Title
Difficult Conversations/Civility Roundtable
Report
The HRC will watch short clips of the PBS documentary called: Native American History: Documentaries On American Indian Boarding Schools and Forced Adoptions <https://www.pbs.org/articles/native-american-history-documentaries-about-residential-schools-and-forced-adoptions> to understand the impact of the words of Muwekma Ohlone representative, Julie Dominguez, who addressed City Council on September 24, 2024, in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
According to the PBS website: “This documentary collection shows how the federal government's initiatives of American Indian boarding schools and forced adoption were two strands of an overall forced assimilation policy that amounted to a campaign of genocide. Today, Indigenous communities continue to share the truth of this part of their history and in doing so can start the work of reconciliation, reconnection, and reparations. Witnesses share the truth and their personal experiences of overcoming the trauma of U.S. government policies aimed at separating Native American families.”
The HRC will explore how historical government policies affected Native American families, including the role of boarding schools and adoption practices. This discussion will contribute to their learning as they review the community needs assessment, providing valuable context to their support and participation in the process. The Native American experience will offer insight into how marginalized, underserved, and BIPOC communities have been impacted by government policies over time. This conversation will also create space to consider how governments, schools, nonprofits, businesses, and the public can recognize and address the lasting effects these policies have had on Indigenous communities and honor the history and resilience of Native tribes.