Getting Uncomfortable: A Narragansett Navigation

 Reading Katie Johnston Goodstar’s article, Decolonizing Youth Development: Re-imagining Youthwork for Indigenous Youth Futures, left me feeling a mix of disappointment and self-reflection. As a member of the Narragansett tribe, I’ve often felt a bit out of touch with the deeper aspects of my culture, so diving into this article was both eye-opening and a little uncomfortable. It felt like I was looking at something that I should be more connected to, but I didn’t quite feel like I belonged in the conversation about Indigenous issues.

Goodstar’s discussion about how Indigenous children and communities are treated hit home in a way I wasn’t expecting. While I could relate to some of her points due to my upbringing, I didn’t realize until reading her work that many of our family practices are actually tied to my Indigenous roots. For example, the way Goodstar described Indigenous kinship systems, where children are cherished and not seen as burdens, perfectly matches my family’s approach. We always treat kids like they’re the most important people around, which aligns with the communal values Goodstar talks about. It was a bit of a revelation to see that my family’s way of life is connected to these broader cultural principles.

Another part of the article that really struck me was when Goodstar talked about racial disparities in school discipline. It reminded me of Zora from last week’s reading and made me think about how these issues persist. Connecting this to Lewis Henry Morgan’s outdated and prejudiced views about Non-Western societies (Harris, 1870, p. 181), and seeing similar prejudices in current political rhetoric, like Trump’s bizarre comments about Haitian migrants, was frustrating. It shows how some harmful ideas from the past are still influencing how people think today.

Goodstar also referenced Nancy Lesko’s idea that continuing to use outdated and racist theories just keeps the old biases alive (Lesko, 2012). It’s infuriating to see politicians who claim to be against racism and sexism but still push policies that reflect those old attitudes. This makes it clear that we need to be more aware of how these outdated ideas are still shaping our society and our politics.

Overall, reading Goodstar’s article helped me connect some dots between my own life and broader cultural issues. Though some of my extended family jokingly calls me a "bad Native," reading the article made me think more deeply about my identity and the way systemic problems continue to affect marginalized communities, and served as a reminder to keep fighting against the systematic oppression constantly perpetuated so vulnerable communities are able to take back their culture, traditions, and ideologies.