ONLINE Service: The dominance of the white culture over people of color has given rise to racism. This presentation will focus on the construct of race and how racism has shaped the various institutions, government policies, and the national narrative that has effectively ignored the genocide of indigenous peoples, the perpetuation of fake news, and an ongoing slave culture. Systemic transformational change needs to take place. These changes will be realized only if each of us recognizes that social justice begins with each of us. Let us look at our dire situation as a beautiful problem and reclaim our identity as people committed to the pursuit of happiness, liberty, and justice for all. It is time.

Nia grew up on Turtle Mountain Reservation in ND (her Father’s Reservation). She is now working with Rocky Boy Reservation, (her Mother’s Reservation) and other tribal colleges on healing from a traumatic past. Her tribal ancestry is Cree. She has a Ph.D. in Literacy (as viewed from the disciplines of cognitive psychology and linguistics.)

She is most interested in the psychological and cultural dynamics of Race Theory. Her most recent work and writings are focused on the dynamics of racial justice, active hope, collective trauma, systemic change and the urgent need to shift to an inclusive way of thinking that emphasizes learning FROM other cultures rather than ABOUT them.