1) October 12th is Indigenous Peoples' Day!

Start planning now, to give friends, students, and family members accurate information about who we are!

2) Did you notice I said "are" in that last tweet?

That was deliberate. I want you to make sure people know that we're still here.

So, step one is to start using present tense verbs.

3) Step two is to understand that there are hundreds of distinct tribal nations and to use the word nation when you speak of us.

Did you notice I said nations?

That's deliberate, too!

4) Most people categorize Native peoples as one of the "minority" or "under-represented" cultural groups in the US but tribal nations are the only ones with nationhood status.

We've been making treaties and legal agreements with other nations for hundreds of years.

5) We do have distinct culture(s) -- remember there are hundreds of us, which means we all have unique languages, stories, religions, ceremonies, etc.

For example:
"Papoose" is not the Native word for baby. It is the word for baby in ONE Native language.

6) Native Nations are older than the United States.

7) A good place to learn more abt us is from the National Congress of American Indians. Download TRIBAL NATIONS AND THE UNITED STATES. http://www.ncai.org/about-tribes  Share the link with teachers in your schools, and with librarian listservs. Ask them to share it, too!

8) Most ppl have a lot to unlearn! Much of what you see in textbooks & in children's bks is wrong, biased, or stereotypical.

For example, most of you probably had to read ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS in school, but there are huge problems with that book! …https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2016/06/a-critical-look-at-odells-island-of.html

9) With each year, more Native writers are writing children's books. I keep links to lists here: …https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/p/best-books.html

10) A lot of ppl think they're Native. They take a DNA test, but that doesn't prove you're Native. Those companies are ripping you off.

Read Kim Tallbear's bk, Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promise of Genetic Science" for details: https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/native-american-dna

11) More resources in a new thread: https://twitter.com/debreese/status/1310536637437407235