Bemidji State University
Report date
October 2022
What has been most instrumental to your progress?
The Round Tables served the Team very well as it was a creative tool to initiate challenging, racial dialogue, traditional Indigenous cultural teachings, political representative’s discussions, programs geared towards social justice healing, as well as a sharing of published literature, books, films, and events on racial equity.
The first three years of Round Tables were focused on the non-Indigenous people who were mostly elected officials and prominent stake holders in Bemidji, and as an attempt for them to understand the plight and world view of Indigenous people living in Bemidji and nationally as well. To me, some of these round tables were short of being entertainment which I strongly disapproved of. As a result, I encouraged the Team to support my decision that we should focus on Indigenous people for our fourth and final year. The speakers and agenda changed accordingly. Most of the Indigenous speakers for this last year were Ojibwe although many experts from other nations had expertise in many of the topics we were addressing. This notion of tribal centricity was a good teaching for us as we addressed prejudice and began open new discussions concerning lateral violence.
The first three years of Round Tables were focused on the non-Indigenous people who were mostly elected officials and prominent stake holders in Bemidji, and as an attempt for them to understand the plight and world view of Indigenous people living in Bemidji and nationally as well. To me, some of these round tables were short of being entertainment which I strongly disapproved of. As a result, I encouraged the Team to support my decision that we should focus on Indigenous people for our fourth and final year. The speakers and agenda changed accordingly. Most of the Indigenous speakers for this last year were Ojibwe although many experts from other nations had expertise in many of the topics we were addressing. This notion of tribal centricity was a good teaching for us as we addressed prejudice and began open new discussions concerning lateral violence.
Our Team Meetings took place once a month, however additional meetings were held if we were planning special events, speakers, and travel including budget concerns and foundation updates. The PI spent additional time during the month contacting traditional, Indigenous, potential speakers, leaders and tribal professionals, including researching and viewing reading materials and films.
The C0-PI also spent additional time working on ways to communicate our dates and objectives of the Round Tables, events, and speakers and developed post cards, emails, and made phone calls to reach non-public community people. Close attention to schedules and calendars were a big part of planning and for inviting participants.
The Team meetings were also an opportunity to share their personal feelings about specific topics, events social and political, books, films, speakers and future direction that included recommendations and changes. The bonding of the Team grew at these meetings and we got to see how racism was affecting us individually as well as collectively. We also got to speak about the white people in Bemidji without any veils or guarded feelings.
The C0-PI also spent additional time working on ways to communicate our dates and objectives of the Round Tables, events, and speakers and developed post cards, emails, and made phone calls to reach non-public community people. Close attention to schedules and calendars were a big part of planning and for inviting participants.
The Team meetings were also an opportunity to share their personal feelings about specific topics, events social and political, books, films, speakers and future direction that included recommendations and changes. The bonding of the Team grew at these meetings and we got to see how racism was affecting us individually as well as collectively. We also got to speak about the white people in Bemidji without any veils or guarded feelings.
Trainings, our team engaged in several trainings to do this work and on-going to be prepared to meet the challenges of doing racial equity and social justice work in our round tables. We began with:
The Intercultural Development Inventory, Nanette Missaghi, 2018
This was a professional document instrument given to each Team member individually to access their preferences towards different racial groups. Each member then met one on one with a trainer to discuss their findings with suggestions on how to improve their perceptions. We were given our instruments at the end of the training to take with us and to refer back to when we needed to be more reflective about our views of other racial and ethnic groups.
Mindful Training on Racial Equity and Social Justice, Lee Man Wah, 2019 This training was conducted by a nationally known trainer who works with racism, fear, prejudice and mediation. We got to practice several scenarios when the first training was done in person. The second training was done via zoom and was less effective. There was also a time gap between the trainings due to COVID. All discussions and both trainings were solution oriented across racial group
and Prayer
The Intercultural Development Inventory, Nanette Missaghi, 2018
This was a professional document instrument given to each Team member individually to access their preferences towards different racial groups. Each member then met one on one with a trainer to discuss their findings with suggestions on how to improve their perceptions. We were given our instruments at the end of the training to take with us and to refer back to when we needed to be more reflective about our views of other racial and ethnic groups.
Mindful Training on Racial Equity and Social Justice, Lee Man Wah, 2019 This training was conducted by a nationally known trainer who works with racism, fear, prejudice and mediation. We got to practice several scenarios when the first training was done in person. The second training was done via zoom and was less effective. There was also a time gap between the trainings due to COVID. All discussions and both trainings were solution oriented across racial group
and Prayer
Key lessons learned
In retrospect, we- the team should have gone to the Bemidji State Foundation to act as our fiscal agent as we would have had more control of how we planned to use the funds as identified in the grant itself. The way it worked with BSU accounting they used their travel, per diam and honorarium budget amounts that they applied to faculty and staff. There was never a clear delineation with BSU that the grant and team members were not working for BSU but working and representing the Bush Foundation. (For example, the Dean and Chair of Indigenous Studies insisted that I send the team minutes from our regular meetings to five different offices just to get some sandwiches paid.) This oversight created a lot of financial barriers including errors in the pay received and not received by Dr. Delgado. For example, the grant was written and approved for $200,000, in addition there was an additional $7,936 added in for discretionary use for the PI for travel and other expenses. Once the concerns with Bill Blackwell surfaced the PI no longer had access or an opportunity to use funds discretionarily. With the covid pandemic our events, travel and activities were limited but we
still worked.
still worked.
Both of the following responses were/are seen as successes and were tremendous learnings for our growth. For example, as a Team we learned how to work as a Team during member transitions, and tough personal, and work situations. Our Team work included hard topic discussions and reflections on our trainings. As a result our team was able to genuinely support each other through the challenges doing this type of social- racial- equity-community work. More importantly each Team Meeting and Round Table observed the following protocol, we always opened with a prayer either given by Dr. Delgado or Joseph Beaudreaux. There were food offerings when we gathered in person and in particular, at trainings and other events. The traditional spiritual teachings were an important part of our journey, and we shared our Indigenous knowledge as frequently as we were able to or in doing what was culturally respectful when appropriate. We believed that this type of work could not be done without an Indigenous spiritual foundation.
The key lessons that were learned were; it was difficult to address institutional systemic racism because of the potential backlash it would create. It limited the amount of work that was done in this area, although it was one of the most important pieces. Also, we never discussed the "color" of skin, the darker your skin the more racism you experience in Bemidji. We have native people among us who have white privilege because of their skin color and they are not able to experience racism in the same way the Indigenous people who don't have white privilege experience. In addition, we have Indigenous people who did not grow up in an Indigenous family or community yet they want to represent and speak for those who are most targeted. This is another form of injustice that is multi-layered and challenging to address. Perhaps, if the pandemic had not occurred in the middle of our funding cycle the Team could have met more in person where this type of deeper discussion and meaningful process could have taken place. The care and environment have to be conducive when discussing racial transformations.
Reflections on the community innovation process
Our work was based on collaboration as we brought people in from all backgrounds who represented the stakeholders in Bemidji. As a Team we had to work collaboratively among ourselves and among those we asked to provide trainings and speak to our diverse Round Table groups. We were a resource for those who were seeking alternative ways to address the 150 year old mistrust that existed between Indigenous and white people in the border town of Bemidji. Our support from the Bush Foundation to do this work was transformational capital because without this support financially and organizationally we would have met many obstacles that would have stopped this work. The Bush Foundation provided us a sense of prestige and validation that the people of Bemidji and our work was valuable in promoting positive race relations work, social justice and humanity.
Progress toward an innovation
An Ojibwe Team member election to City Council, including one other Ojibwe election, our CO-PI is now running for state legislature, another Team member was re-elected to the County Commission, and supporting our young BIPOC community members (never been done before) on how to handle microaggressions; and deal with the emotional overload racism carries.
What it will take to reach an innovation?
Reunification for Healing was written into the grant to bring the Dakota, Lakota, Nakota together with the Ojibwe in Minnesota to dispel the traditional enemy theory promoted by the American historians to keep the Indigenous people divided and at the same time support their superiority.
Miigwech from Non-native community
These two innovations were time sensitive and unless there was an extension of funding these innovations have come and gone.
Miigwech from Non-native community
These two innovations were time sensitive and unless there was an extension of funding these innovations have come and gone.
What's next?
We shall forever remain a consciousness in Bemidji. We shall always be looked upon as the Team that cared about the racial violence and genocide in Bemidji. Our work and presence will continue in Bemidji by our living among those who struggle and seek justice. No
If you could do it all over again...
The Team would have designated a different fiscal agent (rather than BSU) - too many gatekeepers in the 'system'. The Team would have engaged with the young BIPOC community leaders sooner. The Team would have looked at other states who were successful in addressing systemic institutionalized racism.
One last thought
I was denied tenure during this grant period. Once I left Bemidji State University I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO RECEIVE OUR INCOME AND EXPENSE STATEMENTS. NOR WAS I EVER PAID THE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS THAT WERE DESIGNATED FOR MY USE. That whenever you or we represent Indigenous people we become a target to the institutions and governments who need us to remain silent so they can continue to take our land and identity and whatever we have left. This is at the root of racism in this country.