The memory I have of an incident when I experienced prejudice was when my youngest brother was dating a white girl from a nearby area. We are Native American and his parents weren't going for her dating anyone other than white. I remember her parents coming to our house and telling her that she had to leave. They told her that she wasn't dating any "so called Indians" They were very rude and it hurt my feelings. I was justa little girl maybe about 10 or 11 years old and I felt like we were dirt. I felt like we weren't really Native American! I doubted who I was. My parents werent home and my brother was about 20 or 21 years old at the time. He didn't argue with them because my parents taught us to be respectful of older adults. I cried and he told me don't worry it would be ok. He said they will never come back and we will be ok. My parents were angry that they treated us like that but they let it go. They didn't want to stir anything up. I still feel that feeling as I talk about it. It definitely had a lasting effect.
This prejudice made me doubt who I was. It diminished equity because it made me wonder if I was truly a Native American. It made me think that I wouldn't really be a Native American if they said I wasn't. I was just a child so I didn't know they couldn't take that away from me.
This incident brought feelings of self-doubt, fear, and was demeaning. Just talking of it again and thinking back to that day has really made me feel funny inside. I never want to make anyone feel like that or scar them for life as this incident has done me.
In order for this incident to change for greater equity, people would have to stand up and recognize Natives for who we are. These people who treated us so badly need to realize that all people are equal and no one should be subject to demeaning remarks. Those people should realize that we are human too. It didn't make us any less of human being because we are Native and as long as my brother wasn't mistreating her they should have left them alone. Their remarks to us and their tone of voice used with us would have to change.
Susann,
ReplyDeleteShame on them!!!! To yank their child, (who must have been an adult if your brother was 20) away from a friend and belittle the family must have been so upsetting to you. The only positive that could come from this experience, is that it made you a kinder, more compassionate person.
It is always sad to hear how early experiences like the one you faced, leave a scar in our in our heart, and memories of that we never forget. They also create confusion in regards to our identity and self value to the point that we actually believe and internalize what that person says or things about us.
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