FIGHT AGAINST NATIVE INVISIBILITY AND ERASURE
You are critical to our movement. Accurate information, authentic representation, and narrative disruption are essential to ending racism, bias, and discrimination against Native peoples. We need Indian Country and allies to work together and advocate for change.
Below you will find tools that will enable you to join the movement of movements working to amplify a new narrative about Native peoples in media, pop culture, k-12 education, and other critical sectors.
Photo: Mason Trinca
IN THIS MOMENT: A GUIDE FOR ADDRESSING THE MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLES CRISIS IN MEDIA
Filmmakers, creatives, artists, and other entertainment industry professionals have an opportunity to bring visibility to the MMIP crisis. For too long, depictions of MMIP in television and film have shown high levels of violence that center the death of Indigenous people rather than the lives they lived before. This guide comes from countless reviews of MMIP content and includes guidance from leading Native creatives and subject matter experts on the best practices around MMIP storytelling.
THE TIME IS NOW: THE POWER OF NATIVE REPRESENTATION IN ENTERTAINMENT
With a growing influx of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) content creators, and authentic and engaging Native stories being told through shows like Rutherford Falls and Reservation Dogs, the time is now to break even more ground in the entertainment industry.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT GUIDE
Land acknowledgments are also an opportunity to recognize Native peoples in the present day. Native peoples continue to protect our land and water, maintain cultural traditions, and practices and contribute in immeasurable ways to society today. As part of an effort by Native peoples and allies, land acknowledgments continue to gain popularity to ensure the true history of the land occupied is told, honored, and Native perspectives are centered. This guide is provided to support Native and non-Native allies as they seek to be truth tellers.
WHAT’S IN AND WHAT’S OUT IN NATIVE REPRESENTATION
In the past few years, Native and Indigenous representation has shifted and changed in a positive way. Check out what’s in and what’s out in Native representation.
BE A MYTH BUSTER
Popular culture has created and reinforced many myths about Native communities and Native people that creatives should be mindful of when creating content that includes or centers Native peoples. There is a significant opportunity through your work to clear up the common misconceptions that too often shape Americans’ view of what it means to be Native.
INVISIBLE NATION KLEPPER DOCUSERIES VIEWERS GUIDE
A guide to the 30-minute episode about the impact of invisibility on contemporary Native peoples. This episode is one of eight featured in the Klepper Docuseries on Comedy Central
FOR OUR FUTURE | AN ADVOCATE’S GUIDE TO SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY
It’s important that we acknowledge that Americans have been fed a false history. The story told of Native peoples in history books erases the trauma and persecution carried out upon Native communities and ignores the truth of our resiliency and strength. Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day is an important part of our movement—it is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate Native peoples, our resiliency and our future, in the present.
THE TIME IS NOW: THE POWER OF NATIVE REPRESENTATION IN ENTERTAINMENT
With a growing influx of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) content creators, and authentic and engaging Native stories being told through shows like Rutherford Falls and Reservation Dogs, the time is now to break even more ground in the entertainment industry.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT GUIDE
Land acknowledgments are also an opportunity to recognize Native peoples in the present day. Native peoples continue to protect our land and water, maintain cultural traditions and practices, and contribute in immeasurable ways to society today. As part of an effort by Native peoples and allies, land acknowledgments continue to gain popularity to ensure the true history of the land occupied is told, honored, and Native perspectives are centered. This guide is provided to support Native and non-Native allies as they seek to be truth tellers.
WHAT’S IN AND WHAT’S OUT IN NATIVE REPRESENTATION
In the past few years, Native and Indigenous representation has shifted and changed in a positive way. Check out what’s in and what’s out in Native representation.
BE A MYTH BUSTER
Popular culture has created and reinforced many myths about Native communities and Native people that creatives should be mindful of when creating content that includes or centers Native peoples. There is a significant opportunity through your work to clear up the common misconceptions that too often shape Americans’ view of what it means to be Native.
FOR OUR FUTURE | AN ADVOCATE’S GUIDE TO SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY
It’s important that we acknowledge that Americans have been fed a false history. The story told of Native peoples in history books erases the trauma and persecution carried out upon Native communities and ignores the truth of our resiliency and strength. Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day is an important part of our movement—it is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate Native peoples, our resiliency and our future, in the present.
NATIVE NOW | THE DOS AND DON’TS OF TALKING RESPECTFULLY ABOUT AND WITH NATIVE PEOPLE
The Native Now campaign is educating Americans on how to talk in a respectful way about and with Native peoples. Use this handout as a guide to conversations with your classroom or with friends.
INVISIBLE NATION KLEPPER DOCUSERIES VIEWERS GUIDE
A guide to the 30-minute episode about the impact of invisibility on contemporary Native peoples. This episode is one of eight featured in the Klepper Docuseries on Comedy Central
ILLUMINATIVE INSIGHTS AND ACTION GUIDE
Key insights from Reclaiming Native Truth, the largest formative research project ever conducted by, for, and about Native peoples.
NO REPRESENTATION LEADS TO MISREPRESENTATION
A one-pager illustrating how invisibility creates a void that is filled by toxic stereotypes and false narratives.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY LESSON PLAN
Youth will research and explore the work of Indigenous leaders Nicolle Gonzalez (Diné), Roxanne White (Yakama/ Nez Perce/Nooksack/Gros Ventre), Madonna Thunderhawk (Lakota), and Auntie Pua Case (Kānaka Maoli), who are committed to transformative, healing work reclaiming Indigenous ancestral knowledge to protect the sacred.
CHANGEMAKERS LESSON PLAN: REMOTE LEARNING | LEARNERS
While you are at home during this unprecedented time, it is a great time to learn about Native Americans who are helping fight Native invisibility and bring about change for our community. You can use the following lesson plans to help you learn about Natives who are changemakers as well as learn about all of the different contributions Native Americans have made in our past and present.
CHANGEMAKERS LESSON PLAN: REMOTE LEARNING | EDUCATORS
Through online discussions and interactions, you and your students will be able to engage in conversation around incredible Native American leaders and Native American contributions that are helping fight Native invisibility.
NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATION FOR ALL: ACTIVITY GUIDES FOR PRE-K – 2ND GRADE
In light of the disruption of education due to COVID-19, IllumiNative is partnering with the National Indian Education Association and Amplifier to create and disseminate engaging digital education tools, lesson plans, and resources about Native American art, culture, history, and contemporary life for more than 1 million students and families learning at-home.
A Lesson in Symmetry
Apache Woven Baskets
Ball & Triangle Game
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Tradition
Native American Dwellings
The Transformation of Water
Haudenosaunee Wampum Belts
Native American Dolls
How the Porcupine Got Its Quills
Making a Journey Cake
A Story of Resilience & Fearlessness
NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATION FOR ALL: ACTIVITY GUIDES FOR 3RD – 5TH GRADE
In light of the disruption of education due to COVID-19, IllumiNative is partnering with the National Indian Education Association and Amplifier to create and disseminate engaging digital education tools, lesson plans, and resources about Native American art, culture, history, and contemporary life for more than 1 million students and families learning at-home.
Giving Thanks
Make a Bull Roarer
Native American Star Stories
The Different Tales of Raven
The Cunning Coyote
Eula “Pearl” Carter Scott (Chickasaw): The Youngest Pilot
Navajo Weaving: A Lesson in Math and Tradition
Make Pottery like Pueblo Artist Maria Montoya Martinez
Our Elders: Storytelling & Oral Traditions
Lone Dog’s Winter Count
The Stories a Plains Dress Can Tell
Poems & Pictures of Heritage
Choctaw Code Talkers
Learn to do the Round Dance
Native Music: Drums and Shakers
Learning from Apache Artist Allan Houser: Observing Life Around You
The Cherokee Alphabet
Learn to Dance like an Ojibwe Jingle Dancer
Honoring Warrior Spirit
NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATION FOR ALL: ACTIVITY GUIDES FOR 6TH – 8TH GRADE
In light of the disruption of education due to COVID-19, IllumiNative is partnering with the National Indian Education Association and Amplifier to create and disseminate engaging digital education tools, lesson plans, and resources about Native American art, culture, history, and contemporary life for more than 1 million students and families learning at-home.
Playing Chunkey
Make a Salt Stick
Native Youth Olympics (Alaska)
Celebrate Joy Harjo: The First Native American Poet Laureate
Making Cherokee Bean Bread
First Nation Names for Famous US Landmarks
The Cultural Significance of Naming
Play the Paiute Hand Game Sticks and Bones
Making Frybread: How Food Can Shape Cultural Identity
Olympic Winner Billy Mills Lives His Lakota Values
Picaria: A Zuni Math Game
Making Your Own Cultural Timeline
Te Ata Fisher: The Award-winning Chickasaw Storyteller
What Exactly is Food Sovereignty?
Sioux Chef Sean Sherman: A Rebirth of Native American Cuisine
The Skidi Pawnee Star Chart
Traditional Native American Games of Chance
The Power in (Re)Telling History: A Look at Jim Thorpe’s Life PART 1
The Power in (Re)Telling History: A Look at Jim Thorpe’s Life PART 2
Addressing Historical Trauma: The Indian Boarding School Era
NATIVE NOW TEACHING RESOURCES
The K-12 education system in its current form largely serves to perpetuate and institutionalize invisibility, stereotypes, and misinformation about Native peoples today that fuels misinformation and bias. Although 87% of state-level history standards fail to cover Native people’s history in a post 1900 context, 72% of Americans support significant changes to K-12 education to ensure accurate Native history is taught in schools. Our youth have created three lesson plans to use in K-5 classrooms.
Be Who Your Are
Impact of Native Americans
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Native Now Coloring Book
UNPACKING THE MASCOT DEBATE EXPLAINER
In December 2019, Researchers from the University of Michigan and University of California Berkeley completed a large-scale, national empirical study of over 1,000 Native Americans on their attitudes toward Native American Mascots.
#THETIMEISNOW CAMPAIGN SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKIT
A toolkit to support a broad diverse coalition of Native organizations and allies as we call upon athletes, politicians, like-minded organizations, and fans to stand together and proclaim that racism is racism and it will no longer be tolerated.
2020 NATIVE MASCOTS FACT SHEET
We are living in an unprecedented moment of solidarity, and people across the country have come together to take a stand against racism in any form. Banning the use of racist Native mascots, names, and imagery in national sports leagues is the next step.
NATIVE REPRESENTATION ON SCRIPTED TELEVISION
This joint report with Norman Lear Center Media Impact Project looks at heightened visibility and its impact on audiences.
ILLUMINATIVE INSIGHTS AND ACTION GUIDE
Key insights from Reclaiming Native Truth, the largest formative research project ever conducted by, for, and about Native peoples.
FROM PROTESTS, TO THE BALLOT BOX, AND BEYOND: BUILDING INDIGENOUS POWER
This report reveals insight from the Indigenous Futures Survey pertaining to voting, voting behavior, and political engagement. It combines statistical findings with quotes from Indigenous People who participated in the survey.
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
One of the most pressing contemporary issues facing all communities of color, including Native peoples, is the COVID-19 pandemic. We have known that COVID-19 is exacerbating existing inequalities across the country—the Indigenous Futures Survey has revealed just how devastating the pandemic has been for Indigenous communities.
RECLAIMING NATIVE TRUTH: NARRATIVE CHANGE STRATEGY
From the research and collective insights, Reclaiming Native Truth has crafted a new narrative framework and the strategy described in this document. The strategy focuses on changing the dominant narrative from one of deficit, invisibility, falsehoods, and stereotypes to one grounded in truth about our rich history and current contributions, assets, and strength.
RECLAIMING NATIVE TRUTH: MESSAGING GUIDE
This guide is filled with information from the largest research study ever done in Indian Country about the current story and ways to change it. We used what we learned to create a new story—one we have always known is true—and then proved through national testing that it works. It changes people’s understanding of Native Americans and increases support for our issues.
Download Guide for Native Peoples and Organizations
Download Guide for Allies
RECLAIMING NATIVE TRUTH: COMPLETE FINDINGS REPORT
Read the full findings report from the landmark 2018 Reclaiming Native Truth study.
