootstrap, you know, I'm in it for 48 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: myself type of person. And there was a selfishness that 49 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 1: was so very apparent and on display. You know, talk 50 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: to me about what it means to not just you know, 51 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: shun or move away from your from your elders, which 52 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: we see a lot in in our society in multiple communities. 53 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: There isn't this care for the elders, right, Like, what 54 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: did we see on the news. It was just the 55 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: initial reports about COVID was who it was hitting, where 56 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: the elderly and young folks are just like, so that's 57 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: not me. I'm going to stay at the bars and 58 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: I'm going to stay at the clubs, and I'm gonna 59 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: you know, I'm in it for me. You know what 60 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: came up for you in terms of like kind of 61 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: seeing that very stark dichotomy in how we care for 62 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: one another. Yeah, well, I mean our work protect the 63 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 1: sacred is also a response to I think right around 64 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: that time in Texas, I was seeing reports about UM, 65 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: even the elders in Texas thing that they wanted to 66 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 1: sacrifice themselves for for the economy and in this country, 67 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: the sake of this country. And and then I you know, 68 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 1: to even see young people supporting UM that that notion 69 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 1: you know, to UM will sacrifice our elders because we 70 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: need to stay open and our businesses need to thrive. UM. 71 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: And for me, I was like, absolutely not, That's not 72 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,479 Speaker 1: the way that UM, at least for my community and 73 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: Native American culture. UM that we you know, we revere 74 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 1: our elders. And because we know that, UM, they hold 75 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: that incredible knowledge that is important to all of our communities, 76 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,160 Speaker 1: not just Native communities, but you know, all of our 77 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: communities have, especially communities of color, have our our elders 78 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: are sacred in that way and UM. And so it 79 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: was heartbreaking to see that. But I knew what I 80 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 1: needed to do for my community because we were not 81 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: gonna stand by and let our elders pass. And unfortunately UM, 82 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 1: you know the majority of the I think the death 83 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: toll in Navajo Nation is probably approaching fifteen hundred people 84 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: now UM and over sixty percent of those deaths are 85 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: our elders sixty years and older UM. And there's a 86 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 1: there's a handful that um are our traditional healers, our 87 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 1: medicine men UM. And you know, as it is, you 88 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: know that population of our medicine man has been decimated. 89 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: So we talk about the survival of our communities, in 90 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 1: especially Native communities, it's we credit our traditional ancestral ways 91 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: to why we're still here today. And so that that's 92 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: where it came from for me. And I think, UM, 93 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 1: when I when I talk to folks about what like 94 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 1: the success of that we're staying right now, especially in 95 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: Navajo Nation in terms of the vaccination rate, I talk 96 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: about the fact that we accomplished that because we know 97 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: the importance of community and in our connectedness and interdependence. 98 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: Those two words interconnectedness and interdependence. It seems so foreign 99 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: to how we have been operating. I mean, you know, 100 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: obviously COVID began under the Trump administration, and we saw 101 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: that there was no interdependence, there was no community, there 102 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: was you know this every everyone is out for themselves, 103 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: or that this is a hoax. You know. I want 104 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: to talk about the erasure of Native American culture, experience, 105 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: and even from the historical setting right to the current 106 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: day invisible invisibleness of the traumas and the issues that 107 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: Native American communities are facing. Rick Santorm who recently was 108 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: fired from CNN after excessive public pressure for his comments 109 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: about essentially his ancestors coming over on the Mayflower and 110 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: you know, nothing was here, right, Like there was no community, 111 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: no culture, no people, no economy, no nothing right. That 112 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: is literally what he said was disgusting. And I and I, well, 113 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: the first time that I watched the clip, because sadly 114 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: I watched it a couple of times. The first time 115 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: Ali I watched the clip and I just I mean, 116 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: all I could do was shake my head and I 117 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: just am like, this is where these people think, like 118 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: that they brought everything with them. No one taught them anything, 119 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: No one was like, I don't it wasn't like arriving 120 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 1: on the moon, right. Well, tell me what came up 121 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 1: for you when you heard when you heard those those 122 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:45,960 Speaker 1: comments that it was absolutely false, and you know it's 123 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: I was angry and my community was angry because for 124 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: far too long. We've been invisible in our own homelands 125 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: and our ancestral lands. You know this, UM, we were 126 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: the first people's of this country. And to hear remarks 127 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: that way, it's hurtful and it perpetuates that whitewash narrative 128 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: that is the reason for white supremacy. UM, that that 129 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 1: is the reason for Native erasure. And I think that UM. 130 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: You know to this day that invisibility hurts even our 131 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: Native youth. It hurts UM. It hurts their mental health 132 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: and their well being. And that is why we fight 133 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: hard against things like Native mascots, UM, and that the 134 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 1: negative imagery of our people and stereotypes UM that play 135 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: into the way that we're can constantly disregarded and remain invisible. 136 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:53,440 Speaker 1: And so the reason, I mean, that's why the whole 137 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: campaign was started against Rick Santorum with the hashtag removed Rick, 138 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 1: and and we just kept pushing and we weren't going 139 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 1: to give up because you know this, that was our 140 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 1: our moment to to UM to keep pushing forward and 141 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: to make sure that we we won, and we weren't 142 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: going to stop. And so it took UM. And when 143 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: it comes to Native communities, we're such a small population 144 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: that we know they think we don't matter. We're talking. 145 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: We're not going to hurt business, We're not going to 146 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 1: hurt their numbers. UM, and so that's when we call 147 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: on our allies. And that's that's what we had to do. 148 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 1: We had to call on our allies and say stand 149 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: with us, especially allies who have UM big platforms and 150 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:50,680 Speaker 1: that are highly influential, like our friend Mark Ruffalo and 151 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: Ed Helms and and the folks who've come to stand 152 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 1: with us in solidarity over and over again and UM 153 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: and I think we were able to. We UM created 154 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 1: an open letter to CNN and then had folks like 155 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:10,199 Speaker 1: them sign on, and I think once Joaquin Phoenix also 156 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:12,959 Speaker 1: signed on. And so once the media picked that up 157 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: and realized how how we were all coming together, I 158 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 1: think it definitely pushed the pressure on CNN. There is 159 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: a conversation with regard to our public education system and 160 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: how and I talk about this on Woke of all 161 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:34,559 Speaker 1: the time, about I'm a former educator, and about how 162 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:39,439 Speaker 1: our public education system perpetuates white supremacy through the erasure 163 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: of the impacts that multitudes of people, specifically for me, 164 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 1: black Americans, have had on this country, and without which 165 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: we would not have one. Uh in terms of the 166 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: economic structure of America that was built off of slavery. Um, 167 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:05,319 Speaker 1: how do you feel for you is missing? Because there 168 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: is so much I know that is missing in the 169 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: narrative right now about Native American culture that we should 170 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 1: also be elevating. As we're talking about things like the 171 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 1: sixteen nineteen project that we're seeing an extraordinary pushback against 172 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: in Republican legislatures around the country. What do you think 173 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:32,319 Speaker 1: is missing in terms of an additive to the narrative 174 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: of the formation of America. I think the resiliency of 175 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: Native people's and I think that's something especially when we 176 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: talk about the pandemic and how tribal communities have been 177 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: hit hard and impacted. You know, it was great to 178 00:12:55,320 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: see the media covering what we were experiencing through the 179 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: pandemic and um, what the pandemic has unveiled to the 180 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,200 Speaker 1: rest of the country, like the broken infrastructure within our 181 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: tribal communities. That's important, But at the same time, mainstream 182 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: media tends to lean into poverty porn, especially when it 183 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 1: comes to Native communities, and so the thing for me 184 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 1: that is missing is also highlighting our resilience, how we've 185 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: been able to overcome being the hardest hit and now 186 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 1: at Navajo Nation, we're basically at heart immunity with the 187 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: vaccination rate and and just the success of our communities 188 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: being being able to take those resources UM, you know, 189 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: from the federal government, the vaccines and implementing UM just 190 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 1: a strategy within our own community, and how we've come 191 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: together to set up vaccination events and to volunteer. It 192 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: has come down to community. And I think that has 193 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: always been the reason that we've survived as Native peoples, 194 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: is that we rely on each other because the federal 195 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: government has never been there for Native communities. We have 196 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: treaties that have just been broken over and over, so 197 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: we've always had to rely on our on ourselves. And 198 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 1: I think that kind of resiliency needs to be talked 199 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: about more, especially when we talk about the pandemic, and 200 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: then when we're talking about the foundation of this country, 201 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: the fact that the Native peoples have contributed so much, 202 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,400 Speaker 1: going back to those two words in our connectedness, in 203 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: our dependence, we've that that is who we are as 204 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: Native people, and we know the power in that, and 205 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: we even tried to have that sort of relationship with 206 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: the European invaders, settlers who came over, and we tried 207 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: to have that relationship with them, but you know, they 208 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: didn't understand that concept. They didn't understand, you know, our 209 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: way of life, and so it resulted in us being decimated. 210 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:26,479 Speaker 1: But you know, because we we held onto those values 211 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: that are rooted in our in our connectedness, we've been 212 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: able to survive. You know. One of the stories that 213 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: I think, UM that did not receive the type of 214 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 1: attention that it should have in the twenty twenty election 215 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: was how Native communities came together in mass in places 216 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: like Arizona, right to help turn that state blue for 217 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 1: the very first time. Why do you think that it? 218 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: What was it about this moment? I mean, I know 219 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: for me, it's Trump right like and and it was 220 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 1: just like he is an authoritarian fascist and needs to 221 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: be stopped right like um, and and that is what 222 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 1: drove my narrative, drove my work. What was it about 223 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: this particular election that you think UM brought out historic 224 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: numbers in your community? Yeah, similarly has to do with 225 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: Trump's UM leadership. I say in quotes, because um, you know, 226 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: in the in the year, the four years that he 227 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 1: was in office. You think about UM, what happened in 228 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: our communities, UM because of his administration, the Dakota Access 229 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: Pipeline saw major setbacks UM that that we had won 230 00:16:55,040 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: during you know, at the end of the Obama administration. UM. 231 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: Everything that has to do with the destruction of Mother Earth, 232 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:11,160 Speaker 1: especially in and around Native communities that UM that harm 233 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: us and UM in our health. And I think also UM, 234 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 1: I know that during the Trump administration even the mash 235 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: b Wampanoag tribe lost their reservation. So that was some 236 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:28,879 Speaker 1: that was a huge red flag for Native communities UM 237 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: to say, if this can happen to them, this can 238 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:36,880 Speaker 1: happen to any of our tribes or reservations. So we 239 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:41,199 Speaker 1: need to UM. We can't. We can't let UM someone 240 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: like him who has no respect for Native people or 241 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: Native communities. You know, he's publicly UM filed lawsuits against 242 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:54,239 Speaker 1: UM some of the tribes up in Connecticut and New 243 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 1: York because of UM, because of the casinos that he 244 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: was trying to establish, UM and call and saying that 245 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:06,160 Speaker 1: you know, those those people didn't look Indian, so then 246 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 1: they shouldn't get the tax breaks that they were receiving. 247 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 1: Because and we received those because of our the land 248 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:18,240 Speaker 1: that was stolen from us through through our treaties. So 249 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:22,359 Speaker 1: when you don't understand that kind of that that true 250 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 1: basic history of the relationship that Native people have to 251 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: the federal government, then you should not be um the 252 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 1: president of the United States. And so for us, that 253 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: was really what it was about, and we came out 254 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 1: in record numbers to make sure to ensure that we 255 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,639 Speaker 1: were electing officials that would sincerely bring us to the 256 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: table and bring us into conversations that impacted policies or 257 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 1: that that created policies that impacted our communities. As a 258 00:18:54,000 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 1: black woman, I am always applauding black women, black people 259 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,920 Speaker 1: who are credited with first right, whether that be President Obama, 260 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 1: whether it be our Vice president Kamala Harris. For the 261 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: first time ever, we have a Secretary of the Interior 262 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: that is actually Native and at go go figure right, 263 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:21,959 Speaker 1: it only took what hundreds of years for us to 264 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 1: get to this place. And while I celebrate these moments, 265 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 1: it also makes me enraged that we are at a 266 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:33,199 Speaker 1: place where we're still getting to these first What is it? 267 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: What did it mean to you and how do you 268 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 1: feel about that appointment? And recognition is it Is it 269 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: a both and where it's just like yeay, let's celebrate 270 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: and also really, you know, like we're just getting here. Yes, 271 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:59,479 Speaker 1: both and absolutely proud of Secretary Holland, and in Indian 272 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: Country has been behind her since her first political moves 273 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,639 Speaker 1: in New Mexico, and as an Indigenous woman who is 274 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: from New Mexico as well, I am beyond excited to 275 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: see someone who looks like me in one of the 276 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: highest political offices in the country. And and it's also 277 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: infuriating because people don't know really what the Department of 278 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: the Interior is yet. It's managing our public lands and 279 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: national parks, but the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau 280 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: of Indian Education also fall under the Department of the Interior. 281 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:44,919 Speaker 1: And so for me, I'm like it, how did it 282 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: not make sense for a Native person to run the 283 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 1: Department of the Interior considering the respect and relationship that 284 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: we have for Mother Earth. And so when we're when 285 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:05,120 Speaker 1: we're thinking about our natural resources, our waters, and our lands, 286 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: of course we're going to do all we can to 287 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 1: protect Mother Earth. And so a Native person who knows 288 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: that deep relationship and has that deep relationship should be 289 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 1: overseeing that. And then when it comes to tribal communities, 290 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: why isn't a native person overseeing again those policies that 291 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: directly impact us as directly impact our communities. But I'm 292 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: I'm beyond excited. I can't say what I'm writing. I 293 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 1: can say that I'm writing something about dev Holland right now, 294 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 1: I can't say what I've been spending the past several 295 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 1: days writing about her. So you know, all I'll say 296 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:55,719 Speaker 1: is I say this in the piece, but she is. 297 00:21:55,760 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: She's shattered the colonizer's glass ceiling, and for me, that's 298 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: another level. Um. You know, we talk about so many 299 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 1: women shattering glass ceilings, um, but to shatter the colonizer's 300 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:16,160 Speaker 1: glass ceiling is you know, takes her badassory to another level. 301 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,120 Speaker 1: Because she comes from a community that is not even 302 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: supposed to be here today. That's extraordinary. Um. Ali, I 303 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: just thank you so much for the work that you 304 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 1: do for the community, the interconnectedness that you are building, 305 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:37,360 Speaker 1: and the attention and spotlight that you are bringing um 306 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: to your community, because I do you know, as as 307 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 1: part of a community that is villainized, the Black community 308 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 1: that is villainized and criminalized, and over surveiled. It's like 309 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: we have too much negative attention, whereas you have no 310 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: attention at all, um and and you know, and it's 311 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 1: and it's like, what does it mean to be seen? Right? 312 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: What is it? What does it mean to show up 313 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: in a way that you are forcing people to look 314 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: at you and come back to the narratives and the 315 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 1: stereotypes that they've created. What's next for protecting the sacred? Well, 316 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:19,159 Speaker 1: we just went through a whole strategic planning process and 317 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 1: kind of narrowing in our focus on Native youth. So 318 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:27,440 Speaker 1: we will be we're having a Native Youth summit that's 319 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 1: coming up the summer, and then later this year we're 320 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 1: planning a BIPOC Youth summit that's focused on Indigenous issues. 321 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:41,199 Speaker 1: So we want to get the conversation started around allyship 322 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: and the importance of collaboration amongst our cross collaboration amongst 323 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: all of our communities of color, because you know, as 324 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,920 Speaker 1: adults were still figuring out what that means. And so 325 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 1: it's it's, um, we should be teaching our children, our 326 00:23:56,480 --> 00:24:01,920 Speaker 1: children that that way of leader ship, and so that's 327 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: what we're really focusing on, is empowering Native youth and 328 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 1: also just continuing to amplify Indigenous voices and storytelling and 329 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: hoping that you know, sometime in the near future we 330 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: are normalized in mainstream media. Well, Ali, I hope that 331 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: you come back and you join us on woke to 332 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,480 Speaker 1: share more of the work that you're doing and just 333 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: you know, help to open our eyes and kind of 334 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: break the gas light that has been happening through you know, 335 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: out centuries here so that we can all have a 336 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: better understanding and build better community together. I appreciate you. 337 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for having me. I appreciated talking 338 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: with Ali about the interconnectedness and interdependence that are required 339 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 1: from a community in which people are expected to take 340 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:02,360 Speaker 1: care of each other. I think that there is much 341 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: for those of us outside of Navajo Nation to take 342 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:07,879 Speaker 1: away from those two words. As COVID rates continue to 343 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 1: surge and we experience another summer dealing with the devastating 344 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: effects of climate change. I always tell you how important 345 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: it is to take care of yourself, but it is 346 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,119 Speaker 1: just as important that we take care of one another. 347 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:21,879 Speaker 1: That is it for me today on woke. Af to 348 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,400 Speaker 1: hear more from me, please do head over to Patreon 349 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:27,920 Speaker 1: and consider supporting me at Patreon dot com slash woke 350 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: AF to support independent media boosting diverse voices and perspectives. 351 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:35,119 Speaker 1: Power to the people and to all the people. Power, 352 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: Get woke and stay woke as fuck.