Identity's Power: My Journey to Uncovering My Native American History | Ronnie Stephens | TEDxUTulsa

[@tarahjaiden1680]

The idea of empowering Native American youth through education and training programs is fantastic! It’s definitely something that could change lives

[@blairfavers]

I really loved the way he tied his story into a broader discussion about Native American identity. I think it really helped prove his points about how all the history still affects people on personal levels

[@vivianrylan8506]

I agree it's so important to preserve family stories! You never know what's going to resonate with future generations or how it can help shed light or resolution on issues

[@susanpqpowell]

I think identity is complicated at the best of times but I can't imagine how hard it would be for first nations people trying to navigate that part of themselves in the US

[@Notthefootykevinrooney]

There's so much we can learn from the past... this makes me want to explore my own family history! Thank you.

[@melrobertsreal]

I know it sounds super obvious but genealogy really is the best way to connect with our ancestors. Hard to know who to call on if you don't even know your bloodline

[@monteTthompson]

Wow, I didn’t know there were over 5,000 indigenous tribes around the world. It makes me realize how little I’ve been taught about indigenous history.

[@ameliasands]

The statistics on Native American college dropout rates are shocking. If not for any other reason that should be proof enough of why we need more support for their communities.

[@Sky-Leap]

Your story about finding the documents in your grandma's Bible was fascinating. It's amazing what we can uncover about our heritage with a bit of digging!

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

I agree - If we hadn't find those documents, there's no telling how long it would have taken to research my family and i would have not know to ask many of the questions I ended up asking trying to both understand and get answers. When you are interviewing your family, a great question to ask is " do we have any cool articles, heirlooms or artifacts to go with our stories.

[@seancollier1167]

Great job sharing from your life and family experience. It's heart-breaking and shameful to think about the ways Native Americans have been mistreated. I'm glad we have leaders with character like you who can help change the narrative! I love the challenging action steps you have at the end!

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thank you, Sean, I appreciate your feedback and friendship. It's been a powerful and learning experience doing the talk, and I'm glad you felt inspired by the call-to-action steps in the talk!

[@tibogoth]

I found the part about addiction and identity problems in Native American communities very compelling, especially when you consider that addiction is often stemmed from loneliness or lack of proper connection

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

I agree. I think historically you read about many Native Americans and alcohol addiction, but i think much of this was due to policies of the US government. Im hoping through education, community engagement and counseling programs we can begin to address and eliminate addiction issues

[@RantrumDiva]

It's amazing to hear about the efforts to create a supportive culture for Native American youth. Mentoring and internships can make a huge difference in terms of how shaping a persons identity.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

I agree that mentoring and internships are two of the best ways to not only impart knowledge, but to change someone's life. Having someone you feel comfortable asking questions, especially when they have been in the same situation (or similar), has made an invaluable impact on not only myself, but many of my friends. Thank you for sharing.

[@Me-lolahernandez]

It's clear that understanding our family history can lead to a greater sense of identity and purpose. Thank you for sharing your journey.

[@mariahedgington8717]

Congrats Ronnie! Excellent talk, great information.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@Adam_K_W]

This is Awesome!! As of 9/9/24 you've hit 55,000+ views with over 11,000 likes!! What a fantastic response!

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thanks Adam and thanks for all your support along this journey. Your many hours of listening to me rehearse and providing feedback was invaluable!!!

[@abbyfcruz]

Hearing about the challenges faced by Native Americans with land rights and relocation was both enlightening and distressing. I guarantee not many people know about it either and that's also pretty sad.

[@gabor-kantor]

It’s outrageous how Native Americans were treated back then, and it’s so important to share information like this otherwise people just wouldn't know about it

[@amagodatfortnite]

Your great-grandfather's letters from President Grover Cleveland are a piece of history that should be preserved and shared. What a find!

[@ihavedeepfeelings]

The statistics about Native American students dropping out of college and not having degrees is shocking. There truly was so much damage done to them and we need more programs to support and empower these communities.

[@TabithaStephens-vd8cc]

Proud of you & your journey!

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thanks for all your support!!!

[@sariyah7175]

The idea of interviewing family members about their history is fantastic. It's a simple yet powerful way to connect with and preserve our past while also honoring our ancestors. I'm really excited to see what kind of stories pop up, thank you.

[@kanejsloane]

Wow, I never knew Garth Brooks was so down-to-earth! It's crazy how different celebrities can be from their public personas.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Yes, I live North of Tulsa and Garth lived in our area for several years raising his girls. It was pretty common to see him at Subway or the soccer fields, just never had many personal interactions with him. He was always dressed like everyone else, and wearing a baseball cap.

[@crashtv6478]

Your mention of how diversity isn’t about differences but about embracing uniqueness is so true. More people need to understand this

[@marisolroman0-0]

What he says about being forced to choose between their culture and assimilation just breaks my heart. Such an unfair thing to ask of people.

[@Worldcitizenravi]

Amazing talk. America needs to get the history of the original people of America out in the public. I thank Ronnie for taking the time to educate all of us a bit about the history and injustice suffered by many Native Indians.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thank you, I was shocked when I learned how many states and different schools don't include this in their curriculum or American history,

[@kathywinter]

The mention of diversity and inclusion being about embracing uniqueness is spot on. We need to celebrate what makes each culture unique

[@destiny-cole]

To me this just reinforces how important it is to listen to our elders and all their stories while we still have the chance

[@jankyrose5449]

This is really powerful. I think this talk would resonate with a lot of people, there are so many identity issues in this country that I feel even the country itself struggles

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thanks for the comment and I agree. We turn on the TV or look at social media, and its not just Native Americans but many people, cultures and diverse groups across the country. I would love to hear anyone's ideas on how we keep the conversation going, and create a safe place to have those discussions.

[@jankyrose5449]

@@RonnieStephens-OK I would love that too. I think just rejecting the narrative that is pushed on us to be scared of one another is a good place to start

[@forestchancey]

I agree empowering the youth could lead to lasting change and creating a culture of education and job training is a really good way to go about that.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thanks fort the feedback. It's a long road, but i am starting to see progress with a lot of tribes and organizations

[@HoneydripBurn]

It's incredible that there are 574 federally recognized Native American tribes in the U.S. Each with their own rich history and culture. Can't help but wonder how many there were before colonization though...

[@woodychuck]

This speaks to just how big of a gap there is between what the common knowledge of what Americas first people went through and what _actually_ happened to them

[@ursulayildrim]

I appreciate how you highlighted the importance of learning our family's stories. It's something we all can do to keep our history alive.

[@kotakgmasuk]

The statistics you shared about Native American education are alarming.... I agree we need to create more opportunities and support for these communities

[@DollThrone]

I agree what what he says about knowing someone's story in order to understand them, and I think that's why it's so important to act with compassion and empathy towards everyone because the chances of actually getting to hear someone's story before your actions affect them is pretty damn low

[@robertjnoble]

I love the idea of recording family stories. It's something I wish I had done with my grandparents. We need to preserve these memories for future generations and also ourselves in times of crisis.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thank you for the comment and I absolutely agree with you. Not a day goes by that I don't wish I would have recorded some conversations with my dad.

[@IAmASeaMonkey]

I think it's really cool how dedicated your father was to uncovering your family history, even when he was sick. I don't think people understand how important it is to know where we come from until that knowledge isn't there.

[@---nameless---]

Identity is such a complicated thing, especially for those who have had such a large part of it taken away.

[@brandyocraveiro]

The concept of a Legacy Journey is beautiful. It shows how our personal histories are intertwined with larger historical narratives and I think that gives us a greater sense of self worth and esteem

[@SixtySecondsOrLess]

The part about your dad's diagnosis and the urgency to uncover your family history was so moving. It reminds me of all the reasons why connecting with our roots is so important

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thank you. While it was painful and not something I wanted to have happen, it was incredibly powerful being able to have so many conversations with him about life and growing up. I just wished he could have seen some of the additional documents I was able to find. I also think every day about how I should have recorded some of our conversations, so my kids and other family members could have heard his stories.

[@jacobydusar]

I think this speaks to how powerful family history can be, especially those of marginalized communities

[@CamerashyCrusader]

The quote by Marcus Garvey really resonated with me. Without understanding our past, we are lost. We need to cherish and learn from our history.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thank you for the comment. It's one of my favorite quotes and resonates really well with me as well. I agree we can learn so much from our history, and just by asking a few simple questions, it can be life changing.

[@LeanUnleashed]

Great job Ronnie. Not just what you presented and how you presented, but starting the journey and feeding your passion to learn. Your courage and confidence to pursue the past and share it is inspiring. Thanks!

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thank you fort he heartfelt comment. I originally wasn't sure how people would respond to my story, but have been surprised and encouraged by the positive feedback and comments.

[@russhearn]

The personal connection you shared with your dad and your family history is so touching. I think it shows how important it is to understand where we come from.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

Thank you. While a big part of my talk is on Native American's, you are absolutely right. There are so many family members I wish I had a chance to go back and ask questions and interview them. The fact I had a chance to spend 1.5 years with my dad after his diagnosis was so powerful, it did change my life and my perspective.

[@nanburkhardt]

I can't believe that about having the competency hearings after being given land. It seems so cruel to give it just to take it away AGAIN like they hadn't already had enough taken from them

[@imurdaddyforever]

Yup, we don't get taught even a snippet of what colonization was like and the ways it impacted indigenous communities that are STILL an issue and how all of it affects the cultural identity of the country.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

I agree, I struggle with how to get the history of Native Americans into our US history or regional history classes. I agree it is still an issue today in being open and discussing how Native Americans were treated from the later 1800's until today. I would love to hear ideas on how we might better create curriculum or key points of conversation and spread that to a much larger audience.

[@elviragabriele]

The fact that Native American history is so underrepresented in schools is a disservice to all of us. We need a more inclusive curriculum. How else will people come to understand what this country was _actually_ founded on?

[@edsaxton1797]

I was shocked to learn that Native Americans weren't considered citizens until 1924. That's really not that long ago and in terms of the progress that's been made since then like damn we still have such a long way to go

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

I agree. 100 years this past June, which like you mentioned - is not that long ago. I'm hoping by starting to have conversations and acknowledgement, it begins to change the narrative. Education and food sovereignty are two very real issues we continue to try and address.

[@edsaxton1797]

That seems so wrong. Those are very basic needs and I can't imagine how frustrating it must be for them to still not be fulfilled at an acceptable level

[@clairemortimer606]

The part about your great-grandfather’s allotment made me so upset, I can't imagine how he must have felt about it.

[@lakylewashington]

I can't believe the struggles Native Americans had to go through with land allotment and competency hearings. It's really infuriating how unjust that system was.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

I agree. I was surprised and angry when I started studying land allotment and the Dawes act. To me, just as important is we don't talk about it or teach about it as part of our history. It's ok to not agree with something, but I believe in teaching and talking about so everyone learns and decide to read more about it or get more involved.

[@lakylewashington]

@@RonnieStephens-OK Definitely, even just for peoples individual understanding of what happened, and what our Native Peoples have gone through

[@tristan-bailey]

I never knew about the competency hearings for Native American landowners. Seems pretty outrageous considering they looked after the land for literal centuries before colonization

[@1maceyt]

I never realized how much Native American history is missing from our education system. It's a disservice to everyone not to learn about these crucial parts of our history.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

I agree - I was stunned at how little we are taught in schools and even more by the fact that it's just not something we talk about. I understand the challenges, but truly believe that the first step in healing and moving forward is having open and honest conversations.

[@discofevernow]

It's sad that so many Native American students face barriers in education. More needs to be done to create an inclusive and supportive environment.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

I agree. I'm hoping we gain momentum and can educate those in our communities and open up conversations, mentorships, and even intern opportunites.

[@discofevernow]

@@RonnieStephens-OK exactly, I support that.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

@@discofevernow Hoping to figure out how to get more people engaged and some mentorships set up. Love to hear what has worked for other people.

[@Soo-Zoo]

I had no idea citizenship wasn't granted until 1924. Legit only 100 years ago is insane considering how long they were taking care of this land before colonization

[@gog-gog]

Yup I'll never get over how shocked I was when I learnt the true history of colonization in this country. Just shocking and disqusting.

[@ZekariyasAlemu]

1st comment

[@aaronereid]

The statistic about 40% of first-year Native American students dropping out of college is awful. We desperately need more support systems for them.

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

I agree. When i first read the statistic i was stunned. I think costs of tuition, moving away from family and the need to many times help with the family are some of the things that drive this. I’m hoping with educational presentations - especially around STEM programs and mentoring we can radically reduce this number.

[@aaronereid]

@@RonnieStephens-OK agree

[@berniesbiggestfan]

It still really bugs me how much we assume about people based on appearances. We should all take a step back and try to understand each other's stories instead

[@RonnieStephens-OK]

I completely agree with you and It's something I even have to work on every day. The power of someone's story and the journey they have been on is everything.

[@Ankushtreanding]

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