Grant Given to Support the Study of Bereavement Resources for Native American Youth
– the Most At-Risk Population in the United States

NEW YORK, NY, February 11, 2013 — The Center for Native American Youth, a policy program within the Aspen Institute headquartered in Washington, D.C., announced today a $75,000 grant from the New York Life Foundation.  The funding will support a convening and a study of resources to determine the current and future needs for bereavement and grief programming for the 2.1 million American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth in the United States.

“American Indian children are too often left behind in this country, with chronically underfunded health care and education systems,” commented former U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan, founder and chairman of the Center for Native American Youth.  “I am excited about the Center’s partnership with the New York Life Foundation because it is an example of efforts aimed at improving the lives of youth.”

“In our outreach in Indian Country, we hear from youth, parents and teachers that more bereavement programming is needed,” said Erin Bailey, director of the Center for Native American Youth at Aspen Institute.  “We want to make this issue a priority on the national level.”

“The statistics are powerful.  The AI/AN youth face a disproportionately large number of losses but lack culturally-sensitive bereavement services and resources to meet the demand,” said Maria Collins, senior program officer of the New York Life Foundation.  “The New York Life Foundation is pleased to help the Center examine the existing bereavement and grief programming and provide a plan to secure and develop resources to meet the needs of this unique population.”

The Center was established with a goal of bringing greater national attention to the issues facing Native American youth and to foster solutions, with special emphasis on youth suicide prevention.  According to the Center, average suicide rates among Native American youth have reached 3.5 times the national average, with some tribal communities having rates up to 10 times the national average.  The grant will support research into the impact suicides have on youth and communities, and help to determine the bereavement resources and services that are needed to address this specific population.

About The New York Life Foundation

Inspired by New York Life’s tradition of service and humanity, the New York Life Foundation has, since its founding in 1979, provided more than $168 million in charitable contributions to national and local nonprofit organizations.  Through its focus on “Nurturing the Children,” the Foundation supports programs that benefit young people, particularly in the areas of educational enhancement and childhood bereavement.  The Foundation also encourages and facilitates the community involvement of employees, agents, and retirees of New York Life through its Volunteers for Good program.  To learn more, please visit www.newyorklifefoundation.org.

Center for Native American Youth is dedicated to improving the health, safety and overall well-being of Native American youth through communication, policy development and advocacy.  Founded by former U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan in February 2011, the Center is a policy program within the Aspen Institute, headquartered in Washington, D.C.  The Center works to strengthen and create new connections as well as exchange resources and best practices that address the challenges facing Native youth.  Visit the Center’s website for a comprehensive list of resources available to young Native Americans, tribes and the general public.  For more information, visit www.cnay.org.

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C.  Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues.  The Institute is based in Washington, D.C.; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.  It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners.  For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

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Google has removed the controversial ‘Make Me Asian’ and ‘Make Me Indian’ apps from its Google Play store—and has deleted the developer’s profile and all her other apps. The action comes after 8,452 petitioners slammed the technology giant and urged it to remove the racist apps from the Google Play store and stay true to its “Don’t be evil” motto.

Click here to view the petition.

The free apps allow Android smartphone users to edit photos by adding “humorous” stereotypes that vary by app: They can darken skin color, change eye shape to an “Asian” slant or add ethnic accessories like an American Indian headdress. “Compare the results with your friends and laugh heartily!” writes app developer KimberyDeiss. “In few taps you can transform yourself and your friends in the real Indians, using different effects and settings.”

Both apps have been downloaded between 50,000 and 100,000 times.

Although Google has a Diversity@Google section on its website and a Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report including lots of “Googley” images and anecdotes about scholarships and internships and community philanthropy, we can’t assess its commitment to diversity and inclusion. Despite annual invitations, Google has never participated in The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity in the 13 years the survey has been in existence.

Not Racism? Google’s Hate-Speech Policy

Despite the “Make me Asian” and “Make me Indian” apps’ blatant use of offensive stereotypes, Google has refused to remove them from its Google Play store. The apps do not violate the company’s policies, Google told CNN.

Google’s hate-speech policy for developers states that it does not “allow the promotion of hatred toward groups of people based on their race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation/gender identity.” Because the apps are not “deliberately” offensive, they do not constitute a violation.

Offensive, Yes. But Racist?

Washington, D.C.–based pastor Peter Chin, an Asian who was offended when he downloaded the app, launched the full-scale petition in reaction to Google’s inaction.

“These are nothing less than hateful and offensive stereotypes that are used to this very day to marginalize and humiliate people. They are not funny, and their use highlights a vicious double standard in the treatment of certain minority groups,” writes Chin. “Blackface is thankfully and rightfully recognized as thoroughly racist, so why in the world is “yellowface” and “redface” given a pass?”

Chin says that “by choosing to allow these apps to proliferate on their branded Google Play store, they are implicitly normalizing these characterizations.”

Now he’s urging others to flag both apps as inappropriate and to tweet the following to Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt: @ericschmidt Take the racist Make Me Asian and Make Me Indian apps off @googleplay NOW! #makemeasian

@ericschmidt Take the racist Make Me Asian and Make Me Indian apps off @googleplay NOW! #MakeMeAsian – Petition link: change.org/petitions/goog…

— Mesonoxian★San (@KioshStar) December 28, 2012

Additionally, users are voicing their outrage on the apps’ User Review pages: “What’s is fun for this app? I do not understand… It’s fun for white?” writes Hiro Tsukihiji. “Extremely racist app. I’m sure hipsters love this thing. I for one feel it’s racist. What will they come out with next a black face app?” writes Aaron Bollingmo.

Nonprofit organization 18 Million Rising is sponsoring a similar petition. So far, 1,700 people have signed.

The post Google’s Racist Apps Removed After 8,400+ Sign Petition appeared first on DiversityInc.

Additionally, the government will use another $1.9 billion to purchase fractioned land allotments from current proprietors and return that land to the tribe. The deal also includes a government-funded scholarship for American Indian youth.

“These settlements fairly and honorably resolve historical grievances over the accounting and management of tribal trust funds, trust lands and other non-monetary trust resources that, for far too long, have been a source of conflict between Indian tribes and the United States,” said Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. in a statement.

The lawsuit initially was filed in 1996 by Blackfeet tribe leader Elouise Cobell after she witnessed those who leased American Indian land gain wealth from selling its resources. There was no accounting of the royalties from this land that was held in trust for them by the government, actions that prolonged poverty in the American Indian community. Cobell died in 2011 from cancer.

“We all are happy that this settlement can finally be implemented,” said lead attorney Dennis Gingold in a statement. “We deeply regret that Ms. Cobell did not live to see this day.”

Another 60 similar class-action lawsuits against the government have not yet been settled. American Indian tribes across the country, including the Osage tribe in Oklahoma, the Chippewa tribe in Minnesota and the Nez Perce tribe in Idaho, await resolution and payout.

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Growing up as a third-generation Scandinavian in the Midwest meant Campbell had little experience with diversity before he moved to Arizona for his career, where he became the president of Norwest Bank Arizona.

In his position, Campbell was challenged with mitigating acquisition protests from Navajo leaders. The bank had been involved in an acquisition with Citibank and several of the acquired branches were located in the Navajo Nation, the largest American Indian reservation in the United States. The Navajo decided to use this opportunity to get their needs and wants heard.

Read: American Indian Heritage Month Facts & Figures

“I had no experience with Native American culture,” said Campbell. His first duty: to meet with the tribe leaders on location. “Here’s this white guy from the Midwest in a suit showing up at tribal offices. It was not a good start.”

He worked hard to develop a relationship but the Navajo leaders still filed their complaint. However, Campbell said that their relationship grew over the next several years through his willingness to learn the culture. And the Navajo eventually came to accept him.

“My story of fear turned to a story of joy, and I had great pride in the relationship we had come to develop,” Campbell said. It’s a story that provides diversity leaders with four keys for cultural competence. 

Read: Ask the White Guy: Can a White Man Speak With Authority on Diversity?

1. Mentors are critical. Campbell said that initially he and Wells Fargo employees spent months trying to acquire leases to build new stores on Navajo land. However, Campbell eventually became friends with a non-Native, Eddie Basha, the CEO of Bashas’, a privately owned grocery company with stores on the reservation. Bash became his mentor and vouched for him with Navajo leaders.

   Basha taught Campbell that his success was the result of hiring Navajo employees to run the stores and selling products that were made by and are desirable to its American Indian patrons.  Read Mentoring Roundtable: How Mentoring Improves Retention, Engagement & Promotions.

2. Be curious. According to Campbell, his interest in the American Indian culture needed to be sincere. “It’s important to have a genuine curiosity to learn something you don’t know about. I had a chance few people ever do: to get close to the leadership of the Navajo community.” Campbell asked questions more freely as he became more familiar with the culture and the natives, which translated well with Navajo leaders.
    
3. Embrace differences. Through asking questions about the Navajo and their traditions, Campbell learned how to be comfortable in the culture and “not expect to do things my way.” He noted that jeans and boots, rather than a corporate America–style suit and tie, are the way to go to the Navajo nation so you can “hop in back of a pickup truck” at the airport.
    
   Campbell also detailed how Navajo time runs at a much different pace, without set meeting times. “You get home when you get home,” he said. “You have to do business with local vendors and use Navajo contractors.” Additionally, a medicine man comes to every store opening to bless the building and business. “It’s a blending of culture and technology,” Campbell said.
    
4. Show up. The Navajo show a great deal of respect for each other and expect the same from their visitors, according to Campbell. “When an invitation comes, you show up,” he said. “Many times, it’s really about being present. When someone inside the culture you don’t know takes a risk and asks you in, it’s disrespectful not to accept.”

Campbell recalled when he was finally accepted into the culture by Navajo leaders. “I was invited to the Sweat Lodge, a traditional purification ceremony performed by many Native American tribes.” For him, this was the cap to his efforts and a source of personal reward.

“I was able to see how powerful it can be when a company understands diverse cultures, and I was able to see how to build business on their terms,” Campbell said, noting that Wells Fargo makes more than $1 million a year in revenue from a relationship that “started on the basis of a protest 10 years earlier.” 

Watch an exclusive video interview with Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf for more on Wells Fargo’s leadership, corporate citizenship, sustainable business and accountability.

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