The Obligation
An essay exploring the question of whether my rich experience of growing up in the Navajo Nation brings with it an obligation and a right to address the tear in the fabric of the world that is made up of indigenous and white people. In Dove Tales, August 2019. Includes author reading an excerpt. https://writingforpeace.org/anna-redsand/
From the essay:
"So many questions arise out of the brokenness that I was a part of, the main one being, 'What is my responsibility regarding this tear in the fabric of the world?' Because I grew up in the Navajo Nation, I was the recipient of a wealth of experiences uncommon to most white people. I ask myself if I owe more than others because of this. 'Have these experiences equipped me in a way that also obligates me?' And, 'Just how do I extend myself in a way that is truly helpful and meaningful without appropriating a task that might not belong to me?'"