[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”About Next Gen: DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ background_color=”#545480″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(56,6,6,0.56)” background_color_gradient_end=”#6d173b” background_color_gradient_start_position=”58%” background_image=”https:\/\/reno2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/05\/24496121089_c5246cdf38_o-scaled.jpg” background_position=”top_center” background_blend=”color-dodge” custom_padding=”2%|0px|2%|0px||” locked=”off” collapsed=”off”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”To be an American row: DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ custom_margin=”|||” custom_padding=”15px|0px|22px|0px||” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||” custom_padding_phone=”|0px||” custom_width_px=”1280px”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/reno2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/05\/newnextgenlogo2018_transp.png” title_text=”newnextgenlogo2018_transp” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”What does it mean to be an American?\u2019: DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ text_font=”||||||||” header_font=”|||on|||||” header_text_align=”center” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”left” header_2_text_color=”#98bedb” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” background_layout=”dark” max_width=”600px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”10px||||false|false”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Texts: DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ text_font=”Nunito||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”18px” header_font=”Oswald||||” header_font_size=”16px” header_letter_spacing=”2px” header_line_height=”1.7em” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”600px” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”-30px|||” locked=”off”]<\/p>\n
We are finding, coaching and training public media\u2019s next generation. This #nprnextgenradio<\/a> project is created in Reno, Nevada, where five talented reporters are participating in a week-long state-of-the-art training program.<\/p>\n In this project we are speaking to people from various walks of life\u2014whether they are Indigenous; natural born; a naturalized citizen; a refugee or an immigrant without legal status\u2014to ask what it means to be an American.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/05YJy4EJBOc” admin_label=”YouTube Video” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”16px”]<\/p>\n Jarrette Werk, A\u2019aniiih and Nakoda, turns what it means to be American on its head. He shares the story of Jolie Varela, founder of Indigenous Women Hike, and highlights her perspective on reclaiming her Indigenous identity.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”HERO IMAGE OPTION 1: Background image: DELETE IF NOT NEEDED” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ background_enable_color=”off” background_image=”https:\/\/reno2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/05\/Jarrette_Emily_Final_web.jpg” background_blend=”multiply” custom_margin=”-2px|||||” custom_padding=”12%||39.4%|||”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”6px||3px|||”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”3px||6px|||”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Illustrator credit” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n Illustration by Emily Whang<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”7px||35px|||”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_post_title date=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”Post Title” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” title_level=”h3″ title_font=”Oswald||||||||” title_font_size=”42px” title_letter_spacing=”2px” title_line_height=”1.2em” meta_text_color=”#04a3e3″ meta_font_size=”18px”][\/et_pb_post_title][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||12px|||”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text 1″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]<\/p>\n Jolie Varela is the founder of <\/span>Indigenous Women Hike<\/span><\/a>, which promotes healing through the inherent connection Indigenous peoples have to the land. She is a hiker, water protector, and land defender based out of Payahuunad\u00fc, the place of flowing water, also known as Owens Valley, California.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Varela started hiking as an act of cultural reclamation and for her self-care and healing. In 2018, she and a group of Indigenous women set out to hike the <\/span>200-mile N\u00fc\u00fcm\u00fc Poyo <\/span><\/a>(John Muir Trail) without permits under the American Indigenous Religious Freedom Act. To advocate for the history of her people and to acknowledge that these trade routes have been traveled by Indigenous people since before America was even \u2018America.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_audio audio=”https:\/\/reno2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/05\/Jarrette-Master_NORMALIZED.mp3″ title=”Jolie Varela: Hiker, water protector, and land defender” artist_name=”Jarrette Werk” album_name=”Next Generation Radio | University of Nevada Newsroom | May 2021″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#5a0c1c” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#651906″ background_color_gradient_end=”#b7b7b7″ background_color_gradient_start_position=”85%”][\/et_pb_audio][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”3px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text 1″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]<\/p>\n Based on federal law, the 1978 <\/span>American<\/span> Indian <\/span>Religious Freedom Act<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>protects the rights of Native <\/span>Americans<\/span> to exercise their traditional <\/span>ceremonies,<\/span> like ensuring access to sacred sites such as the <\/span>N\u00fc\u00fcm\u00fc Poyo<\/span>. <\/span>Before that law, many aspects of Native American religions and sacred ceremonies were outlawed.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/reno2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/05\/Jarrette_001.jpg” alt=”\u00d2The American dream is not my Indigenous dream. It’s so different than that,\u00d3 Jolie Varela said. \u00d2As an Indigenous woman, I would like to see our ceremonies restored, our traditions restored, our homelands restored, and our land back. When people come from other places and they come in the name of this American dream or in pursuit of this American dream, I don’t think they realize how that American dream erases Indigenous people, and further infringes upon our rights as Native people.\u00d3 (Photo by Jarrette Werk)” title_text=”Jarrette_001″ align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.7.7″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n “The American dream is not my Indigenous dream. It’s so different than that,” Jolie Varela said. “As an Indigenous woman, I would like to see our ceremonies restored, our traditions restored, our homelands restored, and our land back. When people come from other places and they come in the name of this American dream or in pursuit of this American dream, I don’t think they realize how that American dream erases Indigenous people, and further infringes upon our rights as Native people.” (Photo by Jarrette Werk)<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text 2″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]<\/p>\n As an act of resistance, Varela has rejected the colonial construct of what it means to be an \u2018American.\u2019 Indigenous people, like herself, use the terms Indigenous, Native American, or American Indian interchangeably when identifying themselves. However, many choose to identify with their specific tribal nation(s).<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI’m not American. I’m N\u00fc\u00fcm\u00fc; I’m Yokuts. Our existence predates America. So, I define myself as a citizen of my Nations. I think it’s very important to just reclaim who we are in that sense,\u201d Varela said. \u201cFor me, it\u2019s like calling myself N\u00fc\u00fcm\u00fc, or Yokuts, a N\u00fc\u00fcm\u00fc Hupi, which is a Paiute woman.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A person’s identity can be influenced by a variety of factors like ethnicity, culture, family, sexuality, lived experiences, and even the media. Varela has spent years navigating these intersections of her life.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnd to add being a proud Indigenous, queer, and fat woman puts me on the fringes even more. It’s a part of my identity that I’m reclaiming for myself and really trying to be confident and comfortable in that, and realize that we don’t need to conform to Eurocentric body standards anymore,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n Indigenous Women Hike<\/b><\/p>\n In addition, Varela\u2019s organization, Indigenous Women Hike, also works to counteract violence to the land. She was inspired by the time she spent protecting the water in Standing Rock, which was threatened by the <\/span>Dakota Access Pipeline<\/span><\/a>. Indigenous peoples were concerned that the nearly 1,200-mile long pipeline would contaminate the water of the Missouri River, which is just north of the Standing Rock Reservation along the North Dakota and South Dakota border.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Through her travels across the world, Varela is reminded of how erased Indingeous peoples are from society. For example, she commonly experiences the challenge of explaining her Indigenous roots to others outside of the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt’s tricky because [I] have to say that [I\u2019m]from the so-called United States or that I’m from America,\u201d Varela said. \u201cBut while trying to explain myself, like, \u2018I’m the First People,\u2019 I found myself so many times having to say, \u2018you know, Cowboys and Indians,\u2019 and then it clicks and they’re like, \u2018Oh yes.\u2019 And then I tell them I’m the \u201cIndian.’ And they understand that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe American dream is not my Indigenous dream\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n To most, the \u2018American dream\u2019 encompasses the ideals of freedom and the opportunity for prosperity and success. Varela said the American dream is not her Indigenous dream and that the pursuit of the \u2018American dream\u2019 comes at a price because it infringes on Indigenous people. The history of colonization and\u00a0 genocide further perpetuates the erasure of Indigenous peoples even today.<\/span><\/p>\n The First Peoples of the lands were the last to gain citizenship. It wasn\u2019t until 1924, that Congress finally granted <\/span>citizenship <\/span><\/a>to any Native Americans born within the United States, but afterward\u00a0 many continued to be denied voting rights by state and local jurisdictions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As a result of the treatment of Indigenous peoples in the United States, Varela explained that she views being considered an American citizen as something that is forced upon Indigenous Peoples.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe’re not American. We’re older than America and, and calling myself an American feels like an injustice to myself, like I’m doing myself an injustice by saying that I am an American because I’m N\u00fc\u00fcm\u00fc, I\u2019m Yokut. That’s who I am. That’s who we’ve always been, and that’s who we will continue to be,\u201d Varela said. \u201cBeing an American or being considered an American feels just like another form of erasure of our history, that’s been here and been a part of these lands for time immemorial, for millennia.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_code admin_label=”Code” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n\n