April 11, 1999
This week I need to talk about predjudice. I have experienced this "idea" many times, both as an Indian and as a white. Both by Indians and whites and blacks and every other nationality and ideology on the planet. But I honestly thought that when I took a job working with at risk youth in a setting that demands that you have no hang-ups about anything along that line, that I would finally be rid of it at least in the working hierarchy setting.
Guess what, I'm not.
This past week we had an incident where 2 young Indian kids were placed at the shelter on a Friday night near mid-night. That next morning I was on duty and knew who to call so that they could spend the weekend in a "HOME" and not at the shelter. I was told later in the week by 2 of my supervisors that I had no right to do something like that and that I should have left them where they were till the following week.
I was then told that my practices about certian cerimonies that Indians follow were not welcome at the shelter even tho many of the kids we service are Indian and of those almost all are looking for an identity and ceremony is part of how we define ourselves.
What it boiled down to was either I play by there rules, let them make their money and don't mess up the deal they have going or I am not going to be working there much longer.
I realized then that it wasn't about the kids it was about money. It both surprised me and discusted me. How nice that we define ourselves as providers of a much needed service but only as long as the money keeps coming in. Once that stops we need to make sure it starts again.
I was welcomed into this place with open arms because I truly care about the kids there. Those same kids who at one moment will be cussing me out because I am standing there and the next crying because their parents couldn't care whether they were on the street, at home or in the shelter. I am there because I care and want to help. Not for the money that I get paid - $8.05 hr. and not because I like the hours - it takes away from my daughter too much. But so that those kids have some kind of a fighting chance at becoming something more than runaways.
Now I find that the real reason for the shelter being there is for the money it brings in.
I was told that my beliefs are my own and that they clash with the christian system of doing things there. Keep them to myself.
For the time being I plan to, for the time being I will keep my mouth shut, but I will also keep my ears and eyes open and the birds in my culture have a way of singing to the right people at the right time.
I guess predjudice is everywhere, no matter what you do or think. Some of the other counselors are openly so but they don't speak it, just act it.
I feel that those of us who are in the fields of social work have had our work cut out for many years and the gap is widening to those who are willing and those who are not. Those of us who are willing and do not care about the color of skin of the ideas behind religion are growing in number. Those of us who are of color have had enough also. The time is coming.
And just another note about the govenor of Minnesota and his views of Indians, the last I heard was about how he believed that Indians should take their soverenty and be nations unto ourselves, I think he should look at the treaties before saying anything else. Otherwise he just might be getting an eviction notice as well as most of the white people of the US.
Thought for the week..........Do not look to other people for the answers to your questions about what to believe, simply listen to your heart, it will never lie to you or base decisions on monetary values but on the truth.