WEBVTT

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>> From the Library of
Congress in Washington DC.

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[ Silence ]

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>> And so now I'd like to
welcome you to the Library

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of Congress and to the Law Library.

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We want to thank the Law Library
for hosting us and helping us

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with our room reservations.

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This has been an election
year and so a lot

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of the room reservations throughout
library have been booked up

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and we really appreciate the Law
Library opening their doors to us

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for this presentation today.

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Oftentimes, there's
here at the library,

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our goal is to consider
overlaps between various groups.

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And we call them employee,

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our recognized employee
organizations here at the library.

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I had to think of a
library term for it.

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And today, we have the organization
of employees with disabilities

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that is representing today and
they are Native American employees

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who have planned this event today.

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And so we are really thankful that
our panelists could come together

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and would be able to give us some
information about an area of overlap

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with between people with
disabilities and people

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from the Alaskan and
Native American perspective.

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One of the things that our office
does and I'm from the Office

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of Opportunity Inclusiveness
and Compliance.

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And we work on opportunities
for people,

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we work on the ideas of inclusion.

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And this is one of those type
of activities where we look

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at the overlap and we allow us
to think about things in ways

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that give us a new impact
or a new insight on items

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that we oftentimes
think about separately.

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And so I'm really very
thankful today to be able

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to welcome Dr. Gerry drake
Hawkins [phonetic] and I'd

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like to read the bio that she has.

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Dr. Gerry drake Hawkins,

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this is from the National
Council on Disability.

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They call it NCD.

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She's a staff lead and a
tribal consultation coordinate

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for tribal consultation
coordination, EO13175.

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It's involving tribal
people with disabilities

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in federal policy affecting
their lives.

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Understanding disability
in American Indian

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and Alaskan Native communities

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and NCD cultural diversity
matters since 1999.

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Cindy Hughes is an enrolled member
of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma.

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A tribal affairs professional,
and a former federal employee

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of the U.S. Census Burrow,
Office of Congressional

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and Intergovernmental Affairs
for the Social Security

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and Intergovernmental Affairs.

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She's also from the Social Security
Administration and Department

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of Labor, the Office of
Disability Employment Policy.

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And before federal service,
her national legislative

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and research work assisted advocacy
for people with disabilities.

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And our third panelist
is August Martin.

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A Central Council Tlingit and a
Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.

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Is a vocational rehabilitation
program specialist,

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Department of Education
Office of Special Education

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and Rehabilitation
Services employee.

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And a rehab services administration.

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He's the former tribal VR,

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vocational rehabilitation
director in Alaska.

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And a manager of the Western
Washington University Capacity

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Building Center for Nationwide
Tribal and VR Training.

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So without firth ado, I'd like
to thank you for attending

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and to welcome our guest speakers.

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Thank you.

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[ Applause ]

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[ Silence ]

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>> Good afternoon.

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I'd like to thank your group for
inviting the National Council

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on Disability to be a part of
this very special occasion.

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My understanding is that this
is a first to address the issues

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of disability and to
address Native American

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and Alaska Native perspectives
in one program.

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So thank you so much for
inviting the National Council

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on Disability to be a part.

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Well, who and what does the National
Council on Disability represent?

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I'm just a messenger today to share
a few things with you and I want

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to talk the least of all

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because this is the Native American
Heritage Month and I want you

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to hear more from our
authentic representatives

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of tribal people and communities.

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The National Council on
Disability is a federal agency,

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it's very small in number.

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Where you have thousands of
employees with the Library

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of Congress, we have 2 digits.

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And we don't go beyond 12.

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That includes our executive
director.

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Our council currently is made
up of people who are appointed

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by the sitting president.

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Under the reauthorization of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

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which is now under the Workforce
Investment Opportunity Act,

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there would be some changes in
how the council is set up as far

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as numbers are concerned.

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There are now 15 members

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of the council all
appointed by the president.

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Under the new act, the
reauthorization, there will be 9.

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Four of those 9 will
be pointed by Congress

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and 5 will be presidential
appointees.

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Disability knows no party,

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disability knows no age,
no race, no language.

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And so we are the federal ears, the
federal voice for disability policy,

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practices, and procedures
cross the country.

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We also have an international
interest

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because other countries have
looks to NCD to participate

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in helping them to try to have
something in place around the world

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for people with disabilities.

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And many countries are
looking at the Americans

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with Disabilities Act
as their model.

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What the National Council on
Disability tries to do to stay

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in tune with the community.

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One thing is that we want to hear
from stakeholders as often as well.

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And when we say stakeholders,
we're talking about all Americans

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with disabilities regardless
of severity,

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regardless of the nature
of the disability.

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Our stakeholders also include
policymakers and decision makers,

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groups and organizations, families

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and support systems,
and society at large.

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There are some values
and commitments

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that the National Council

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on Disability articulates
in its strategic plan.

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Three of the areas that
I think are pretty close

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to how we are here today.

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One would be relevance.

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We look to ensure that
the work we do is useful

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and time the addressing
priority issues of concern

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to the disability community.

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The second one is diversity.

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We honor people with disabilities
by embracing the broad spectrum

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of human difference and by
learning about including

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and respecting the various
perspectives and backgrounds.

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Including multigenerational
perspectives reflected

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in the disability community
and families.

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And the third area is collaboration.

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NCD will coordinate effective
practices internally and externally

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with traditional and
nontraditional partners.

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We consider the tribal consultation
work group that we have gathered,

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is the best term I can say,
under the executive order 13175.

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And we are working in close
connection with a group

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that uses the acronym
KNAR [phonetic].

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It's the people who
are a part of KNAR.

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And I hope I get it all correct and
if I don't, Mr. Martin can help me

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because at one point he was
very involved with KNAR.

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It's a consortia of administrators
of Native American rehabilitation.

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I got it, okay.

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And so the members of KNAR are
the members of our work group.

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There are only 73 or close
to that number of tribes

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that receive funding from
the Federal Government

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for vocational rehabilitation
programs.

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And there are more than 500
federal recognized tribes.

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So you see how many
[inaudible] left out.

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The tribes compete each year.

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There are certain things
that KNAR is trying to assist

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and NCD will work as a partner
legislative connections.

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What we do, we try to be
a catalyst between groups

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and partners with groups.

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So we're looking forward to
any opportunity that we can

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in the future to perhaps do some
work with the Library of Congress.

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The understanding Native
Americans or understanding people

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with disabilities in Native American
communities is a part of a project

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that the National Council

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on Disability contracted
over 10 years ago.

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So that tells you something is
needed now because information

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that is going to be useful to
people as you know being the Library

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of Congress must be updated.

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Our budget is small and so each
year, as every federal entity has

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to do, the budget has to
determine what can we do

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with the funding that we have.

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Our future will be looking
at future generations.

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So FY15 and FY2016, we're
looking from the broad perspective

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of youthful disabilities
and future generations

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and what are some of
the needs there.

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We are looking to move from
dependence to independence.

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From being excluded to people

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with disabilities being
included in society in general.

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And, of course, that means
being included in employment

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and in employment markets.

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I would like to stop here
because I believe that your theme,

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Native by Native is important.

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And that it will be very important
to hear from our other 2 panelists.

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If there's time at the end, I
can talk again, but I really want

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to give them the most time.

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Thank you.

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[ Applause ]

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[ Microphone Disruption ]

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[ Silence ]

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>> Good afternoon.

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My name is August Martin.

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I come from the Tlingit Nation.

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My Tlingit name is Jheet [phonetic].

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I come from the [inaudible] House
of the Chiconati [phonetic] Clan.

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Our people are matrilineal
which means

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that we follow after
our mother's clan.

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So my mother's a Chiconati.

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And in our culture and our
people, we are forbidden

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to marry within the same clan.

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So I cannot marry another Eagle.

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That's primarily because
our families are so big

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and we run the risk
of marrying a cousin,

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and that would be scary [laughter].

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So my dad is a Raven.

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He comes from the Raven
Clan, the [inaudible] Clan.

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If I was to introduce myself
to you in the traditional ways,

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I would have to introduce
the lineage,

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my lineage on the Chiconati
side and then the lineage

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from my dad's side,
the [inaudible] side.

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And that would probably take

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up the entire 20 minutes
of my time [laughter].

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So we'll go ahead and forego that.

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As I speak today, I need you to
understand that I do not speak

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on behalf of the 600 plus American
Indian Alaskan Native tribes

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across this country.

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It is not my intent to
represent them in any way,

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but to share with you my experience
and my knowledge that I have gained

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in the 17 years I've been
working in this field.

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We were asked to talk about
Native American culture

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as it relates to disabilities.

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And as well as employment as
it relates to disabilities.

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The first thing I would
like to share with you is

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to discuss a little bit
about the term disability.

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Now in many of the tribes across
the country, there is no word

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in their language for
the term disability.

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It is a unique concept to them.

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There are a lot of
cultural reasons for that

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that I'll talk a little
bit about later.

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But there is no term in my
language, the Tlingit Tribe,

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there is no word for
the term disability.

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In many of our tribes, if a child
was born with a congenital disorder,

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many of the tribes, they were put to
death, they weren't allowed to live.

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If an individual acquired
a disability later in life,

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that was a different story.

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For those who were born
with congenital disorders,

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I have a sister who was
born with Bell's palsy.

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My grandfather who was born
in 1898 grew up the old ways,

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grew up under traditional ways.

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And throughout my sister's life,
I don't think he ever spoke a word

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to her because that was just the
way the culture was developed

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for my people.

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Now things have obviously
changed between then and now.

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But just to let you
know that in many

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of the cultures, that
was a mainstay.

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If you were born with a disorder,

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chances are you weren't
going to survive.

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If an individual acquired a
disability, a physical impairment

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of some sort in the
course of their life.

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That individual is
typically viewed as a person

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of honor, requiring respect.

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And the reason for that is
because they were one of the few

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who have actually had
the opportunity

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to either encounter what happens

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after this life, touching
the other side.

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Or they've actually touched
it, survived and came back

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and they had wisdom and they
had knowledge that they'd share

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with the entire community.

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So if you acquired a disability
after birth at some point,

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you were taking care of by
the tribe or by the community.

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Much of the reason individuals
were taken care of stemmed

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from our values that are taught
to us from a very young age.

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Our elders have taught
us to respect life.

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We look at everything and
we see life in everything.

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We look at the rock on the road,
we look at the road itself,

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we look at the trees, the
river, the mountain, the ocean.

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They all have life.

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Now this should not
be construed to mean

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that we worship nature, we don't.

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What we do is we respect life
and we see life in everything.

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And because we do not have
the ability to give life,

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who are we to take it away?

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And so we respect life very deeply

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and that value is ingrained
in many of us.

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And so when a person
with a disability resides

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within our communities, part of
our value system has taught us

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to take care of that individual.

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Now growing up, some of
the values that I grew

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up with is my people are
hunters and gatherers.

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We hunt. I'm one of the last
seal hunters of my people.

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I go out and I hunt seal.

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We also hunt deer.

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We go out and we get
buries and we get clams

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and we get foods off
the beach and, you know,

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we do some harvest as well.

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But the way we were taught growing
up is when we get our first catch.

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If we catch our first fish,
if we get our first seal

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or our first dear, we are to take
that and we are to give it away,

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the very first thing we get.

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We give it to the elders first
and then we give it to those

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who cannot go out and
get them for themselves.

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That's a part of our value
system that we were raised with.

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And that goes back
to having a respect

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for every living thing
that is around us.

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In the Tlingit culture.

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All right, I got lost on my notes.

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That kind of brings
us to employment.

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Now employment, again,
is a very unique concept.

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It's not a concept that is
historical in our traditions.

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If you look back 2, 300 years,
400 years, you're not going

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to see position descriptions
for people in our communities.

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What we did have is when
our children were born,

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we would look for that 1 trait
within them that was theirs,

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that was either a gift or something
that they were very good at,

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and we honed those skills.

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And at some point, they would
take their place in the community.

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It was their purpose in
life to fill that piece

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of the community only
they could fill.

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And so every person in the community
whether they had a disability

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or not had their role to fill.

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They had a place, they
had a purpose in life.

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And so trying to bridge
the concept of employment

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into traditional cultures has
been somewhat of a challenge.

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I've been in vocational
rehabilitation for 15 years.

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I've been working with people
with disabilities for 17 years.

20:27.620 --> 20:30.480
And in working with
traditional cultures,

20:30.480 --> 20:35.260
that's one of our biggest
struggles is to convey the concept

20:35.260 --> 20:38.670
of not only disability which
we don't have a word for.

20:38.670 --> 20:42.370
But also convey the
concept of employment.

20:42.370 --> 20:49.360
There has been a struggle, cultural
divide in tying your employment

20:49.360 --> 20:54.340
and how much you make an hour and
how much you make a year to you

20:54.340 --> 20:59.040
as a person and the values
you have as a human being.

20:59.040 --> 21:06.280
Those are 2 separate
dichotomies, if you will.

21:06.280 --> 21:09.040
When I introduced myself
to you, I introduced myself

21:09.040 --> 21:11.200
to you as a Tlingit first.

21:11.200 --> 21:15.300
I'm a Tlingit and then I'm
a vocational rehabilitation

21:15.300 --> 21:18.090
program specialist.

21:18.090 --> 21:23.850
My value as a human being isn't
tied to what I do as a job.

21:23.850 --> 21:27.420
My value as a human being is
tied to who I am as a person

21:27.420 --> 21:30.650
and how I interact
with my communities.

21:30.650 --> 21:38.150
In the Tlingit nation, we measure
our wealth not by how much we have.

21:38.150 --> 21:41.400
We measure our wealth by
how much we have given away.

21:41.400 --> 21:46.290
So during some of the
ceremonies of my people,

21:46.290 --> 21:53.530
it is not a rare occurrence to have
many of our clans give away much

21:53.530 --> 21:56.980
of what they own to
the opposite clan.

21:56.980 --> 21:59.470
That is how we demonstrate
our wealth.

21:59.470 --> 22:05.000
Because we are contributing not only
to the community but to families

22:05.000 --> 22:09.710
and we're bridging ties and
strengthening ties between families.

22:09.710 --> 22:13.650
We teach our children that
they have a place in the world

22:13.650 --> 22:15.900
that no one else can fill.

22:15.900 --> 22:19.340
We raise our kids so they
understand that they have a purpose

22:19.340 --> 22:22.790
and the purpose contributes
to the community as a whole.

22:22.790 --> 22:25.090
When our children and community
members recognize they have a

22:25.090 --> 22:29.370
purpose and a role to fill in that
community, you cannot measure,

22:29.370 --> 22:32.490
you cannot quantify the level
of commitment that is born

22:32.490 --> 22:34.580
with that individual
and the willingness

22:34.580 --> 22:38.030
to invest their whole
being into that community.

22:38.030 --> 22:43.700
One of the most valuable lessons
I learned as a manager was

22:43.700 --> 22:50.050
to take myself outside of the
leadership role as a program manager

22:50.050 --> 22:54.500
and recount myself as an
equal member to the staff

22:54.500 --> 22:57.070
that were under my charge.

22:57.070 --> 23:02.070
I'd show them a various,
simple, basic diagram of a pie.

23:02.070 --> 23:05.720
There was 4 of us in the program.

23:05.720 --> 23:09.970
And we all owned that
program, it was all of ours.

23:09.970 --> 23:11.950
And so when we went through
our policy procedures,

23:11.950 --> 23:16.600
I would speak to them and talk
to them and ask them what part

23:16.600 --> 23:20.110
of this policy works, what
doesn't, how can we change?

23:20.110 --> 23:24.990
And as they became, as they
contributed more of their ideas

23:24.990 --> 23:29.030
to the policies of that program,
it became more and more theirs.

23:29.030 --> 23:31.070
They took ownership of it.

23:31.070 --> 23:33.820
And that's the same
thing in our communities.

23:33.820 --> 23:37.900
Whether we involve our community
members more and more into events

23:37.900 --> 23:42.400
and into ceremonies and things of
that nature for our communities,

23:42.400 --> 23:44.590
they start to take
ownership of that community.

23:44.590 --> 23:47.040
It becomes theirs.

23:47.040 --> 23:50.380
And those are the values that we are
teaching our children and we hope

23:50.380 --> 23:52.190
to get across to our children.

23:52.190 --> 23:56.900
So let's not forget that no matter
the physical or mental condition

23:56.900 --> 24:01.030
of an individual in our
communities, they do have a place,

24:01.030 --> 24:04.770
they do have a purpose
and a role to fill.

24:04.770 --> 24:08.700
Let us cultivate that
and value and pass it

24:08.700 --> 24:12.630
on to the generations
that come after us.

24:12.630 --> 24:15.090
[Foreign language]
Thank you for your time.

24:15.090 --> 24:17.990
I hope what I have said
has not offended anybody

24:17.990 --> 24:21.510
and I thank you for the opportunity.

24:21.510 --> 24:27.010
[ Applause ]

24:27.010 --> 24:33.460
[ Background Sounds ]

24:33.460 --> 24:40.290
>> Hello, I'm Cindy Hughes, and
I am a member of the Kiowa Tribe.

24:40.290 --> 24:42.960
[Inaudible] And I wanted to
tell you just a little bit more

24:42.960 --> 24:45.830
about how I came to DC first.

24:45.830 --> 24:52.310
I am from Oklahoma and was born in
a really small down called Anadarko.

24:52.310 --> 24:56.800
And I was the first
child mainstreamed

24:56.800 --> 25:00.700
into the public school system.

25:00.700 --> 25:03.890
And first child with a
disability that was mainstreamed

25:03.890 --> 25:05.700
into the public school system.

25:05.700 --> 25:08.790
And this was previous to the IDEA.

25:08.790 --> 25:11.810
From there, I went to college.

25:11.810 --> 25:17.880
But because the people that
were helping me was being paid

25:17.880 --> 25:19.180
for my Medicaid.

25:19.180 --> 25:22.510
Medicaid at that time paid
for personal care attendance,

25:22.510 --> 25:24.430
but they only paid
for 3 hours a day.

25:24.430 --> 25:27.490
You couldn't pick the person
that you wanted to help you.

25:27.490 --> 25:32.560
So I flunked out of school
because I couldn't get to classes

25:32.560 --> 25:34.910
when somebody didn't
show up to help me.

25:34.910 --> 25:38.950
So I went until the age
of 32 without a job.

25:38.950 --> 25:44.910
And during that time, I lived
on supplemental security income,

25:44.910 --> 25:47.660
food stamps and section 8 housing.

25:47.660 --> 25:54.070
And it is a very, very
difficult life.

25:54.070 --> 25:58.600
Then when I was 32,
I got a job working

25:58.600 --> 26:02.940
for the Oklahoma State Senate
and I worked there for 10 years.

26:02.940 --> 26:08.340
And then I always knew that I
wanted to work in DC to do advocacy.

26:08.340 --> 26:12.760
I had done advocacy all my life and
so I knew that that was a strength

26:12.760 --> 26:16.690
that I had and it was a calling.

26:16.690 --> 26:24.580
So I had the opportunity to run for
Miss Wheelchair America in 2003.

26:24.580 --> 26:30.330
So I actually won that in 2004 and
I was Miss Wheelchair America 2004.

26:30.330 --> 26:37.230
But I used that as a means
to advocate for policies

26:37.230 --> 26:41.890
that I thought would better
the situation for people

26:41.890 --> 26:45.720
with disabilities and for Native
Americans with disabilities.

26:45.720 --> 26:48.970
And I came to the attention
of the National Congress

26:48.970 --> 26:51.340
of American Indians
which is the oldest

26:51.340 --> 26:55.750
and largest national nonprofit
organization representing tribal

26:55.750 --> 26:57.830
governments in the United States.

26:57.830 --> 27:02.980
And they hired me in 2005
to work on disability issues

27:02.980 --> 27:06.610
and cultural preservation
issues here in DC.

27:06.610 --> 27:10.420
So I did that work
for about 5 years.

27:10.420 --> 27:13.040
And that's how I met Dr. Hawkins.

27:13.040 --> 27:16.640
And that's how I met August.

27:16.640 --> 27:22.810
Was working on disability issues
through KNAR, through NCD,

27:22.810 --> 27:26.730
and in try to bring Indian
youth with disabilities

27:26.730 --> 27:31.830
to different events that NCD
sponsored or was a part of.

27:31.830 --> 27:35.100
And I worked there for
5 years and then I moved

27:35.100 --> 27:36.660
to the federal government.

27:36.660 --> 27:42.790
Because I thought that it was
necessary to have more tribal people

27:42.790 --> 27:46.240
and more Indian people with
disabilities, in particular,

27:46.240 --> 27:52.910
within the system to try to
move from that end forward.

27:52.910 --> 27:58.670
And I was hired on schedule
A. Now there I'm going

27:58.670 --> 28:03.790
to talk a little bit more about
what I believe there should be some

28:03.790 --> 28:07.180
revisiting of some policy
issues regarding employment.

28:07.180 --> 28:16.290
Viable employment and a living wage
are the tickets to greater freedom,

28:16.290 --> 28:19.900
independence, and the
chance to fully participate

28:19.900 --> 28:22.710
and contribute to society.

28:22.710 --> 28:29.940
Yet, only 1.3 percent, 1.3 percent

28:29.940 --> 28:32.890
of the American Indian
Alaska Native alone

28:32.890 --> 28:41.050
with disabilities population
aged 18 to 64 are working at all.

28:41.050 --> 28:46.390
That's a dismal, dismal
state of affairs.

28:46.390 --> 28:50.490
I am an American Indian with a
disability and I think of myself.

28:50.490 --> 28:56.220
And this is born out through
conversations with many, many,

28:56.220 --> 29:00.100
many others, American Indians,
who live with disabilities.

29:00.100 --> 29:04.220
And we tend to think of ourselves
as being a part of our tribe,

29:04.220 --> 29:08.050
being a part of our people, and
being a part of Indian country

29:08.050 --> 29:11.700
as a whole before we think
of ourselves as being a part

29:11.700 --> 29:13.600
of the disability community.

29:13.600 --> 29:16.550
And that is something
that I think is different

29:16.550 --> 29:21.880
within the disability
community as a whole.

29:21.880 --> 29:26.340
Being Indian is more than just the
color of our skin or what happened

29:26.340 --> 29:30.050
in our past as August stated before.

29:30.050 --> 29:35.830
It's reflected in what we call home,
our family structure, our language.

29:35.830 --> 29:38.390
Many of us were raised
with Indian value systems

29:38.390 --> 29:40.530
and [inaudible] and behaviors.

29:40.530 --> 29:46.660
And they are an integral part of
who we are and how we see the world.

29:46.660 --> 29:50.720
Our dreams may be simple.

29:54.330 --> 29:56.440
Sorry, I'm very passionate
about this subject.

29:56.440 --> 29:59.930
But they mean everything to us.

30:01.310 --> 30:06.190
Success revolves around the
ability to live independently,

30:06.190 --> 30:08.860
to take care of ourselves.

30:08.860 --> 30:13.130
But we live with constant
uncertainties.

30:13.130 --> 30:17.610
Will someone actually
show up to help us today?

30:17.610 --> 30:21.310
How will we find the
money to eat today?

30:21.310 --> 30:25.540
What utility is in danger
of being cut off this month?

30:25.540 --> 30:31.210
And if we were employed, how
long will we be employed?

30:31.210 --> 30:35.270
How long will it be before
someone finds fault with something

30:35.270 --> 30:40.680
about us and will let us go?

30:40.680 --> 30:43.080
Which of my coworkers
can I approach to help me

30:43.080 --> 30:48.410
with my coat or with my purse?

30:48.410 --> 30:51.910
How will I get home if
I have to work late?

30:51.910 --> 30:54.980
We, as a society, have
accomplished much.

30:54.980 --> 31:00.900
You know, we have IDEA, we have
the ADA, we have schedule A,

31:00.900 --> 31:03.230
we have all of these policies.

31:03.230 --> 31:07.020
But there is so much more
than needs to be done.

31:07.020 --> 31:08.900
Currently, there's only one entity

31:08.900 --> 31:11.630
that provides culturally
relevant employment services

31:11.630 --> 31:13.720
to Indians living with a disability.

31:13.720 --> 31:18.070
And those are the American Indian
Vocational Rehabilitation Programs

31:18.070 --> 31:21.990
that currently only
receive 1.5 percent

31:21.990 --> 31:26.960
of the available federal funding
for rehabilitation services.

31:26.960 --> 31:30.000
Due to the great need for
culturally appropriate services

31:30.000 --> 31:34.820
across Indian country, that 1.5
percent needs to be increased

31:34.820 --> 31:37.920
to a 5 percent set aside
for tribal programs.

31:37.920 --> 31:41.680
And that 5 percent is consistent
with other federal programs

31:41.680 --> 31:44.660
that serve tribal members.

31:44.660 --> 31:48.250
Further, the Rehabilitation
Services Administration needs

31:48.250 --> 31:52.890
to establish a tribal affairs
office to increase its capacity

31:52.890 --> 31:55.660
to serve the AIVR programs.

31:55.660 --> 31:59.330
There should be at the very
least 3 full time employees

31:59.330 --> 32:02.900
who are tribal members and
have a thorough understanding

32:02.900 --> 32:05.070
of how tribal governments work.

32:05.070 --> 32:08.900
This experience is vital to
serve the unique circumstances

32:08.900 --> 32:12.810
of Native Americans
with disabilities.

32:12.810 --> 32:17.980
Further, the schedule A hiring
authority needs to be revisited.

32:17.980 --> 32:21.210
It is very easy to
hire with schedule A,

32:21.210 --> 32:24.900
but it is also very easy to fire.

32:24.900 --> 32:27.790
And there is a 2 year
probationary period

32:27.790 --> 32:31.400
versus a 1 year probationary
period for veterans

32:31.400 --> 32:35.700
or for other federal employees.

32:35.700 --> 32:41.310
And I'm also a member of the Federal
Employees with Disabilities Group

32:41.310 --> 32:46.520
and they have gathered information
from people with disabilities

32:46.520 --> 32:51.320
across the federal system
that the retention rate past

32:51.320 --> 32:55.270
that 2 year is dismal.

32:55.270 --> 32:59.110
Very, very few out last
their probationary period.

32:59.110 --> 33:05.220
That includes myself after 2 federal
jobs and I'm currently unemployed.

33:06.240 --> 33:10.630
For many of us, reasonable
accommodations include our lives

33:10.630 --> 33:13.840
both inside and outside
the workplace.

33:13.840 --> 33:17.700
To date, there is no access
to federal tax credits

33:17.700 --> 33:20.520
to offset the cost of
personal assistance.

33:20.520 --> 33:25.390
Even though these individuals are
in effect financial dependents.

33:25.390 --> 33:27.350
We are not allowed
to offer inclusion

33:27.350 --> 33:30.440
on employment based
medical or dental benefits.

33:30.440 --> 33:33.990
This policy is in effect even
though our coworkers are allowed

33:33.990 --> 33:37.340
to include their spouses
and children who are, again,

33:37.340 --> 33:41.230
financial dependents in the eyes
of the Internal Revenue Service.

33:41.230 --> 33:42.940
The cost of living independently

33:42.940 --> 33:47.320
and maintaining employment leave
little for other essentials.

33:47.320 --> 33:49.880
Outside the workplace,
there is still a lack

33:49.880 --> 33:55.020
of accessible public transportation
and accessible housing.

33:55.020 --> 33:59.830
Washington DC is one of
the most accessible cities

33:59.830 --> 34:01.350
in the United States and it's one

34:01.350 --> 34:05.910
of the big reasons why
I chose to live here.

34:05.910 --> 34:08.310
Here I could take my
power wheelchair

34:08.310 --> 34:13.180
and I can utilize the Metro
or I can utilize the bus.

34:13.180 --> 34:17.770
When I was in Oklahoma even
working for the state capital,

34:17.770 --> 34:22.880
very few of the buses
had ramps on them.

34:22.880 --> 34:26.170
There are no accessible
taxi companies

34:26.170 --> 34:28.030
within the city of Oklahoma City.

34:28.030 --> 34:29.860
Very few curb cuts.

34:29.860 --> 34:35.610
Now that is predominant across many
cities here in the United States,

34:35.610 --> 34:40.490
regardless of 25 years
after the ADA.

34:40.490 --> 34:45.590
Many, including myself, must
resort to conventional housing.

34:45.590 --> 34:55.390
Accessible apartments are at a
minimum and the price is very dear.

34:55.390 --> 34:59.490
There are no federal grants or
low interest loans for renters

34:59.490 --> 35:02.660
with disabilities to
modify standard apartments

35:02.660 --> 35:05.290
to accommodate the disabilities.

35:05.290 --> 35:09.420
These factors reflect a definite
need for the expansion of federal

35:09.420 --> 35:12.210
and state measures and policies.

35:12.210 --> 35:16.070
There are 54 million citizens who
seek the American dream of life,

35:16.070 --> 35:18.120
liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness.

35:18.120 --> 35:21.040
And there are over 500,000 Indians

35:21.040 --> 35:23.930
with disabilities seeking
the same opportunities.

35:23.930 --> 35:29.140
And these dreams are so much more
meaningful than just a mere cliché.

35:29.140 --> 35:31.460
So I want hopefully
that we will remember

35:31.460 --> 35:36.840
that America works best
when all Americans work.

35:36.840 --> 35:38.640
Thank you.

35:38.640 --> 35:43.010
[ Applause ]

35:43.010 --> 35:52.460
[ Silence ]

35:52.460 --> 35:56.320
>> We certainly have had more than
a lot to think about in the comments

35:56.320 --> 35:58.600
and the things that have
been presented today.

35:58.600 --> 36:03.020
And just, again, I want to thank you
for your presentations, thank you.

36:03.020 --> 36:06.160
At this point, I would like
to introduce to you a member

36:06.160 --> 36:14.510
of the Library of Congress, employee
of our staff here, Kristi Dane.

36:14.510 --> 36:22.550
[ Silence ]

36:22.550 --> 36:25.560
>> Hi. On behalf of the
student organization

36:25.560 --> 36:27.500
for Native American
people here at the Library,

36:27.500 --> 36:31.720
I just wanted to thank you so much
for coming here to speak to us

36:31.720 --> 36:38.140
to bringing our thought
provoking, you know, experiences.

36:38.140 --> 36:41.000
And I hope that each of us can
take away something, you know,

36:41.000 --> 36:45.480
is there something we want to
further research, further question?

36:45.480 --> 36:49.890
You know, our own values, what
can we do more here at the Library

36:49.890 --> 36:51.190
or in our own personal life?

36:51.190 --> 36:54.850
You know, how do we move forward?

36:54.850 --> 36:56.910
I think and the question
of community.

36:56.910 --> 37:00.100
How do we serve in our community,
I think that's a beautiful thought

37:00.100 --> 37:03.250
that everyone brought forward here.

37:03.250 --> 37:07.000
Are there any questions
from the audience?

37:08.060 --> 37:09.750
>> Kristi, can I ask?

37:09.750 --> 37:12.910
Would you speak about your
experience as an intern

37:12.910 --> 37:17.240
in employment and your
decision to come to DC.

37:17.240 --> 37:20.450
>> Okay. I am from Oklahoma,
a small town as well.

37:20.450 --> 37:22.320
I'm from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

37:22.320 --> 37:25.840
I'm a member of the
CATO Nation of Oklahoma.

37:25.840 --> 37:31.980
So I was in college at actually a
former tribal college in Oklahoma.

37:31.980 --> 37:35.430
And I received a full
internship with a stipend to come

37:35.430 --> 37:38.320
to Washington DC to work here
at the Library of Congress

37:38.320 --> 37:40.960
through an internship program.

37:40.960 --> 37:42.260
I had never been here,

37:42.260 --> 37:45.440
I had traveled a lot
but never to Washington.

37:45.440 --> 37:49.640
So I took the opportunity to come
out here for 6 months and I fell

37:49.640 --> 37:54.750
in love with the culture and
the experiences I had here.

37:54.750 --> 37:57.570
So, thankfully, I was
offered a contract.

37:57.570 --> 38:03.950
And after some thought and talk
with my family, it's a big move.

38:03.950 --> 38:09.030
And it is very, very different
here versus being in Oklahoma

38:09.030 --> 38:11.170
and moving away by yourself.

38:11.170 --> 38:15.670
Not only away from your family,
but away from your community.

38:15.670 --> 38:18.690
And so I after 10 years,
I'm still here.

38:18.690 --> 38:20.070
So something worked well.

38:20.070 --> 38:25.710
I was offered a contract and
finally a permanent federal position

38:25.710 --> 38:30.580
which I love and I'm
very thankful for.

38:30.580 --> 38:34.720
But I am very glad to participate

38:34.720 --> 38:38.890
and to hopefully bring
Native American issues,

38:38.890 --> 38:41.510
you know, to the forefront.

38:41.510 --> 38:44.610
You know, so we all work together.

38:44.610 --> 38:47.170
Whether it's through
collections, events, you know,

38:47.170 --> 38:49.600
bringing great speakers here.

38:49.600 --> 38:53.420
And I'm glad of adding
that work in addition

38:53.420 --> 38:57.010
to my position description
[laughter].

38:58.510 --> 39:05.010
[ Silence ]

39:05.010 --> 39:07.340
[ Laughter ]

39:07.340 --> 39:11.410
>> Well I was informed
that I wasn't going to have

39:11.410 --> 39:12.710
to talk today [laughter].

39:12.710 --> 39:14.010
I guess I do.

39:14.010 --> 39:15.310
I'm [inaudible].

39:15.310 --> 39:16.610
I'm one of Gerry's interns.

39:16.610 --> 39:19.660
I'm a legal and policy intern at
National Council of Disability

39:19.660 --> 39:23.090
and I just moved to DC in August.

39:23.090 --> 39:27.000
I have to take the bar
and stuff in February.

39:27.000 --> 39:31.790
So I'm supposed to ask
you guys a question.

39:31.790 --> 39:33.460
So can I ask 2 questions?

39:33.460 --> 39:34.760
>> Sure.

39:34.760 --> 39:39.160
>> Okay. Do you have like a figure
of how many Native Americans

39:39.160 --> 39:42.180
or Alaskan Natives
with a disability?

39:45.960 --> 39:47.700
>> Twenty seven point
three, isn't it?

39:47.700 --> 39:49.000
>> You know, the ADA
typically says 1

39:49.000 --> 39:51.140
out of every 5 for
general population.

39:51.140 --> 39:55.800
For Native American communities,
it's almost double or triple that.

39:55.800 --> 39:57.100
It's a very large number.

39:57.100 --> 40:01.900
One of the reasons why we have
such a high percentage of people

40:01.900 --> 40:05.080
with disabilities is because.

40:05.080 --> 40:07.520
In my opinion, this
is just my opinion.

40:07.520 --> 40:09.760
It's because of a loss of identity.

40:09.760 --> 40:15.650
When you don't know who you are,
you don't know where you came from,

40:15.650 --> 40:17.860
you start to look for
that in other places.

40:17.860 --> 40:21.960
You look for that whether it's in
alcohol or drugs or other types

40:21.960 --> 40:23.980
of self destructive behaviors.

40:23.980 --> 40:26.130
You look for that somewhere else.

40:26.130 --> 40:27.680
So other things that we've done

40:27.680 --> 40:33.110
in our program is we've encouraged
our members to include as a part

40:33.110 --> 40:36.540
of their service, services
that help our individual

40:36.540 --> 40:40.290
with disabilities find
their identity again.

40:40.290 --> 40:44.290
Because many of the things that
you find is that when they find

40:44.290 --> 40:50.150
out who they are, where they
come from, their life stabilizes

40:50.150 --> 40:52.530
to such an extent that they
are able to do a lot more

40:52.530 --> 40:56.790
than they had done in the past.

40:56.790 --> 41:02.550
You know, I found out how
debilitating a lack of identity is

41:02.550 --> 41:05.870
from a friend of mine in college.

41:05.870 --> 41:09.160
She was a Cree Indian taken
out of her home in Montana,

41:09.160 --> 41:13.000
placed in a non-native
family down in Georgia.

41:13.000 --> 41:14.760
She went to college
in Tennessee which is

41:14.760 --> 41:17.830
where I graduated college from.

41:17.830 --> 41:19.420
But she had never known
her identity,

41:19.420 --> 41:22.430
she has never known
where she came from.

41:22.430 --> 41:23.730
And she would come to me.

41:23.730 --> 41:25.030
I'm Tlingit, I'm not Cree.

41:25.030 --> 41:29.760
I have not as much knowledge
about the Cree Indians as someone

41:29.760 --> 41:32.500
that actually comes from
that tribe, obviously.

41:32.500 --> 41:35.280
But I tried to share with her
some things about her identity,

41:35.280 --> 41:38.510
about who she was as
a Native American.

41:38.510 --> 41:46.800
The last time I saw her, she was
being let out of the woman's dorm

41:46.800 --> 41:49.710
with bandages on her wrist.

41:49.710 --> 41:52.120
She tried to kill herself.

41:52.120 --> 41:55.540
She had no idea where she came from.

41:55.540 --> 42:00.910
Her identity had been lost, had been
stolen, had been taken from her.

42:00.910 --> 42:03.200
My opinion is that
the reason why so many

42:03.200 --> 42:05.780
of our Native Americans
have disabilities.

42:05.780 --> 42:08.930
Heart disease, cancer is 2

42:08.930 --> 42:12.290
of the most prevailing
disabilities among our people.

42:12.290 --> 42:15.550
Is because of that loss of identity.

42:15.550 --> 42:16.850
You know, there's so many.

42:16.850 --> 42:19.460
I'm lucky, my tribe has
never been taken out of

42:19.460 --> 42:22.120
where I come from, Southeast Alaska.

42:22.120 --> 42:24.940
But if you look at the KATO
Tribe, if you look at the Kiowas,

42:24.940 --> 42:28.220
you look at the Cherokees, you look
at the Navahos, you look at all

42:28.220 --> 42:29.970
of these describes
across the country.

42:29.970 --> 42:33.790
They are not where they
originally were indigenous to.

42:33.790 --> 42:37.530
They were taken from where they
were originally indigenous and moved

42:37.530 --> 42:38.830
to someplace else in the country.

42:38.830 --> 42:43.240
And so they have no connection
to that part of their life,

42:43.240 --> 42:46.280
that part of their culture.

42:46.280 --> 42:49.010
And because of that, they
lose part of their identity.

42:49.010 --> 42:52.650
And it gets poured into
something else other

42:52.650 --> 42:54.820
than their actual identity.

42:54.820 --> 42:58.170
And I think that's one of the
biggest reasons why we are

42:58.170 --> 43:01.880
such a high percentage
of American Indians

43:01.880 --> 43:05.100
with disabilities,
the Alaskan Natives.

43:05.100 --> 43:08.220
>> I used to work for the Census
Bureau and the statistics were

43:08.220 --> 43:09.520
that we had the highest rate

43:09.520 --> 43:13.270
of disability among any
other demographic group.

43:13.270 --> 43:16.760
Some of that is due to
what he talked about.

43:16.760 --> 43:18.060
There are also other things.

43:18.060 --> 43:23.680
Diabetes. Now diabetes,
that stems from poor diet.

43:23.680 --> 43:27.460
Now we don't, we've been removed
from our land, we've been removed

43:27.460 --> 43:32.850
from our traditional diets
that allowed us to be healthy.

43:32.850 --> 43:37.670
And because of the reservation
system, they put us on rations

43:37.670 --> 43:41.790
and the commodity food program
which is nothing but starch.

43:41.790 --> 43:47.430
And when you are hungry and when you
are poor, starch fills your stomach.

43:48.530 --> 43:52.950
And it's a comfort food and
becomes a comfort food to you.

43:52.950 --> 43:57.490
And so, yes, there's a
high rate of diabetes.

43:57.490 --> 43:59.340
It's a pandemic.

43:59.340 --> 44:05.480
And cardiovascular disease stemming
from being removed from who we were.

44:05.480 --> 44:07.640
>> So my other question
kind of just continues

44:07.640 --> 44:09.130
on with what we're talking about.

44:09.130 --> 44:12.130
So a big area of disability
policy right now that's growing is

44:12.130 --> 44:16.040
intersectionality with other,
among other diverse [inaudible].

44:16.040 --> 44:20.600
And I don't know if you
guys are on Twitter,

44:20.600 --> 44:25.170
but if you hash follow
disability solidarity, the hashtag,

44:25.170 --> 44:27.290
it's all about intersectionality
between race

44:27.290 --> 44:29.470
and ethnicity and disability.

44:29.470 --> 44:31.040
So just do that if you want to.

44:31.040 --> 44:33.060
[ Laughter ]

44:33.060 --> 44:36.350
My other question is, so I'm
a Latino with a disability.

44:36.350 --> 44:41.530
And my experiences are different
than someone who would be Caucasian

44:41.530 --> 44:43.750
with a disability or a
man with a disability.

44:43.750 --> 44:48.080
So how does the Native American
population with disability,

44:48.080 --> 44:50.450
like how is that different
from somebody?

44:50.450 --> 44:53.660
Why are your experiences
different than someone

44:53.660 --> 44:56.820
from a different minority
background?

44:56.820 --> 45:06.350
>> Well, I think one of the things
has to do with history and language

45:06.350 --> 45:10.600
and being close to those things.

45:10.600 --> 45:17.520
As you well know, Spanish offers
you a different world view

45:17.520 --> 45:19.360
than English does.

45:19.360 --> 45:24.500
As does Kiowa or Tlingit, gives
you a different world view due

45:24.500 --> 45:27.790
to the language that
you have at home.

45:27.790 --> 45:32.970
Also, as August talked about
earlier, that there's a place

45:32.970 --> 45:35.360
for all of us in the circle.

45:35.360 --> 45:39.890
We're not ostracized, we're not
put off to the side, we're not sent

45:39.890 --> 45:43.670
to a home, we're not
institutionalized.

45:43.670 --> 45:50.550
We are within our own family units
or within our extended family.

45:50.550 --> 45:54.780
One thing that is very different
from probably European cultures is

45:54.780 --> 45:58.410
that the extended family is huge.

45:58.410 --> 46:02.260
I have more cousins
than I can count.

46:02.260 --> 46:08.520
And aunts and uncles and
people within my tribe.

46:08.520 --> 46:11.760
And you'll also see
here, even here in DC,

46:11.760 --> 46:15.920
that we tend to congregate
with one another.

46:15.920 --> 46:18.010
That we tend to try
to find opportunities

46:18.010 --> 46:21.310
to socialize with one another.

46:21.310 --> 46:23.770
And we gain strength from that

46:23.770 --> 46:28.140
and we gain a sense of
community from that.

46:28.140 --> 46:33.760
And I do believe that a strong sense
of community and a strong sense

46:33.760 --> 46:41.890
of an extended family is
something that strengthens us.

46:41.890 --> 46:44.610
>> If you're taking a look at
it from a systemic standpoint,

46:44.610 --> 46:47.520
I think visibility has
a lot to do with it.

46:47.520 --> 46:50.450
The American Indians have been
called the forgotten people.

46:50.450 --> 46:55.450
If you look at our
current social norms,

46:55.450 --> 47:00.860
rarely do you see anything
regarding Native Americans outside

47:00.860 --> 47:07.540
of either a costume or, forgive
me for this, a team name.

47:07.540 --> 47:10.230
You take a look at those issues
and you center your focus

47:10.230 --> 47:12.610
and your knowledge
upon those issues,

47:12.610 --> 47:18.420
you're going to miss a whole
wealth of cultural knowledge

47:18.420 --> 47:21.520
from so many different
tribes across this country.

47:21.520 --> 47:27.120
But because of the visibility
for our people is so small,

47:27.120 --> 47:30.480
to see the power we
have is so minute.

47:30.480 --> 47:34.140
I think getting that information
out to the general public is one

47:34.140 --> 47:38.190
of the biggest obstacles we have to
actually providing adequate services

47:38.190 --> 47:40.920
to our communities
with disabilities.

47:40.920 --> 47:44.340
But, thankfully, as we've
said before, because we have

47:44.340 --> 47:46.020
such a strong sense of community.

47:46.020 --> 47:51.200
Our families are tied so strongly
together, we do stand in those gaps

47:51.200 --> 47:54.620
for those who have
disabilities and provide for them

47:54.620 --> 47:56.750
and they do have a place
in our communities.

47:56.750 --> 47:58.250
For the most part.

47:58.250 --> 48:00.510
Now whether they have
funding for that or not,

48:00.510 --> 48:03.970
I mean we do take hits
financially to do those things.

48:03.970 --> 48:07.110
But, you know, it's
our responsibility.

48:07.110 --> 48:10.150
There are community members
that are family members.

48:10.150 --> 48:13.540
And I think as long as
we view that individual

48:13.540 --> 48:19.070
as a person before we look
at them as a disability,

48:19.070 --> 48:21.340
I think that makes a
world of difference.

48:21.340 --> 48:26.850
Like I said, I'm Tlingit, but
I also have a hearing loss.

48:26.850 --> 48:30.230
That doesn't change
who I am as a person.

48:32.250 --> 48:35.810
>> I'm not a Native
American as you can tell,

48:35.810 --> 48:39.530
but my work through the National
Council on Disability and before

48:39.530 --> 48:43.390
that the, the U.S. Department of
Education and working with the.

48:43.390 --> 48:49.980
I don't know if I can say that
right, the VIA used to be the title.

48:49.980 --> 48:54.560
I've learned from different
tribes and going to reservations

48:54.560 --> 49:00.380
and pueblos that there is
not an American Indian.

49:00.380 --> 49:05.090
And that is so important for
people who are not Alaska Natives

49:05.090 --> 49:10.960
and American Indians to
realize and to be aware

49:10.960 --> 49:14.810
of the diversity within
diverse groups.

49:14.810 --> 49:17.710
And that is so important.

49:17.710 --> 49:20.490
And when you ask people well
what do you want to be called?

49:20.490 --> 49:25.220
One time we had a culture diversity
advisory committee and people were.

49:25.220 --> 49:28.550
We had 2 people from
this particular ethnicity

49:28.550 --> 49:30.560
and 2 people from that, et cetera.

49:30.560 --> 49:35.620
One thing that was in common,
people wanted to be identified

49:35.620 --> 49:39.050
by what their background was first.

49:39.050 --> 49:41.780
And so I can really appreciate that.

49:41.780 --> 49:44.940
So just so you'll know, it's
not just their 2 tribes.

49:44.940 --> 49:49.510
I've heard it from other
tribal people, too.

49:49.510 --> 50:02.100
[ Background Sounds ]

50:02.100 --> 50:03.890
>> Hello, my name is Chris Lawson.

50:03.890 --> 50:10.210
I am [inaudible] of
Oklahoma, another small down.

50:10.210 --> 50:15.350
But I came in a little late so I
didn't get all of your presentation.

50:15.350 --> 50:19.010
But actually the issue
on the Native Americans

50:19.010 --> 50:21.720
and disabilities is
something I'm sort of new to.

50:21.720 --> 50:24.580
Actually, I'm even more
aware because of Cindy.

50:24.580 --> 50:27.350
Me and Cindy are good friends.

50:27.350 --> 50:30.170
But I really like, August,
what you were saying

50:30.170 --> 50:34.840
about everybody has a role and
how you really make everything

50:34.840 --> 50:36.840
about tying back into your culture.

50:36.840 --> 50:42.830
And I can sympathize with you.

50:42.830 --> 50:48.570
Being here in DC, being from an
area that has a large concentration

50:48.570 --> 50:52.870
of Native Americans where you
feel like everybody's family,

50:52.870 --> 50:54.560
coming to an area where it's so.

50:54.560 --> 50:57.840
I wouldn't say small,
but spread out.

50:57.840 --> 51:02.150
So I mean it's something
that is really.

51:02.150 --> 51:04.470
I mean, it's astonishing to
see how well you get around

51:04.470 --> 51:08.170
and everything that you're doing.

51:08.170 --> 51:12.870
And still identifying
first as Native American

51:12.870 --> 51:15.560
because that's what we're proud of.

51:15.560 --> 51:20.000
So I really like it,
that's part of your program.

51:20.000 --> 51:21.730
I really enjoy that.

51:21.730 --> 51:25.450
What was it that you said?

51:25.450 --> 51:32.030
>> I'll just repeat everything
I just said [laughter].

51:32.030 --> 51:37.380
>> Oh, how you find
one of the children

51:37.380 --> 51:39.690
that you find 1 skill
and you hone it.

51:39.690 --> 51:43.430
And that, they take
ownership in that

51:43.430 --> 51:45.670
and their place in the community.

51:45.670 --> 51:50.720
I mean, I'm trying to go
into education later on.

51:50.720 --> 51:55.650
Now that's something I'm going
to take with me, I appreciate it.

51:55.650 --> 51:58.410
>> My buddy.

51:58.410 --> 52:01.330
>> But I really didn't
have any questions,

52:01.330 --> 52:03.350
I just wanted to make
those comments.

52:03.350 --> 52:05.150
Thank you.

52:05.150 --> 52:10.660
[ Background Sounds ]

52:10.660 --> 52:14.610
>> So I'd like to offer thanks
on behalf of the organization

52:14.610 --> 52:16.180
of employees with disabilities.

52:16.180 --> 52:19.600
They were not able to, the
leadership were not able

52:19.600 --> 52:21.090
to be here for the program today.

52:21.090 --> 52:24.610
And they wanted to make
sure that you understood

52:24.610 --> 52:26.390
that there is a vibrant
community of people

52:26.390 --> 52:29.110
with disabilities here
in the workforce.

52:29.110 --> 52:31.890
And that people with
disabilities do make a difference

52:31.890 --> 52:36.240
and are definitely a part of
this change in conversation

52:36.240 --> 52:40.020
and reducing stigmatization
of people with disabilities.

52:40.020 --> 52:42.160
It's really the goal of our office,

52:42.160 --> 52:45.110
the Office of Opportunity
Inclusiveness and Compliance,

52:45.110 --> 52:50.070
to focus on inclusion and to
focus on the people's abilities

52:50.070 --> 52:52.920
and make sure that is
first and foremost.

52:54.130 --> 52:57.290
>> In closing, again, we
just thank you for coming

52:57.290 --> 53:00.500
and sharing your experiences
and your ideas.

53:00.500 --> 53:04.300
And I wish we could say
we're a vibrant community.

53:04.300 --> 53:05.740
We are small but mighty,
I would say,

53:05.740 --> 53:09.150
Native American employees
here at the Library.

53:09.150 --> 53:12.310
So thank you for coming.

53:12.310 --> 53:13.610
>> Thank you.

53:13.610 --> 53:15.400
[ Applause ]

53:15.400 --> 53:19.040
>> This has been a presentation
of the Library of Congress.

53:19.040 --> 53:21.510
Visit us at loc.gov.

53:21.510 --> 53:24.070
[ Silence ]