Family Culture, Natively Speaking

As a 5 year old in Kindergarten, I was pulled aside in class and taken to the principles office to meet in a conference room with a few selection of other elementary school children ranging from grades kindergarten through sixth. Throughout my whole grade school career, even up till graduation of High School, I was consistently pulled aside of my regular education for about an hour to meet with a Native American instructor and about 10 other native students max in every grade school I attended, Elementary, Middle, and High School on a monthly basis. While attending Edgewood Elementary in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota our monthly discussions during this hourly block would be for the benefit of educating us on our Native American culture and history. We learned many stories about our ancestors before us, and the many traditions they had. We made dream catchers, and made jewelry alike our ancestors did. It was one of the most enjoyable times of my childhood, as I felt a closeness to my culture that has been stripped away from me throughout my life. 

As I transitioned into middle and high school, our Native American meetings transitioned into academic preparation for graduation and higher education. In fact, did you know that only 65% of Native American students graduate with a High School diploma? This ethnicity group is among one of the lowest cultures to aspire increasing opportunities through achieving higher education. 

Is it possible that there's a correlation between specific ethnic groups and educational performance due to cultural family circumstances at home? I think yes! In an educational society in which we strive to fit our students into the same educational/learning molds as the rest of the class, it's difficult to step back and understand that there are other factors in home-life that contribute to how a student learns and preforms in a school setting. 

For instance, about 85% of immigrant families migrate to America in search for educational advancement and job opportunities for their family and future generations to come. Little do we consider the many struggles and trials that a child of an immigrant family may face aside from being surrounded in a strange, new school. Not only are these newly American students thrown into a new schooling system, they are also most likely learning English for their first time, learning the different mannerisms and changing their clothing attire that they are so familiar with. Culture within family can determine age a child might need to start working to help provide basic needs such as food and water for their family. Not only can responsibilities change for immigrant children, their mental state is also taking a toll with a variety of feelings they can perceive from being rather forced to follow their families plan of making the move to America. 

During my teenage years, I was one of fifteen students chosen to represent Blaine High School out of three-thousand other students to participate in a experiment called the New Wilderness Project. New Wilderness Project offers a platform to pinpoint and address locally relevant social and environmental issues that fosters human dignity, leadership, cultural competence and stewardship through an art-centered approach of creative thought, creative collaboration and action. As a member we were categorized as Diverse Leaders within our school community. I wanted to support cultural acceptance within our schools and communities. All five schools within the Anoka Hennepin School District collaborated together four times a year to communicate as one body of students concerning social, equality, and justice issues faced in our schools. Our purpose was to create an open space where students could grow a connection through personal stories, cultural expression, and ignite creative thinking and spirit. Our goal from these meetings was to take this open space back into our schools to cultivate an atmosphere of acceptance and love through our melting pot of cultures. Videos/short clips of our activity/discussions from these meetings have been recorded for learning purposes to be shown as an example for schools nationwide.

After high school, our total group of seventy-five students who originally participated in the collaborative discussions/activities decreased dramatically to only seven of us remaining who had a continual desire to make a change within our community, renaming ourselves to Social Justice Change Agents. Traveling from different schools and racial communities, presenting our inspired and creative messages of social justice became a huge hit world-wide such as making news on The Daily Planet and conducting interviews for the Minnesota Spokesman Recorder. Our biggest performance took to the highest level at the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership Conference speaking to thousands of educators across the region participating in this conference including the Minneapolis Mayor.

Participating in this movement has inspired me to be the change within the communities I live in. Being part of this life-changing project has allowed me to grow a broader range of diverse perspective. It has shaped me into a leader of love and benevolence.

In what ways does/has culture influence you or those around you as a student?