“It’s really about challenging yourself to go beyond the stereotypes or go underneath them and instead of always looking for the negative — where are the good stories?” – Crystal Echohawk, EchoHawk Consulting. Reclaiming Native Truth Panelists (from left to right): Graham Lee Brewer, Dr. Loren Ghiglione, Crystal Ecohawk, Dr. John Coward. Photo by Pablo Arauz Peña.
Media representations of Native Americans are tangled in a butchered narrative of stereotypes that harken back to the roots of colonialism, say panelists at the “Understanding Native Truths” breakout session at the Excellence in Journalism Conference.
The tropes of poor savages and welfare alcoholics are perpetuated by dated ideas that demean thousands of indigenous groups existing throughout the country. These stereotypes often put native people in a handful of categories that journalists may fall into with their reporting.
For this episode of Pressing Issues — avoiding the inaccurate representation of Native American and Alaskan communities throughout history and in the present day with Crystal Echohawk — CEO of EchoHawk Consulting.
Tagged under: EIJ, EIJ reclaiming native truths, SPJ, crystal echohawk, native america, pressing issues, representation