Protecting the Promise

Timothy San Pedro is an associate professor of multicultural and equity studies in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University.

• ContentsSeries Foreword Django Paris xiForeword Megan Bang xiiiAcknowledgments xvPrologue xixIntroduction 1Co-Developed From the Beginning: Self-in-Relation 3Resurgence in the Everyday 7Refusing the "Me": Toward the Implications of "We" 8An Unfulfilled Promise: Formal Schooling in Indigenous Communities 10Combating "Deficit Distractions" 12Listening to Connect as a Story Supporter: Methods 16Questions to Consider 181. Michael and Mali 21Michael Munson and Timothy San PedroHistory of Homelands 22Introducing Michael and Mali 23Songs From the Spirits 24Wiping Tears Away 25At Home: In Community 26Identity Detours 26Head Start to Where? 28Head Start to Love 31Nk̓ʷusm Salish Language School 32Stepping Up by Stepping In 34Protecting the Seams 352. Alayna, Kyyalyn, and Waaruxti 39Alayna Eagle Shield and Timothy San PedroIntroducing Alayna 41#NoDAPL 41Introducing Waaruxti 43Introducing Kyyalyn 45Coming Together as One Family 46Living Language Together 48Language Post-Its 49White Buffalo Calf Woman 51Waaruxti and School 52Standing Up 54Singing Prayer 55Sharing Lakȟóta 56Spirit Dish 57Language and Tribal Knowledge Intertwined 573. Tara and Scyla 61Tara Ramos, Scyla Dowd, and Timothy San PedroScyla Raised Her Hand 62Introducing Scyla 63Introducing Tara 65Tara and Scyla's Relationship 67Going "Home" 68The Dangers of a Model Minority 73Advocating for Equity 75Decolonizing vs. Indigenizing 75Advocating for Indigenous Peoples' Day 77Refusing Indigenous Peoples' Day 794. Kristina and Demetrius 85Kristina Lucero, Demetrius Lucero, and Timothy San PedroIntroducing Kristina 85Introducing Demetrius 88"Can I Help You?" 90"They're So Native" 91Enduring Lacrosse 92Forcing Special Ed 96Demetrius and Schooling 97In the In-Between 99"I Do It to Get Through School" 103Thanksgiving Dinner Talk: Learning With Grandma 1055. Faith and Daliyah 113Faith Price, Daliyah Killsback, and Timothy San PedroPhone Call Reflection 113Introducing Daliyah 116Introducing Faith 117Pendleton Pillows 118Required Freshman Humanities Course 119Back to School 123First Native Instructor 124"There Are an Infinite Possibility of Ways to Be Indigenous" 126School Talk: Rants/Lectures 127A Place to Be Native 129Changing the Humanities Course: Blah, Blah, Blah Pedagogy 132Presentation of Gifts 135Conclusion: Montana Gathering 137Epilogue: Questions to Connect Forward 157Purposes of the Epilogue 159Lesson Ideas: Carrying Stories to New Places 161Questions Forward 163Chapter 1: Michael and Mali 165Chapter 2: Alayna, Kyyalyn, and Waaruxti 169Chapter 3: Tara and Scyla 173Chapter 4: Kristina and Demetrius 178Chapter 5: Faith and Daliyah 183Appendix: A Note on Terms 191Notes 195References 197Index 204About the Author 214

“An exemplary model for how Indigenous education will continue to endure time.”—Teachers College Record