I'm a proud member of the Cherokee Nation. A year ago I had to fill out a questionnaire about my ethnic background and when I checked off 'Native American' my boss laughed and said I wasn't Native American.
I shrugged it off in the moment because I liked my boss but after that I was more careful about talking about my Cherokee heritage at work, especially around my boss... But I read an article today about a woman who is Native with blonde hair and it reminded me about my experience.
Why did my boss think I wasn't Native American? Because my skin wasn't tan and my hair wasn't black? What right did she have to laugh at my ethnicity?
I know the history of the Cherokee nation, I tell the stories of the little people and grandmother spider (among others..) to the young people in my family.
It doesn't matter what I look like, how much Native blood runs through my veins, or where I live. I will always be Cherokee and no one should laugh at me for being proud about my heritage.












