Thankful to be on the lands of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji & Yirrganydji peoples in Cairns, Australia. Listening to Dr Pat Anderson’s opening words. “Only Indigenous Peoples understand the power of stories.” So true! Our stories are our data. Our stories are our past & future.

“Signing Treaties 2023” Cheyenne youth & elders filling out USA passport paperwork. Fielding questions like: Why can’t we just use our tribal ids?! Off to Australia to talk about Indigenous youth voice & choice in Indigenous data! This is my heart work. #datawarriors #byusforus

Normalize telling your students (espec Native students & others from historically excl pops): Yes, that (system, structure, theory, policy, data, lived experience, etc.) is fucked up! Now what we gonna do about it?” This is the most sacred part of my job: validating & dreaming.

FYI Montana folks or wannabe Montana folks--holla! Can prob even find you short-term housing. Help us get the Data War Pony on the road & into tribal communities where we will be "Rebuilding Indigenous Data By Us For Us." P.S. Non-Native allies welcome to apply!

Today is Natl Awareness Day for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women. We experience the highest rates of domestic & sexual violence in this country. Almost 4 years since my niece Kaysera was murdered. Still no arrests. My baby is marching for his cousin. #justiceforkaysera #MMIWG

I rarely travel for conferences or talks bc as a single mom, I gotta take my 6 yo or find childcare & it’s rarely worth it. But THIS is so worth it. I’m honored to be in relation w Indigenous women doctoral scholars today. There will be cussing, loud laughter, & tears.

So good to be back @uarizona to meet with US Chief Data Scientist @DeniceRoss46. Of course @scbegonias and I talked all things Indigenous Data Sovereignty/Governance! It’s great to have allies in important places. There’s much work to be done at the federal level! Onward…

My son had his first ballet class today. With his bestie. They were safe and full of joy! 😭 ♥️ The only two boys and they’re Native and Black! Why can’t the world keep affirming their joy like this forever?! I’ll die trying to make it so. Nea’eše/thank you @diazstudiodance

My 6 yo son tried sports & martial arts & just isn’t interested. Instead he wants piano & dance! So I enrolled him in both. Piano lights up his eyes in a way that makes me cry. Next week he starts ballet & tap. I will cultivate his joy even when the world tells him to harden up!

I’m a relative first. When they call me home, I’m home. I want to stop burying my relatives! How do we get to live? The answer shouldn’t be so hard to find. But for us rez kids, it’s elusive. I don’t just study death as a Native demographer. I live it. My research is rage!