Dear Gary:
I am new to Native Net, but was interested in your letter re: focus of
Native Net.
Let me share some of the things that are important to me. I am
American Indian, Cherokee Nation, and a Professor of American Indian
Studies at California State University, Fresno.
I teach four classes each term, and rely heavily on updatting my class
materials from the conferences I attend, during the summer when I am
in Indian Country, and contacts with other Indian people who work in
the field.
Native Net, for me, would be a means of updatting materials and
knowledge about present day issues in Indian Country. For instance, I
am going to be a delegate to the upcoming White House Conference on
Indian Education in January ... D.C. One of the concerns this
conference will focus upon is ... information ... because we really
don't know to any reliable degree, how many Indian children are being
served, the level of funding, or where the funding actually goes when
it leaves D.C. We have some rough ideas, but since each state and
school district is its own turf, it is hard to get that kind of
information. We also want tribal schools, an American Indian
University and more control over funding sources coming out of
Congress. I would like Native Net to focus at least one segment of
its information on U.S. Indians, because it takes all the energy I've
got to deal with that, although I also want info about Indians on this
continent. In terms of tribal people in Australia, New Zealand and
Africa, I think this too should be part of native net, but maybe in
separate categories. (I am new to electronic mail, so I may not be
using the right jargon. This is only my second week of this stuff.
Thank you for including me in the network. bye for now.