Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

This is a special post written by Charles Warren, Curriculum Developer at Triangle. Charlie is also a member of Triangle’s Racial Equity Committee. As part of our commitment to the work of our Racial Equity Committee, we will be sharing more information with you on subjects related to racial equity and disability justice. This post continues our series dedicated to calling attention to the contributions of people with disabilities to American history.

Did you know that November is Native American Heritage Month? This week, we are highlighting Johnnie Jae, an artist, journalist, organizer, creator, and futurist, who is focused on increasing awareness and empowerment for Native Americans with disabilities.

Johnnie Jae

Johnnie Jae, an artist, journalist, organizer, creator, and futurist, is the founder of A Tribe Called Geek, an award-winning platform for Indigenous Geek Culture and STEM, and #Indiginerds4hope, a suicide prevention initiative designed to educate, encourage, and empower Native youth.  During the pandemic, Johnnie described her experiences accessing healthcare as an immunocompromised person and called attention to the pandemic’s impact on disabled Indigenous people, systemic inequalities facing indigenous communities. Jae is a firm believer that challenging and dismantling harmful stereotypes and misinformation by reshaping narratives and creating platforms and opportunities for diverse voices are essential for fostering understanding and forging pathways to a more inclusive and equitable world.

Click here to learn more about A Tribe Called Geek.