#asianveterans

[itskendrickkim2001]

Credit to @stephanielintv listen and be aware #stopasianhate #stopaapihate #asianveterans https://www.instagram.com/p/CWMfsX8vyto/?utm_medium=tumblr

[grandmasaidno]

Ahéhee

I wanted to publically express my appreciation for all of the Native American/Indigenous veterans who have willingly volunteered their service in the armed forces for a country that has continuously erases and perpetuates violence against them and other communities of color.

Very little is known about Native American/Indigenous veterans. From what I can gather, more than 8,000 members of Native American/Indigenous Nations volunteered and served during World War I before they became recognized citizens of the United States in 1924. 24,000 later served in World War II. The Navajo (Diné) code talkers, a group of trained individuals who created a code using their own language, and the alphabet for Diné bizaad, did not get official recognition from the U.S. Government until September 17, 1992.

In the state of my reservation, many of the freedoms defended during the various wars were not legally granted to my ancestor’s and other Native America/Indigenous communities. In the state of Arizona, Native Americans/Indigenous people were not granted the right to vote until 1948. It was not until 1968 that the Indian Civil Rights Act was passed, which allowed limited Bill of Rights to us. Lastly, it was not until the Native American Language Act of 1990 that recognized Indigenous Nations’ right to take action on and give official status to their own language. Many of the rights that others take for granted were not legally granted to those who have defended this Euro-American regime.

Often times, I forget how much my ancestor’s and others have willingly sacrifice for my survival, my resistance, and my existence. I forget how very narrow the choices they had in life, and the choices they made were not for themselves. The choices they made were for us, and the generations after us.

It is not only Native American/Indigenous veterans that I want to publically appreciate, I also want to acknowledge the Black Veterans, the Asian veterans, the Latinx veterans, and all of those who have willingly sacrifice their life to defend a country that continuously oppresses and erases their presence.

Ahéhee shidine’é (Thank you my people)

Ahéhee shichei dóó shimásáni (Thank you my grandpa and my grandma)

Ahéhee shidiyin dine’é (Thank you my holy people)

Ahéhee (Thank you)