Welcome back to the Belongings Blog. I am Chrystal Mars Baker, Narragansett Nation Citizen and Education Coordinator for Tomaquag Museum and this is my very first ever blog post! In my short time here, I have had the privilege of being scheduled to staff the Away From Home/Stolen Relations Exhibit hosted by Tomaquag Museum on the University of Rhode Island campus from November 10, 2021 until January 7, 2022. A thank you to those who visited the exhibit by showing your interest in the history of Indigenous peoples by engaging with this very powerful and conversation invoking exhibit. The exhibit had over 1000 visitors and the opportunity to share its content from an Indigenous perspective has been both an emotionally moving and rewarding experience as it is important for we, as Indigenous people, to have our voices heard and our stories known.
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The United States Census Bureau, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had initially extended the 2020 enumeration timeline from October 31, but has now shortened it to September 30, 2020, which reduces the counting period by 31 days. The extended time was initially allotted to create additional access for Enumerators but since the pandemic had closed so many scheduled outreach events, it completely reduced community gatherings and stopped most door to door data collection. This shortened deadline will not only affect the overall accuracy of the 2020 Census calculations, but it will undoubtedly impact Indigenous communities the hardest, as historically Indigenous people are drastically under counted by astronomical numbers compared with other populations in the United States.
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During the Fall 2019 semester at Brown University, a course was co-taught by Ronald Potvin, PhD., & Lorén Spears, MsEd. titled; Pursuit of Happiness: Environmental Justice & Indigenous Rights. As part of their final project students created short films based on the course discussions. The four films are posted below with quotes from some of the students to accompany each video.
Student Statement: “We explored Indigenous survivance in the face of colonial ecological exploitation and violence. Indigenous self-determination and healing entails fighting for access to land and resources, ensuring environmental health, and preserving lifeways.”
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