We’ve been turned into “Americans” to justify the theft of our lands and resources, and continuing to call us “Indian” reinforces the idea that we are loinclothed savages whom Columbus “discovered.” Then there is the “Other” box. This flattening ignores that Indigenous people are not a race but rather hundreds of distinct nations with tribal sovereignty. And even when I mark one of these categories, I am still listed as “white” in my medical records. Erasing my Indigeneity ensures that I never receive the medical care I deserve.
