America@250: A Conversation With Native Americans on Race

Image credit: New York Times

In this short Opinion Documentary, what the New York Times, calls an “Op-Doc,” the media outlet asks, “What does it mean to be a Native American today?” ln their “latest installment of The Times’s Conversation on Race project, they set out to include as many perspectives on native identity as possible. And there are many perspectives.”

“For this film, we spoke to dark-skinned and light-skinned individuals. Those whose ancestry ranges from one-sixteenth to four-fourth. People younger and older. And those who follow their tribe’s religion to those that follow Bible-based beliefs. We heard from people with backgrounds from as far as Arizona Navajo to the northeastern United States and even interviewed Hawaiian and South American native individuals living in New York City.

“While there are naturally nuances to everyone’s personal story, we saw a profound universality in their experiences. No matter who you are, if you are Native American, your opinions and experiences are marginalized to the point of invisibility in American society and culture. This project presents an opportunity to express some of the deeper debates that shape the journey shared by many Native Americans to personal liberation.”