You are either Indian or not. Please, get it together.
I just spent like the past half hour on the phone with some random grad student who is 3/32nds Cherokee(oh great) and Choctaw about her racial identity and loss of cultural connection. She wanted me to decide if it was right for her to apply for a fellowship reserved for students from underrepresented racial groups. I should have just said no and hung up. But I was a good little Indian advisor and talked her through her options (there were some complications with the application, she got put into the underepresented group without asking, but the app is already in and final-ish).
At least she is into social justice movements and I didn't have to explain 'lived experience', 'oppression', and 'privilege'. That would have extended this conversation considerably.
I also had to just tell her my opinion, since the U doesn't have any official stance. I think that you either have the blood quantum or the community. Without one or the other, I don't see how you can be Indian. Plus, I just said, "I identify as Indian, my family is Indian, if you don't see yourself as an Indian person, I don't see what else there is to say".
Oy.
My boss has also sent me a record number of emails today, and she is obviously freaking out about something, which makes me stressed out too. It has been a long day. At least Sherry took me out for pho. Otherwise I'd be such a mess right now, ugh.
At least she is into social justice movements and I didn't have to explain 'lived experience', 'oppression', and 'privilege'. That would have extended this conversation considerably.
I also had to just tell her my opinion, since the U doesn't have any official stance. I think that you either have the blood quantum or the community. Without one or the other, I don't see how you can be Indian. Plus, I just said, "I identify as Indian, my family is Indian, if you don't see yourself as an Indian person, I don't see what else there is to say".
Oy.
My boss has also sent me a record number of emails today, and she is obviously freaking out about something, which makes me stressed out too. It has been a long day. At least Sherry took me out for pho. Otherwise I'd be such a mess right now, ugh.