1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:02,719 Speaker 1: Just to know before we get started. 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 2: The stories were sharing this season touch on different kinds 3 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 2: of trauma. Please take care of yourself while you listen. 4 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 3: I was removed during that deep systematic removal where churches 5 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 3: were involved social workers. 6 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 2: You may remember Sandy Whitehawk from earlier this season. She 7 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 2: was removed from her family and tribe before Congress passed 8 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 2: the Indian Child Welfare Act. As an adult, Sandy struggled 9 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 2: with addiction. On her path the sobriety, she got counseling, 10 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 2: and one day her counselor said something that shook her. 11 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 3: You've really faced all the abuse, You've done really good work, 12 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 3: and you're on your way to all the healing from 13 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 3: the violations that you had. But there's one thing you 14 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 3: don't know. She goes, you don't know what it means 15 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 3: to be a woman of color, but that's who you are. 16 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 3: And I was like, wow, I've never ever thought of 17 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 3: myself as a woman of color. I certainly was treated 18 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 3: like one, but I didn't know what it meant for 19 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 3: me to be able to say it, and that spurred 20 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 3: my desire to go home and find my relatives. 21 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 1: Two months later, Sandy got the chance. 22 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 3: My friend had to go to Colorado Springs for a training, 23 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 3: and she said, you want to go to Colorado springsicle 24 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 3: could we go via Rosebud, South Dakota. Everything about that 25 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 3: trip was a miracle. 26 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: Sandy didn't have much of a plan. 27 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: Her mom had passed away, but she had the names 28 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 2: of some of her siblings. What she didn't have was 29 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 2: a phone number or an address or any contact information. 30 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 3: So we drove on to the reservation and didn't know 31 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 3: really where to go. Someone finally told me to go 32 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 3: to the hospital. This man came into the lobby and 33 00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 3: asked if he could help me, and I told him 34 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 3: my story and he goes, line, hold your brother, And 35 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 3: I went, oh, wow, you're kidding it. I said, tease, 36 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 3: do I look like him? And he goes, yes, you 37 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 3: do through the smile, and I was like, oh my god. 38 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,919 Speaker 2: That man made a few phone calls. The people he 39 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 2: called called other people, and as Sandy sat and waited, 40 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 2: a little phone tree tracked down her family. 41 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 3: And we drove to a softball park where there was 42 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 3: a memorial softball game going on for one of my relatives. 43 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 3: And we get out of the car and he says, 44 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 3: there's your uncle's over there. 45 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 2: It was the first time Sandy had seen her family 46 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:41,239 Speaker 2: since she was a toddler. 47 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: She was thirty five. 48 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 3: He went up to my uncle and talked to him 49 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,959 Speaker 3: in La Colta first, and then turned and said, in 50 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 3: here she is. I said that in English, and he 51 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 3: just looked at me and he smiled so big. 52 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: Sandy spent the whole afternoon at the softball game. 53 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 3: Those kinds of moments, you know, just take years off 54 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,959 Speaker 3: your spirit. That's so heavy of my adoptive mom telling 55 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 3: me they didn't want you. They didn't want you at all. 56 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 3: That's why you're here with me. I wanted you. They 57 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 3: didn't want you. They threw you away. I just remember 58 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 3: we were visiting at one point. I just we sat 59 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 3: there for the afternoon and he says, you know, your 60 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 3: mother loved you. She was a good woman. But you 61 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 3: know she and he didn't have a word. And I 62 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 3: just said she struggled, and he goes, yeah, yeah, she struggled, 63 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 3: so but she loved you. 64 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 2: You're listening to This Land, a podcast about the present 65 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 2: day struggle for Native rights from Cricket Media. I'm your 66 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 2: host for Beccanagle Goheinda don A Laca Yetique, la Citizen 67 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 2: of Cherokee Nation this season, following how a string of 68 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 2: custody battles over Native children turned into a federal lawsuit 69 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 2: threatening everything from tribal sovereignty to civil rights. I've spent 70 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 2: four years investigating and reporting on the big federal lawsuit, 71 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 2: Rakkien v. 72 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: Holland. 73 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 2: Our team uncovered a web of special interests, people who 74 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 2: are attacking the Indian Child Welfare Act to prop up 75 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 2: the adoption industry, undermine tribal sovereignty, and build conservative power. 76 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 2: And you might think that's the center of the case, 77 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 2: but it's not. At the center are Native American families. 78 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 2: That's who will be most impacted by the final outcome. 79 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 2: So we're spending this episode with their stories. At the 80 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 2: heart of the Brakkeen's case are four Native American children, 81 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 2: a Pueblo child, an Ojibwe child, a Navajo child, and 82 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 2: a child who is Navajo and Cherokee, or in their 83 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 2: own languages Tiwa, Ojibwe, Dene, and Jallagie. All but one 84 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 2: of these children is growing up in a white home, 85 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 2: and the future of one toddler, Yoslin, still hangs in 86 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 2: the balance. Since Texas courts granted the Brakkins custody of 87 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 2: Antonio and Yoslin. 88 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 1: They've taken the. 89 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 2: Kids to Hawaii, the beach in Florida, and even on 90 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 2: a cruise, but there was one family trip. Jennifer Bracken 91 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 2: did not look forward to Yoslin's court ordered visit to 92 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 2: Navajo Nation. 93 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,359 Speaker 4: To say I've been dreading this since it was announced 94 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 4: would be an understatement. I wouldn't say it was fun 95 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 4: and I'm not excited about doing it again, which we 96 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 4: have to. But we made the most of it and 97 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 4: tried to make memories as a family. 98 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 2: This is from Jennifer's blog, read by an actor. On 99 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 2: the blog, Jennifer calls Yoslin baby Cakes. 100 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,919 Speaker 4: Baby Cake started her week with some biofamily and we 101 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 4: decided to do some hiking. It was pretty hot and 102 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 4: we underestimated our water needs, which is bad, bad, bad. 103 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:11,919 Speaker 1: Lesson learned. 104 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 2: Y' alsen wasn't on the hike because she was with 105 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 2: her family as mandated by the court, but Antonio was. 106 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 4: He was so tough and loved climbing on everything and 107 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 4: didn't have to be carried much until the end and 108 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 4: the lack of water face home. He definitely fits right 109 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 4: in with our active crew. 110 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: Antonio was a Navajo nation where his. 111 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 2: Siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins live, and instead of spending 112 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 2: the day with his Navajo family, the Brakenes took him hiking. 113 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 1: When Jennifer decided to become a foster. 114 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 2: Parent, she blogged about why it was a sacrifice. As 115 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 2: she fought for custody of Antonio and then Jocelyn, she 116 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 2: still wrote about it as a sacrifice. 117 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 4: No, we didn't really want to adopt again. We didn't 118 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 4: want four kids. We didn't want to start over again. 119 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 5: We just didn't. 120 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 2: According to the blog, adopting Yaslin wasn't what Jennifer wanted 121 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 2: to do. 122 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: It was what God wanted her to do. 123 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 4: When we started fostering, it was a decision to say 124 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 4: yes to whatever God was asking us to do. With 125 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 4: his help, of course, and we knew this was what 126 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 4: God wanted us to do, so even though our selfish 127 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 4: wants made the decision hard, we wanted to go forward. 128 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 2: The Brakkins say they're fighting EQUA because the law doesn't 129 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 2: look out for the best interest. 130 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 1: Of the child, but it's hard to tell what. 131 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 2: Best interests the Brakkins are looking out for because they 132 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 2: keep contradicting themselves. Since the Brakkeens became foster parents, three 133 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 2: children have been placed in their home. They asked CPS 134 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 2: to take the first foster child back after five months 135 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 2: because the child was difficult. They fought to adopt their 136 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 2: second foster child, Antonio, because they said moving him would 137 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 2: be disruptive, and then they fought for custody of Yaslin, 138 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 2: Antonio's little sister, a child they hadn't fostered. She wasn't 139 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 2: living in their home, and two other families wanted to 140 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 2: adopt her, the foster family who raised her for the 141 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 2: first ten months of her life, and a blood relative, 142 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 2: her great aunt. But the Brakens wanted custody because they 143 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 2: had adopted Yaslin's brother. 144 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 4: We wanted her to grow up with her brother and 145 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 4: vice versa. We wanted them to have each other for 146 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 4: support and for all the things that only the two 147 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 4: of them share. 148 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 1: So what is the best interest of the child. 149 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 2: It can't be attachment and stability, because they've asked for 150 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 2: foster children to be moved, And it can't be that 151 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 2: children should stay with family, with people who look like 152 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 2: them and share things only biological family can share, because 153 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,839 Speaker 2: then they wouldn't be fighting Yaslin's blood relative, and they 154 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 2: wouldn't be fighting the Indian. 155 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:04,839 Speaker 1: Child Welfare Act. 156 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 2: We're still waiting to find out whether or not the Supreme. 157 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 1: Court will hear the case, but there's. 158 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 2: Good reason to assume they will, and whatever they decide, 159 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 2: it will have an enormous impact. The Supreme Court can 160 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 2: help Native communities heal from generations of family separation, or 161 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 2: it can set the stage for more generations to be 162 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 2: taken what that means for people like Sandy after the break. 163 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: On one of. 164 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 2: Sandy's trips back to Rosebud, she was at the tribe's 165 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 2: big annual event, the Rosebud Fair. 166 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 3: So I was just sitting at the powell and I 167 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 3: was visiting with this elder that my brother had introduced 168 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 3: me to, and came close to the end of the 169 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 3: afternoon session and I teased her. I said, oh, Clara, 170 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 3: I said, I'll go get a soup. 171 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 2: At the end of the afternoon session, a big meal 172 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 2: is served, everyone gets to eat, but protocol says that 173 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 2: elders go first. 174 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 3: And I teased her and said, I love waiting on 175 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 3: elders because I can sneak me aplate too. But the 176 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:25,199 Speaker 3: announcer said before we break for supper, we're going to 177 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 3: have a special. 178 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 2: The special was a time in the pow wow used 179 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,679 Speaker 2: to honor a Korean War veteran. The veteran and his 180 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 2: family were called out to the center of the arena 181 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 2: as the honor song started. He slowly made his way 182 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 2: around the circle. 183 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 3: And the song that was being sung just sounded so beautiful. 184 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 3: And I asked Clara, I said, what is this song? 185 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 3: And she said, this is an old veteran song and 186 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 3: she was telling me translating the words, and it was 187 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 3: so beautiful. Did something to my heart. When the honor 188 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 3: beats hit, everyone raised their hands and I asked her, 189 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 3: why do they do that here? And those are the 190 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 3: kinds of questions adoptees will have, And you feel real 191 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 3: pesty when you're wanting to ask, because you know it 192 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 3: means something. And she said, well, when they're raising our 193 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 3: hands like that, we're thinking about those veterans who gave 194 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 3: their life for us. 195 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 2: As each round of honor beats started, Clara explained to 196 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:36,319 Speaker 2: Sandy what they meant. 197 00:11:36,679 --> 00:11:40,679 Speaker 3: And eventually she got to where she said, and now 198 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 3: we're thinking of those veterans who are making their way home, 199 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 3: coming back to our communities after their service, and we're 200 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 3: saying welcome back, We're glad you're home, We're glad you're here. 201 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:55,079 Speaker 3: And that's when it hit me. And I hadn't even 202 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:58,440 Speaker 3: been thinking about adoptees, but that's when it hit me 203 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 3: that I had never heard song for adoptees in a 204 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 3: way of doing it in the community. As this was 205 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 3: being done through this special. 206 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 2: Adoptees like Sandy were also making their way back home 207 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 2: through trauma and loss that impacted the whole community, but 208 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 2: Sandy had never seen that acknowledged publicly, at least not 209 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 2: like this. As the honor song went on, other veterans 210 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 2: were called out to the arena. Sandy, being a veteran, 211 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:28,959 Speaker 2: stood up to go. 212 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 3: And as I turned to get myself ready to walk 213 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 3: down the bleachers and go out into the arena, I 214 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 3: was looking at that couple and this way the sun 215 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 3: was shining, and the way the drums sounded, and the 216 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 3: way everyone looked in that arena, it just seemed like 217 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 3: nothing bad had ever happened to any of us, just 218 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 3: for that moment. 219 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 2: Sandy couldn't shake the powerful feeling she had that day. 220 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 3: So I kept thinking about that that I'd never heard 221 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 3: a song welcoming and our relatives back who had been 222 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:22,720 Speaker 3: taken away through adoption and foster care. And I didn't 223 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:28,199 Speaker 3: tell anybody because I kind of thought I was being presumptuous, 224 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 3: and who am I to be thinking things like that. 225 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 3: I don't know nothing. 226 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,559 Speaker 2: But again, the right people were put in Sandy's path. 227 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 2: At an event in Wisconsin, Sandy met an elder named 228 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 2: Chris Leith. Leith was a citizen of the Prairie Island 229 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 2: Indian community and the spiritual advisor to the National Indian. 230 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 1: Child Welfare Association. 231 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 2: One morning, they sat across from each other at breakfast, 232 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:53,959 Speaker 2: and Sandy just told him what she was thinking. 233 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 3: And I said, I've been around a while now, not 234 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,200 Speaker 3: you know, been to lot lot of the gatherings, and 235 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 3: I've never heard anybody talk about us publicly, never heard 236 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 3: any welcome And it would help everyone, I said, wouldn't 237 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 3: it help the community, wouldn't it help the relatives who 238 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 3: lost us? And so when I was sharing that with him, 239 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 3: I realized I started thinking, oh goodness, I'm probably overstepping 240 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 3: my boundaries here, because you know, he is an elder 241 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 3: and he has If this was supposed to happen. He 242 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 3: would have known, he would have done something already. I 243 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 3: almost wanted to take the words back and put him 244 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 3: in my mouth and just act like it didn't happen. 245 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 3: But then when I got to the part where I said, 246 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 3: and there is no song, you know, and I know 247 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 3: there's a song for everything, and we make a song 248 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 3: if there isn't one, And that's when he just stopped eating, 249 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 3: put his fork down, and he said, you know, you're right, 250 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 3: You're right. There should be a song. I'll make sure 251 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 3: there's a song. 252 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 2: Chris Thief reached out to an Oglala Lakota songwriter named 253 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 2: Jerry Dearly, and Dearly wrote the song an honor song 254 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 2: for adoptees, a song. 255 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: To welcome them home. 256 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 2: Soon communities started requesting the song, and that's when Sandy's 257 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 2: work really began. She started meeting other adoptees and creating 258 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 2: spaces for them to heal together. 259 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 3: When you think how many people have been impacted by 260 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 3: child removal is daunting at times. So I don't think 261 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 3: there's a family Indian family that doesn't have a story 262 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 3: of some relative whose child was in foster care or 263 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 3: adopted out being an adoptee myself and the experiences I 264 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 3: went through. As I met other adoptees, I saw that 265 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 3: our experiences were similar, and I felt bad because quite 266 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 3: a few of the adoptees I met had not been 267 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 3: able to make connection, and they had that same sense 268 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 3: of loss. You could just see it in their eyes. 269 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 3: They felt so separated and so far away from anything Native. 270 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 2: That Gibson Dun lawyer Matthew McGill, the adoption attorney Mark Fiddler, 271 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 2: and even the Brakeenes agree that what happened to Sandy 272 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 2: and her generation is tragic, but they say that tragedy 273 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 2: is in the past and today the Indian Child Welfare 274 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 2: Act is no longer needed, but the systemic removal of 275 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 2: Native children is still happening at rates similar to the 276 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 2: nineteen seventies, and behind those shocking statistics are adoptees. 277 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: And their families. 278 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 2: Michelle Bender, citizen of Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, was adopted 279 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 2: in nineteen seventy nine, right after IQUA was passed. 280 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 6: Throughout my entire life, I struggled with I had a severe, 281 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 6: you know, identity crisis because I wasn't white, but I 282 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 6: lived in the white world. 283 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:12,400 Speaker 2: Shauna King, citizen of mandan Hadatsa and a Ricara nation 284 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 2: was placed in foster care in nineteen eighty eight. 285 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 5: The day that I entered fostercare completely shut that off. 286 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:26,200 Speaker 5: I never was able to attend another powo. I never 287 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 5: was able to see family. I didn't have any relationship 288 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 5: with the sisters that I have growing up. There was 289 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 5: this like severe knife that just cut off that part 290 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 5: of my life. 291 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 2: Sunny Redbear, citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, was 292 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 2: adopted by a white couple in the early nineteen nineties. 293 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 7: We grew up well off, you know, so we would 294 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:53,679 Speaker 7: go on a lot of chips, and we'd go to 295 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 7: like Disneyland and like fancy hotels and things like that, 296 00:17:57,560 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 7: you know, and literally me and my brother would be 297 00:17:59,920 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 7: like the only brown people everywhere we went. 298 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: Dad would say. 299 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 7: Things like, Wow, isn't this hotel so beautiful? Like everywhere 300 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:10,880 Speaker 7: we went, he always had to remind us how blessed 301 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,399 Speaker 7: we were, and you know, never heard him say that 302 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:20,639 Speaker 7: to his other children. But it's almost like two lost 303 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 7: children trying to find them their way out of you. 304 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 1: Know, these woods. 305 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 7: I have oftentimes like thought to myself, if if I 306 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 7: had had support culturally and spiritually, emotionally and just like 307 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:42,159 Speaker 7: on who I was, where I came from? 308 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 1: Who like who would I be today? 309 00:18:54,800 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 2: More? After the break, For a long time, the main 310 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 2: question I wanted to answer was why why are all 311 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:16,679 Speaker 2: these people attacking EQUA? Was it self interest? Simply put 312 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 2: money and power? We found economic incentives with direct ties 313 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 2: to the lawyers bringing these cases, and a paper trail 314 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,919 Speaker 2: laying out how the attack on EQUA is part of 315 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 2: a bigger agenda to build conservative power, which means these children, 316 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 2: these toddlers are just tools. They're just a means to 317 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 2: an end. But we also found evidence that some EQUA 318 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 2: opponents believe they're helping and are fighting EQUA for personal 319 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 2: or ideological reasons, which is almost worse because it means 320 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 2: a handful of non Native people can decide what they 321 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 2: think is best for Native time children without evidence and 322 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 2: in opposition to almost every tribe in the United States, 323 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 2: but they have enough money and power to. 324 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 1: Take their case all the way to the Supreme Court. 325 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:17,880 Speaker 2: In our reporting, we found evidence of both greed and charity. 326 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,679 Speaker 2: It surprised me, but it shouldn't have because we've lived 327 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 2: this cycle before, where a combination of white greed and 328 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 2: white charity determined what was best for Native children, and 329 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,360 Speaker 2: that's how we got boarding schools, the Indian Adoption Project, 330 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 2: and social workers snatching children from their yards for generations. 331 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 2: In the attack on Indigenous rights, Native children have been 332 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 2: the tip of the spear. As a country, we barely 333 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 2: know that history, let alone have learned from it. So 334 00:20:55,280 --> 00:21:03,960 Speaker 2: why would this time be different? Years after Sandy saw 335 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 2: that honor song for the Korean War veteran, she was 336 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 2: back at the same arena for the Rosebud Fair. But 337 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 2: this time Sandy was the one hosting the special. 338 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:19,159 Speaker 3: And gele but had a ceremony, welcome home ceremony. 339 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 2: Schedule and honoring for relatives who had been adopted out 340 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 2: or placed in foster care. 341 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 3: Okay, adopting adopt Sandy Sandy. 342 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 2: When Sandy was called into the arena, the sky was 343 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 2: pitch black. 344 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:36,400 Speaker 1: A few thousand people. 345 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 2: Were packed into the arbors or spread out in lawn chairs. 346 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:43,400 Speaker 2: The sun had slipped below the land, but the arena 347 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,920 Speaker 2: was bright. Old friends and family ran into each other, 348 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 2: children played, and Sandy made her way to the announcer stand, 349 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 2: took the microphone and turned to address the crowd. 350 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:58,920 Speaker 8: Invading friends and relatives. 351 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:02,680 Speaker 3: Art is just jumping. 352 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,919 Speaker 9: And leaping in sight and trying to calm myself. 353 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 2: So what that makes sense? 354 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:12,400 Speaker 8: Many people think that being in the white world has 355 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 8: a lot of opportunities and that we lived a good life. 356 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 8: Some had opportunity, some had some stability. But what we 357 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 8: didn't have is that identity, knowing who we are, knowing 358 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:33,119 Speaker 8: where we come from. 359 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:38,360 Speaker 10: Some of us had horrible experiences. So not only were 360 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 10: we not in the safety of the circle of our people, 361 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 10: we were out there going through. 362 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 11: A combat of sorts and then eventually trying to make 363 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:57,880 Speaker 11: our way home. We were that generation yet to come. 364 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 11: What our ancestors prayed for us. They wanted us to 365 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 11: know who we are. They prayed that we would be 366 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:10,200 Speaker 11: able to make our way back. So we're not as adoptees. 367 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 11: We're not looking to be pittyed. 368 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 10: We're not looking we're not victims. 369 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:23,879 Speaker 9: Were your relatives who have been stolen, and we made 370 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 9: our path back. So for those of my relatives were 371 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 9: out here, this song is for you, this healing. 372 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 8: We pray we'll go into that place in your. 373 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 10: Heart where no words still were, no words. 374 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 7: To be expressed. 375 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:48,439 Speaker 2: As relatives who had been adopted out or placed in 376 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 2: foster care, walked in a slow circle around the arena. 377 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:56,439 Speaker 2: The crowd stood up. People got up from their bench 378 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 2: or out of their lawn chair, removed their hats and 379 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 2: stood facing the adoptees. 380 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: At the end of. 381 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 2: The song, the adoptees stood in the middle of the arena. 382 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 2: A long line formed a line of people who came 383 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,919 Speaker 2: up to shake their hands, people that they knew, people 384 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 2: that they had never met, children that were carried on 385 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,160 Speaker 2: the hips of their mothers, and older ones led by 386 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:37,360 Speaker 2: hand dancers in their full regalia and spectators wearing T shirts. 387 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 2: It took a while, but one by one the crowd 388 00:24:41,200 --> 00:25:36,959 Speaker 2: welcomed them home by This is the last episode of 389 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 2: season two of This Land. 390 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening. 391 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 2: We will be continuing to report on the Brakeenes case 392 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:46,880 Speaker 2: as it goes to the Supreme Court. And I want 393 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,679 Speaker 2: to say special things to all of the adoptees and 394 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 2: families who trusted us with their stories. 395 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:13,199 Speaker 12: Y'all, y'all, hey. 396 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:17,160 Speaker 2: This Land is reported, written and hosted by me Rebecca 397 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:21,360 Speaker 2: nagel Goheen, citizen. 398 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 1: Of Cherokee Nation. 399 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 2: Additional reporting this season from Maddie Stone, Martha Troyan, citizen 400 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 2: of o b Chika, Kong Lack Suel First Nation, and 401 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 2: Amy Westervelt from Cricket Media. Our executive producers are Jon Favreau, 402 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 2: Sarah geismer Lyras Smith and Katie Long, with special thanks 403 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 2: to Alison Falsetta from Critical Frequency. Our managing producer is 404 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 2: Amy Westervelt. Our senior producer is Sarah Ventry, and our 405 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 2: story editor is Raca Murphy. Additional editing from Martha Troyan 406 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 2: and Polly Dennette Claw who is Deney. Sound design by 407 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 2: Lyras Smith, Mark Bush and Charlotte Landis. Original score composed 408 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 2: by Jared Tate, citizen of Chickisan Nation. Our outra song 409 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:11,439 Speaker 2: is an honor song for adoptees, written and sung by 410 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,119 Speaker 2: Jerry Dearly, who is Oglala Lakota. 411 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: Our fact checker is wood an Yan. 412 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 2: Our First Amendment Attorney is James Wheaton, founder of The 413 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 2: First Amendment Project podcast. Art by Kelly Gonzalez, citizen of 414 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:24,920 Speaker 2: Cherokee Nation. 415 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 1: Additional reporting from. 416 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 2: Producer Alison Herrera who is hol On Selenin. Additional thanks 417 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 2: for this episode to Drew Nicholas and the crew behind 418 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 2: the documentary Blood Memory. You can find it online at 419 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:42,680 Speaker 2: bloodmemory dot com. If you're enjoying the show, please rate, review, 420 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:46,160 Speaker 2: and subscribe. It helps more people find us, and please 421 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 2: share it with your friends. If you have a tip 422 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,880 Speaker 2: or information to share related to our reporting, you can 423 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 2: do that securely and anonymously through our secure drop. You 424 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:59,639 Speaker 2: can find a link in the show notes. This season 425 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 2: of This Land touches on different forms of family, childhood, 426 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 2: and racial trauma. 427 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:06,919 Speaker 1: If you feel like you could. 428 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,159 Speaker 2: Use support, please check our show notes or website this 429 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 2: Land podcast dot com to find resources for adoptees and 430 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:20,160 Speaker 2: survivors of childhood trauma, abuse, foster care, and boarding schools. 431 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:37,320 Speaker 12: Oh hoh, cad Hey, Okay y'all, wild, blund job, play, 432 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 12: y'all long, come with Joey? Whoa wall? Oh? Hold go 433 00:28:54,720 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 12: hey com com Okay y'all lord, Yeah, HEV you