A good thing you can do

[megwrites]

Oyate needs some help. They have a generous grant being offered to them that would help them do a lot of good things with their website (which I have used many, many times), but they're a little short on the cash to match it (it's a matching grant).

What is Oyate, you ask? In their own words:

Oyate is a Native organization working to see that our lives and histories are portrayed honestly, and so that all people will know our stories belong to us. For Indian children, it is as important as it has ever been for them to know who they are and what they come from. For all children, it is time to know and acknowledge the truths of history. Only then will they come to have the understanding and respect for each other that now, more than ever, will be necessary for life to continue.

The great Lakota leader, Tatanka Iotanka—Sitting Bull—said, “Let us put our minds together and see what life we will make for our children.” The great Cuban revolutionary, José Martí, said, “We work for children because children know how to love, because children are the hope of the world.” Our work is to nurture in our children a sense of self and community. Our hope is that they will grow up healthy and whole.

Our work includes critical evaluation of books and curricula with Indian themes, conducting of “Teaching Respect for Native Peoples” workshops and institutes; administration of a small resource center and reference library; and distribution of children’s, young adult, and teacher books and materials, with an emphasis on writing and illustration by Native people.

Our hope is that by making many excellent books available to encourage many more, especially from Native writers and artists. Oyate, our organiztion’s name, is the Dakota word for people. It was given to us by a Dakota friend.

You can help them out by going here and donating whatever you can. A dollar, five, ten, fifteen. Anything you've got. They're currently (according to popelizabet, who has a great write up about the whole thing here) about $1783.00 short of their $5000.00 goal, and the deadline is on Saturday, August 1st. Come on, that's totally doable, people!

I know money it tight right now for a whole lot of people, and even if you can't donate, pass the links and the info on. But if you can give anything, please do. This is a really great cause, a great site, and a great goal they're working towards.

After MammothFail, I think it's apparent to us all how important things like this are, so that Native children and youth can have their peoples' stories and histories back in their own hands instead of twisted around and then thrown in their faces by non-Native writers who, while well meaning, may do more harm than good for them. Sites like Oyate help with that.

That's $1783 dollars. That's not unreachable, but only if people get in there and really donate and help!

So, donate whatever you can. Signal boost and pass this on. Let's help them out. Crazy as you may be, internets, you can be a force for good.