Native American Heritage Month: The Impact of Our Words

Throughout November and December, Nonotuck will be honoring Native American Heritage Month. We will have many opportunities for learning, connecting, reflecting, and celebrating, and will be diving into Native American history and culture as well as many of the issues that Indigenous People face today.

Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is committed to being very intentional around the language we use so that we are as respectful as possible. We invite you to explore the following resources as we do this work together.

• Dive into the origins of many discriminatory phrases used in common contemporary language.
• Understand the types of language to be mindful of when referring to or addressing people. Because there is no one single Native American culture, the guidance varies greatly, and comes down to listening to and understanding personal preference.
• This inspiring and educational TED talk discusses language in stereotypes and finding personal identity within language.