International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women & Thanksgiving: An Interview with Luhui Whitebear

UN Women Generation Equality Forum, where WHO made commitments on strengthening the health sector response to violence against women Credits

For 20 years, the United Nations has recognized November 25th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. FIUTS is so proud of the students, alumni, and community members (such as Ilka, Alissa, and many more) who are working hard every day to fight gender-based violence and work towards equality around the world.

Since today is, coincidentally, also Thanksgiving in the U.S., we’ve created this special blog post to acknowledge some of the complexities of this holiday and highlight some of the positive steps towards greater understanding and justice in our country and around the world.

A little explanation: As many in our global community know, traditionally, Thanksgiving celebrates people coming together to show gratitude for what they have, and is a time of year when friends and family gather. At FIUTS, it’s always been a really special opportunity to connect students and local hosts - one we can’t wait to continue in the future once it’s safe to gather again.

We do want to acknowledge, though, that the traditional “story” of Thanksgiving is highly problematic to many communities. Many people in the United States were (and still are) taught about a historical event known as the “first Thanksgiving” that was supposedly celebrated by Pilgrims (European Settlers in what is now Massachusetts) and Indigenous people during the Pilgrims’ first harvest in 1621. We’re grateful for the recent increasing public acknowledgment that this narrative is both historically inaccurate and deeply harmful to Indigenous people. Violence against Indigenous cultures and people have not subsided, particularly violence against Indigenous women.

In order to shed some further light on this issue, our staff interviewed Luhui Whitebear, and we’re privileged to be able to share her perspective with the greater FIUTS community. Read on for more!

Image of Luhui Whitebear sitting in front of the Willamette River

My name is Luhui Whitebear. I am enrolled with the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation and use she/her pronouns.

I have lived in Oregon for much of my life but am originally from Santa Barbara, California. For work, I am an Assistant Professor for the School of Language, Culture, & Society at Oregon State University and also serve as the Center Director of the Kaku-Ixt Mana Ina Haws, which is the Native/Indigenous based center on campus. I also serve on the Corvallis School Board and am an advocate for MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women).

Violence against Indigenous people, especially women and Two-Spirit people [Two-Spirit is a term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe Native people in their communities who fulfill a traditional third-gender ceremonial and social role in their cultures.], is embedded in the fabric of the United States. It started with contact and has become normalized heavily in most aspects of society. Federal law and policy play a big role in this through the complex web of jurisdictional issues they have created. Education, pop culture, and public perception also all play a role in upholding the normalization of violence against us.

The tie to violence towards our bodies is incredibly connected to the continued colonization of our lands as well. Sexual violence, domestic violence, and murder are especially high in relation to Indigenous women and Two-Spirit. Sex trafficking is also an issue, especially with youth. This is all present here in the Pacific Northwest as well.

Image of Luhui Whitebear, her daughter, Oregon Representative Tawna Sanchez, and Deborah Maytube Shipman, MMIW USA Director, following testimony for Oregon HB 2625

Some of the things I am involved with is helping create awareness through teaching and writing as well as political advocacy. For example, I have published work that discusses the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization of 2013's role in upholding continued violence against Indigenous women. Since then, VAWA has expired and I continue to advocate for its reauthorization as well as help people learn how they can support it as well.

I also work with MMIW USA and serve on their board. I would describe my role with them as behind the scenes and also as helping make connections for folk with their on-the-ground work. In the classroom, I help students not only learn more about violence against Indigenous women and Two-Spirit people but also how to help pass that knowledge to others and advocate for social change to address this violence.

Community-based education and formal classroom education are both important pieces in helping create change to stop the violence. The community-based work with MMIW USA is incredibly important because it is grassroots work that works directly with families. They assist with searches, recoveries, and overall support. They also have a prevention program called Staying Sacred [ a monthly program for young girls to be educated on the threats out there and provide them with self-defense classes.]. Violence against Indigenous women and Two-Spirit people is a deep issue that will take multiple ways of addressing it.

Next for me is continuing to publish and provide ways for folk to learn more. I will always be involved with advocating for change and speaking up for our people. It's an important part of my life and I will continue to do whatever I can to ensure my children and future generations do not have to face the same levels of violence we face now. Change is happening and we cannot let up until it is fully addressed.

How to Take Action

When asked how can readers and community members can take action, Luhui Whitebear concludes:

Readers can take action by following social media for organizations such as MMIW USA, the Urban Indian Health Institute, and Sovereign Bodies Institute to continue to learn more. Readers can also learn how to write to legislators to show support for law and policy changes as well as advocate for acts such as VAWA (Violence Against Women Act). And, as simple as it sounds, speaking up when harmful stereotypes are showing up that contribute to the normalization of violence can help.

People can be sensitive around this day [Thanksgiving] by learning more about its roots in genocide. They can also learn more about the National Day of Mourning and why this day is harmful to Indigenous people. People can also reflect on their own actions and consider if they are continuing to the normalization of violence (such as appropriative Halloween costumes and sports mascots or harmful language).

Guest posts on the FIUTS blog represent the experiences and views of individual writers. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FIUTS or any organizations or institutions affiliated with our programs.

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