Our Wounds Run Deep, But So Does Our Spirit.
Eracing History
Canceling Affirmative Action
Dismanteling DEI
Since taking office on Martin Luther King Day, the Trump administration has targeted marginalized communities, especially Black Americans. Cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, and public programs continue a long history of economic and political disenfranchisement. These actions concentrate wealth and power while distracting the public from
Since taking office on Martin Luther King Day, the Trump administration has targeted marginalized communities, especially Black Americans. Cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, and public programs continue a long history of economic and political disenfranchisement. These actions concentrate wealth and power while distracting the public from systemic greed. Across the U.S., efforts to erase Black history echo past violence, from slavery and Jim Crow to the Tulsa Massacre, and reflect patterns of oppression against Indigenous and colonized peoples worldwide (Gonzales, 2025).
Gonzalez, C. (2025, March 6). Trump Administration Actions Against Black Americans Have Deep Historical Roots—center for Progressive Reform.
Dismanteling DEI
Canceling Affirmative Action
Dismanteling DEI
DEI programs across government, education, and business are under coordinated attack, with 42 states introducing 440+ bills in the past two years and corporate giants rolling back commitments. These actions undermine workplace equality and erase the progress made for marginalized communities. Rolling back DEI increases legal risk, drives
DEI programs across government, education, and business are under coordinated attack, with 42 states introducing 440+ bills in the past two years and corporate giants rolling back commitments. These actions undermine workplace equality and erase the progress made for marginalized communities. Rolling back DEI increases legal risk, drives away diverse talent, stifles innovation, and damages organizational culture and reputation. The consequences are real: dismantling DEI threatens both social progress and business success (Oconnor, 2025).
O’Connor, R. (2025, January 20). The Dangers of Dismantling DEI Programs in the Workplace.
Canceling Affirmative Action
Canceling Affirmative Action
Canceling Affirmative Action
The Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to overturn affirmative action in college admissions has begun to reverse decades of progress for women and students of color. Affirmative action has long promoted diversity in higher education, particularly in STEM fields, helping to dismantle systemic barriers in historically white, male-dominated space
The Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to overturn affirmative action in college admissions has begun to reverse decades of progress for women and students of color. Affirmative action has long promoted diversity in higher education, particularly in STEM fields, helping to dismantle systemic barriers in historically white, male-dominated spaces. Where race-conscious admissions have been banned, African American enrollment often falls sharply, as students seek environments where they are not isolated or spotlighted (Barnes, 2024).
Broken Systems, Unbroken People.
Stratgic Lies
Black Americans have long faced government surveillance, from COINTELPRO to modern FBI targeting of activists. Leaders like Dr. King and the Black Panthers endured wiretaps, informants, and attacks, sometimes resulting in violence. Today, similar tactics affect Black Lives Matter protesters, highlighting the need for reform and protections against racialized surveillance (Kayyali, 2014).
Systematic Racism
Since January 20, 2025, Trump has pushed policies that erase Black voices and history, attacking diversity programs and institutions that preserve our stories. He has removed Black Lives Matter Plaza, targeted the National Museum of African American History, and erased Black figures from federal websites. HBCUs have also been harmed through funding cuts and rollbacks of DEI initiatives (Thompson,2025).
Donald trump’s policies target black Americans. (2025, April 11). Congressman Bennie Thompson.
Freedmen Fight
Several Oklahoma tribes abolished slavery in 1866 and granted citizenship to their former slaves, known as Freedmen, but today only the Cherokee fully recognize their descendants. Muscogee Freedmen, like Johnnie Mae Austin in 1979, lost citizenship under “by blood” rules, and other tribes followed suit, while Chickasaw Freedmen were never recognized. Ongoing legal battles and federal pressure, including recent Cherokee court rulings, underscore the ongoing fight for recognition, equality, and justice (Deloria, 2022).
Deloria, P. (2022, July 18). When Tribal Nations Expel Their Black Members.
White Supermacy
Anti-Woke Movement
Active hate groups have long targeted Black communities in the U.S. The Ku Klux Klan, America’s first terrorist organization, has driven extreme violence since 1865, and modern groups, though renamed, remain equally dangerous. Some White Americans fear shifts in racial power, including Black political gains and a future majority-minority population. These anxieties, tied to status, ideology, and economic concerns, have fueled hate and continue to threaten Black communities today.
Anti-Woke Movement
Anti-Woke Movement
Anti-Woke Movement
The “anti-woke” movement seeks to roll back DEI programs and suppress discussions of race, gender, and social justice, often using legislation and corporate pressure. Originally, “woke” emerged in Black communities as a call to stay aware of systemic oppression and fight for justice, later linking to the Black Lives Matter movement. Today, anti-woke efforts co-opt the term to silence advocacy and minimize awareness of inequality, undermining decades of progress for marginalized communities (Paulson, 2024).
Paulson, K. (2024, May 23). The Woke Movement and Backlash. Free Speech Center.
Colorism
Anti-Woke Movement
Anti-Woke Movement
Colorism, or preference for lighter skin, originates from colonization, slavery, and white supremacy. It begins at home, shaping self-worth and community dynamics. In Native and Afro-Indigenous communities, it fuels divisions and erasure. Confronting colorism is essential to heal historical trauma and challenge systemic racial oppression. (Randall, 2025).
Randall, V. (2025, May 25). The War on Dark Skin: How Colorism Enforces White Supremacy.
Attack on Education
Attack on Education
Attack on Education
Kimberlé Crenshaw, civil rights advocate and CRT scholar, warns that the “anti-woke” movement uses book bans and attacks on CRT to preserve white, conservative power and silence Black and Brown voices. CRT shows how institutions like schools, courts, and housing embed systemic racism, yet bans ignore this and block crucial discussions about inequality, hindering a more equitable democracy (Gibbons, 2021).
Gibbons, A., & Ray, R. (2021, July 2). Why are states banning critical race theory? Brookings.
Funding Freeze
Attack on Education
Attack on Education
Since taking office, President Trump has signed executive orders affecting the tax status, funding, citizenship, and recognition of tribal nations. Key programs face delays, birthright citizenship orders sparked confusion, and ICE incidents persist. Trump also supports federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe, highlighting both risks and opportunities for tribal communities (Eve, 2025).
Eve, G. (2025, February 3). Understanding Trump's policies regarding tribal entities. WIPFLI.
Media Manipulation
Attack on Education
Media Manipulation
Mass media manipulation refers to the deliberate use of media to shape opinions, disseminate false information, and advance specific agendas. Tactics include disinformation, bots, algorithms, social engineering, and deepfakes. It erodes trust, fuels polarization, and threatens democracy. Combating it requires media literacy, fact-checking, and transparency (Wikipedia, 2025).
Wikipedia contributors. (2025, October 3). Media manipulation. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Through Barriers and Time, The Spirit Survives.
Evolution and change are inevitable; together we can grow and prosper.
It takes all people standing together to create change, heal from the past, and build a better world. By uniting and advancing opportunities and reparations for Black, Native American, and Afro-Indigenous communities who shaped this land through their labor, strength, and sacrifice, we honor our ancestors and ensure justice, balance, and prosperity so humanity may not only survive but truly thrive.
BNAAI Suggested Reading: Know Their Stories, Know Yourself.
“We Are Not JUST Africans: The Black Native Americans” by Dr. Clyde Winters
"This beautifully illustrated and meticulously researched book brings Black Indigenous history to life, tracing stories from 12,000 B.C. to the present. Winters combines precise facts with vivid narratives, making the past engaging and awe-inspiring. With near five-star ratings, readers praise We Are Not JUST Africans for its powerful storytelling and profound impact."
“Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage” by William Loren Katz
With over 1,400 five-star ratings on Amazon, this book is essential for understanding how Black individuals became part of Native communities. Their descendants “helped shape the early fur trade, influenced frontier diplomacy, and made bold contributions to the fight for American liberty.” While traditional textbooks often overlook Black Indians, this well-researched book brings their history vividly to life.
"That the Blood Stay Pure: African Americans, Native Americans" by Arica Coleman
"That the Blood Stay Pure" explores Virginia’s attempts to enforce racial purity and the lasting impact on African Native Americans. Told from the perspective of those excluded from their communities due to skin color or African ancestry, the book offers a fresh and compelling look at America’s ongoing struggles with race and identity.
“Black Indian” by Shonda Buchanan
This memoir follows Shonda Buchanan’s journey to uncover and understand her roots as a Black Native American. Exploring the complexities of her dual heritage, she examines how it shaped her identity and family, taking readers on a deeply personal and compelling journey through history, culture, and self-discovery.
“We Refuse to Forget: A True Story of Black Creeks, American Identity, and Power” by Caleb Gayle
Journalist Caleb Gayle recounts the story of a Native tribe that both enslaved Africans and recognized them as full citizens. Central to this history is Cow Tom, a Black Creek who rose to Creek leadership and became Chief in 1866 after advocating for U.S. citizenship rights for his people. Others followed, forming the community known as the “Black Creeks.” We Refuse to Forget illuminates this inspiring, often overlooked chapter of American history.
“Africans and Native Americans: The Language of Race and the Evolution” by Jack Forbes
Jack Forbes presents compelling evidence that Native American and African contacts began in Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean, suggesting Native Americans may have crossed the Atlantic before Columbus. His work reshapes our understanding of modern populations, offering an objective look at European colonial settlers, the evolution of racial terms, and how misconceptions about race—based on appearance or culture—have had lasting consequences.