I have a dream....

Happy MLK day everyone! A few years back I would do a version of the most famous MLK speech as it relates to Indian country so that is what I will do this year. Given what else is happening today I felt it was important that we remain hopeful about our future while being realistic about the challenges in the next four years.

I have a dream that all the treaties that have been signed with all the Tribal nations will finally be honored. Someone once stated that the government would honor the treaties as long as the rivers flow and the grass was green. They got around this by giving us land where the rivers were not flowing and the grass was not green. This is obiviously not true but the treaties have never been complied with. Tim Giago once stated that all the social problems in Indian country would be solved if only the government would honor the treaties that were signed and I agree with this statement.

I have a dream that suicide will be eliminated from our communities as this is the canary in the coal mine. Whenever you see this occurring in our community you know a lot of things are going wrong. We have made progress in this area but the rates are still very high in some Tribal communities. This is not just the responsibility of behavior health to prevent and heal those who have been impacted by this devastating health issue but rather everyone needs to do their part to make this a rare occurrence.

I have a dream that the Indian Child Welfare Act will be fully funded by the BIA and Tribes will make this an even greater priority. Along with this all of our children will be brought up in in their own community by their relatives. Our families need to be made whole again and our children need to be raised to be proud of who they are.

I have a dream that Tribal sovereignty will continue to be strengthened by Tribes reclaiming their tradtional land base and having local, state and federal government conduct true consultation where Tribes are given the respect and dignity they so rightfully deserve.

I have a dream that everyone Tribal member will have the opportunity to follow the Red Road which is our cultural approach to wellness. I will broadly define it as following our traditional way of life including participating in our ceremonies. Along with this that everyone will have the opportunity to learn their traditional language as this is the soul of our existence.

I have a dream that our young people will have the opportunity to pursue their dreams by receiving a quality education which will prepare them for the challenging time we are in. This will include how to develop their heart and their minds so they can share their wisdom with everyone they influence.. They are the seventh generation and they will guide us to a brighter future.

I have a dream that everyone throughout the world will finally learn what the true meaning of we are all related means. Once they do racism, prejudice and oppression will cease to exist. When you see everyone and every living thing as your relative you treat them in a sacred way. Even when you disagree with them you will still love each other and you will not do anything to break that sacred bond.

I could go on but I listed seven dreams as this is a sacred number for all Tribes. I will leave you with this quote from MLK "the moral arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice." This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Indian Self-Determination Act in 1975 and we have made tremendous progress the last 50 years.

If you are interested in any of the training I conduct please feel free to visit www.redroadleadershipconsulting.org My most recent training I have developed is How to Build a Healthy Tribal Community which is about how to deal with this challenging time we are in as of today. We will not only survive the next four years but we can thrive and this training will show you how.

Mitakuye Oyasin - All My Relations