Native/Indigenous Perspectives in Western Industries

The human species, all species, the land, the water, the sky, the low Earth orbit, our planet, and our universe have reached a critical if not crises point. As a Lenape Indian, a citizen of the Delaware Nation, and as a United States citizen- I have been raised in two different cultures, lineages, and value systems. I began my fascination with the nature of creation and reality in the performing arts which led to my interest in art therapy. At 19 years old, I began learning and working heavily with my Native elders for years. Their guidance nudged me into healthcare and the sciences- with a focus on Global Indigenous Methods. I have spent the last 30 years working inside of Global Indigenous Methods and Western Scientific Methods- in fields pertaining to human health, research, writing, advocacy, policy, and security. Because my training runs along the spectrum of multiple lineages inside of art, human health, biology, chemistry, engineering, and physics- I work to create bridges. To translate correctly Indigenous Methods into a Western Method, to showcase the power and efficacy that are here in our current human collective for thousands of years. For the Western Method to understand ancient and traditional approaches that are what they have been missing and for the Indigenous Methods to be known and seen as relevant, important, powerful and the strong knowledge we need now in many industries- to survive. It is ultimately allowing for a deep healing for all parties involved. 

My solution is to dovetail on the work I have already been doing and to create specific manuals for western industry experts to use as a way to see how Native/Indigenous practices can help them in their industries- benefitting their industry, their company, their employees, their community, and other land and species they interface with. 

To add on here, I think my body of work thus far speaks to this. I'll give some examples of this bridging between two lineages and allowing for new insight and healing for all parties. My elders first had me start with education of Lenape history at a New York City private school and assisting in teaching children from a learning by doing and other Native principles. I then took this into my next post as an arts and literacy teacher to a housing project in the South Bronx- using Native principles to help in bringing a new way to view learning and education and holistically caring for the whole human animal. This went very well. My next posts moved more into Global Indigenous Methods in healing and healthcare- working not only privately- but then bringing traditional knowledge and interfacing with multiple organizations. This led to working in 7 different hospitals and specifically with oncology, children, hospice, creating workshops, systems that were/are based in Native principles while speaking the language and working inside of Western methods. This also went very well. It is always a celebration to come back to Earth-centric models and ways that have worked for thousands of years and to have the western scientific background as well to challenge and show ways that have worked and do work today. It is giving structure in action of what works with objective data to show. No judgement, no bias, let us just see what works if one system is not working or is having issues that seem to have no solutions. There are solutions. 

To note- I started with my books, as a published author of 5 books now. My books describe my experiences as a dimensional mediator, and knowledge bearer going forth on different topics and how they bridge into dominant modern held scientific findings. I research and write to find different ways of knowing in science, creation, and the nature of reality- that then informs all industries that are currently active on this planet. I have begun working inside of conferences, nationally and internationally, to open up the conversation of work I have been doing in my career. I will post my YouTube channel here that highlights a few of them- A Native/Indigenous perspective on Artificial Intelligence, A Native/Indigenous perspective on space, A Native/Indigenous perspective on the environment. During Covid, I created and posted numerous videos regarding yoga, breath work, visualizations, etc. to help students, patients, and really for anyone that could benefit. https://www.youtube.com/channe...

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07...

My solutions starts with primary and secondary research in one target industry. Let's say early childhood education in the public school system in the general United States. It is looking and speaking with educators of what is working and what is not working for the students, teachers, administration, and the families and community. How are they doing? How are they prepared and ready for the upper grades and to be stewards of themselves, their families, and their communities. It is then primary and secondary research within tribal settings, rural and more urban Native communities, same idea- what is working and what is not working. It is then comparing the two. What does each structural system need from each other and can they learn from each other? How can we bring this back to Earth-centric dynamics and what might the impact of this be? It is doing primary and secondary research and creating first an outline of soft-findings, then a powerpoint to take to different educators and those impacted by the educational system. From feed back and need for further research what are some preliminary findings that can be put together for a peer-reviewed look in a journal. It is collaborating with other tribal educational paradigms pre-colonial, post-colonial, modern times, and western modern- all in what is known now as the United States. Then a simple manual can be created and offered, if possible free of charge, to different educational systems and those interested in a different angle to look at their teaching. The manuals are meant to help spark a new look, a conversation, a deeper drive to begin to work let's say with an Indigenous consulting firm that can go much deeper in helping to bring Native ways and knowing back into educating children. The benefit here is for the global human collective but it will impact in different ways. Western peoples getting help with structure in systems they are struggling in. Tribal people being seen and honored with value, their ways of being and knowing, and helping to heal old wounds of being devalued and unseen. A coming together and working together to grieve the past, to understand western ways don't always have all the answers, and to bring healing and collaboration. It can also bridge into bringing other Native consulting businesses and firms to the table and helping them grow their business and influence. 

While I have brought up early childhood education, this model and formulaic protocol could be used to address many structural topics that need help in the modern Western dominant culture. Thus, creating many manuals that could be an introduction for different Western Industry companies to re-evaluate what is not working in their company and a new angle brought in. 

I am describing a path for Native/Indigenous perspectives in Western Industries. I have been involved working for tribal communities and governments in the United States for over 30 years now. I am an active participant in the American Indian Society for Engineers and Scientists (AISES) both with their students, graduate students, young professionals, leaders, business owners, and our elders. This covers most of the tribes in the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico. I am the President of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos, Hispanics, and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) at the university I attend for my Master's program. During my undergraduate years, I lived and worked at the American Indian Community House (AICH) in New York City at that time. I feel fortunate also that my tribe is in Oklahoma so there is much interfacing with other tribes that are now based there. I am looking to combine the knowledge and fact based data I have collected and continue to collect on what is working and not working both in NDN country and the dominant modern culture of the United States. My work directly looks to benefit how to improve, in whichever industry I am picking apart, the humans impacted- both tribal people and those in the modern dominant culture. They are helped in differing ways. Tribal- from seeing their ways of doing things all along have tremendous value and are very advanced in their Earth-centric ways; brought to the table to say you are more than enough, you are of great value, you are seen, you are needed, we owe you a great apology. I pause here for this is the biggest threat to NDN country- the impact of genocide that resides in every Native person's DNA and blood, that we are trash, that we have no value, that we should not exist. When really, the Native/Indigenous ways and modern cultures coming home to inclusion of us, is what will save humanity. For it is based in 300,000 years at a minimum of trial and error and sacred knowledge that has worked for the human animal. And benefit for the modern dominant culture? to begin to heal from a human-centric value systemic structure again and again that is crippling them. 

Today is May 8th, 2023 AD. I just got back from a week at the 2023 AISES Leadership Summit where I worked with many top leaders in NDN country in talking and working on these issues. So yes, I am well connected into many tribes and tribal governments and tribal businesses at this point. I also am connected into the Western side as I am studying to get my Master's in Space Studies/Astronomy/Physics. I attend conferences on this end, setting me up to be a voice inside of the aerospace industry, already a part of AIAA and conferences therein of. I also am a Solar System Ambassador for NASA. I have moved through the Native/Indigenous world and the modern dominant culture world- code-switching- back and forth in my personal life, in the fields of education, healthcare, patient care, global security, government (state and federal), research, policy creation, and more. I have been at this awhile with good connections and understanding. I am guided by what I observe, research, and in interfacing with multiple people on either side. I have compassion for both sides. I am looking to bring us back to objective data, of what is not working and what might work. I am writing the bridge between the two. I am then taking this onto an international stage as it presents- (like in March 2023, the International Mozilla Festival, a tech based conference, based out of the Netherlands and reaching 135 + countries; in October 2022, the International AIAA Ascend Space Conference).

There are things I think would help me here-

- more experienced business leaders, how to set this up step by step

- help with technical skills needed

- encouragement and comparing to other models similar to mine

I would like help in really getting clear on my vision and mission and how to best proceed where in this market is my true niche and best fit. I like working in teams and communities, so am looking for support. Monetary support is great but I think right now backers who believe in my goals and can help me on other angles is of great value.  

I think I have described but I can recap-

- active part of AISES

- active part of SACNAS

- Solar System Ambassador for NASA and providing outreach to people of Vermont and to tribal schools in the United States

- government contract to work with veterans in integrative health for healthcare needs

- field research assistant on a study studying the impact of Covid-19 on remote Native Nations in the United States (out of American Public University)

- teacher at the University of Vermont

- author of books on current dynamics in different communities 

- presenter and panelist at conferences

- I could go on but there is my website https://bridgetkimsey.vpweb.co... and I am happy to send my CV and/or resume.

I don't know of too many people that have criss-crossed like I do between two scientifically sound ways of knowing information and knowledge (Indigenous Research Methods- IRMs and Western Scientific Methods- WSMs); then work to bring them respectively together. With the focus being on objective data points and the focus being on the highest and best good and comfort zone of the whole of humanity. I am looking to move past polarity while honoring the deep pain in tribal nations and honoring the deep suffering in current western settings as well. It is a delicate walk. This matches my 30 years in patient care with large differences in patients I am working with. It takes empathy, compassion, skills, awareness, and intelligence. And the ability to talk with many different parties in languages they will understand. The polarizing of many ideas on structure on a national and international platform is tearing humanity apart. Healthy debate and truths seem beneficial but here I am looking to objective data and seeing what problems there are and what might work. This I believe will lead to other revelations and deeper healing for all parties that can be worked through in other capacities. I am offering a launching off point, a solution that can keep going and be inclusive of multiple industries and cultures as it extrapolates. 

Currently, I take one class a semester in graduate school as I finish up my Master's degree. I have other projects I work on, but if I had support on this, my focus would be on creating these manuals/this solution. I would gather information from many sources- both from IRMs and WSMs; talking with heads of companies; talking inside of NDN country. From research, I would put together a powerpoint to bring to conferences on the first manual and to gain feedback. I then would craft and publish the first manual and see how it goes. I'm assuming this would be my first year. I would begin by giving it out to see how it lands on tribal nations, Native owned companies, and western companies and thinkers. As this was happening, I would begin work on manual 2. This is basically the model and buzz I would work in and try to create- using the networking and contacts I have and doing what I can to help them grow. I can see this then bringing in more backers and collaborators. My hope would be that it would aid tribal companies and Native owners who have services to offer in bringing Native viewpoints into western industry and then a true larger collaboration can begin. My research, my manuals, my videos, my presenting at conferences, my networking- would be a launching off point of bridging the two world views together to create positive impact- starting to really take shape by year 5. 

When I am presenting at a conference or when I am talking informally at a banquet, markers for me here are when people stop what they are doing and begin to really listen- they are taking notes, video, following up with questions for me, asking for my card, sitting back and thinking. Some of these ideas see self-evident to me but I have also been at this a long time. I have people and companies reach out to me via email for more information or watch lectures I post. I have companies reaching out to me for information. I am invited into schools and community organizations to talk and answer questions. Without any advertising, my non-fiction books that bring in this subject matter sell decently at about 1-2 a day consistently and then many are bought as gifts and given to others. I think I am onto something because I am not looking to shame or polarize the situation. I care about humanity, the human animal as a collective, and am trying to highlight objective data. I have strong markers in my patient care work in dovetailing with modern western health care and working along western scientists that what I am doing is working because their metrics show this again and again. I always aim for a high level of accuracy that can be backed up and I am constantly learning, open to critique, and enjoy working in teams and learning from others. So with this information, I do think I can have a bigger impact with support and help in figuring how to go forward best; and also to create a team, network, to help the current situation for both tribal and Indigenous Nations as well as those of the modern dominant western culture. 

Okay, so I speak from my 30 years of experience of applying these same methodologies in working with businesses and in working in government and in working with humans in different health care conditions. 

It comes down to the following, to create change. The first awareness is look at the issue, "the problem". The "problem" is not actually a problem. The problem or disease or not working or suffering is the end result of an equation that is perfectly designed to get the result- be it disease, a problem. So if we want a different outcome, then we first accept that we are looking at perfection when we consider the equation that got us there. The second awareness is assessing what does the organization, human, business, population, community, etc. generally want, what is their objective? To heal, to have information, to be seen, to be profitable- what is it? With knowing this information, then we look at the equation. What is happening ancestrally, multidimensionally, third dimensionally, multitimes, multirealities, physically, emotionally, mentally, and energetically and what is the marinating environment in modern time and space. This requires research, checking findings, what others have found from different settings. Gathering up the information. Now we look at how and where is it appropriate to start to introduce bio-available shifts. What will truly be heard, translated well into the host you are working with, and what will then be able to take hold naturally. We then check and see how that is working. We then make recommendations. And keep checking that data and what needs to be tweaked. The host, human, organization, community, and business are included the whole time. This is their journey and I am an objective listener trying to help them move towards their objective either with my skills and/or moving them on and preparing them for the next stage. It is always their journey. 

So I hope from my other writing here that you can see how this formulaic process works for supporting tribal Nations people with different needs and concerns and trauma and how support for those of the Western dominant culture also needs support but it may be different. Both parties can be helped and will help each other heal but in different ways. And it needs to be carefully taken on and viewed from different angles and lenses. 

Currently, I have a larger LinkedIn network and have found this very helpful- in connecting with many around the globe, including Native/Indigenous companies and researchers, learning about different opportunities, networking, and more. As the president of SACNAS-APUS, I comb through a lot of material and learn more about opportunities and peer-reviewed journals in STEM and the interacting between Native communities and western dominant modern industries. So when I think of my solution to the polarizing disconnect between western industry- breaking down in structure, creating unhealthy systems for humans, all species, and the planet, and generally seeming or expressing being lost and diving deeper into crises after crises; compared to structural systems that have been learned from Earth, trial and error, utilized and tweaked and grown scientifically, advanced technology, and innovation that has been with humanity in Indigenous ways of being and knowledge for close to 300,000 years- it makes me truly pause and drives me to passionately bridge the divide and gap. Neither party needs to be suffering at the level they are now in current times. Period. 

So yes, I'd like help in creating apps, going further with visual media I have already begun, software, AI (created from an Earth-centric model and following how AI used to be created prior to colonialism- thinking of animal traps as an example), indigenizing tech so that it is healthier for all humans. Yes- I know and see a great place for how technology can help further the solution I am offering. I just would need help in how to set this up. I would be combining ancient technology to inform the creation of modern technology that is Earth-centric and not human-centric. 

As a Native woman, also of Irish immigrants, neurodiverse, and having struggled with health care issues myself- I am about equality and equity. I have experienced a lot of diversity in my life- growing up in different locations (rural/urban) and within an LGBTQ+ family and friends. Humans are humans but also come with different needs, experiences, strengths, and vulnerabilities. I look to be inclusive in all areas of my life- personally and professionally. I look to listen closely and let people be themselves. I encourage and trust people in their unique ways to all have something to contribute and may need different layers of support at the table. But I am about an inclusive model. Something I don't agree with is certain industries and companies saying they are about diversity and then with diverse employees, while promoting their image possibly in a press release, will not allow them to bring their unique angles and perspectives to the problem solving table; essentially asking them to mask, deluding the public, and lying to themselves as a company. This is something that my solution, teams, and business model does not agree with. I know the richness of the human tapestry and people have so much to offer if others take the time to listen and be present for their unique take on things. We need all perspectives at the table to be making sound decisions and creating healthy dynamics between different peoples. 

My business model has not been fully developed. But this is some of what I envision. It has a multi-tier approach. 

There is the work behind the creation of the manuals. These can then be published and sold as individual items. This revenue can then be put back in the fledgling business I am working on. 

My hope is that I would have backers and support- whether from tribal nations, a particular sect in industry, a university, crowd-funding, etc.

My next step would be heavily interfacing with tribal nations, Native owned businesses, and Western industry companies and schools and other settings. The manuals, presentations, and connecting one group to the next. This would further help Native owned businesses finding coveted niches inside of different Western industry settings where as contractors they would be hired. Western industry companies would benefit from getting better on track and changing their models, becoming more profitable and better aligned to their goals. 

My hope is that I would figure how I could create revenue that I could make this my full-time job- possibly as a contracted consultant for one company or my individual company generating enough profit for me and the few employees I hire. 

I am open to what would work best. I have a good amount of experience working with finding funding inside of government funded support, tribal support, grants, and fellowships. I have been able to pay in full for both my undergraduate education and my master education through grants and scholarships. Crowd-sourcing is something new that I think might be an avenue here with the solution I am working on. I do see passive income from the manuals selling and also in speaking at conferences. As mentioned, working myself as a contracted worker on these solutions inside of industries is an option.  I have a long history in working as a contractor on different projects and with different companies. My revenue stream would cover my expected expenses and as things ramped up, they would only ramp up as I have secured the capital to do so. I am a cautious risk taker and explorer. 

Okay. I will present a list here. 

- Undergrad At New York University- received multiple scholarships and grants from the State of Vermont, from my tribe, from the American Indian Community House and the Job Training program

- with my own business in health care, combining Global Indigenous Methods and Western Scientific methods in patient care- I worked inside of a grant within the federal government- that supported all my education here, supported my fledgling business, supported all costs; grants I have worked in include- those from the MS Society, High Fives Foundation, Lucy's Love Bus, Ludcke Foundation, Vermont Victims Compensation, Survivorship Now, and others; I work in contracts different projects, including at the state and federal level and also within different ambulatory settings. Insurance companies and also clients and patients pay out of pocket an hourly fee. I teach and am paid at the University level- including the University of Vermont. 

- currently pending if I choose to accept it is a contractor employment with the federal government in working in veteran affairs with veterans needing integrative health care services

- Undergrad, returning to school for a degree specific to STEM in a Western methodological approach, paid in full by federal government grant, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, EPSCoR recipient and educational scholarship for Native Americans in the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research in Science, COVID-19 stimulus funding

- Graduate school in Western aerospace industry, paid in full by COVID-19 stimulus funding, scholarships, and federal government grant

- I have received numerous travel awards to attend conferences within NDN country and within the Aerospace industry. 

- my books are passive income and typically my books sell about 2 a day, this is self-published and without any promotion. They sell as gifts often as well and then word of mouth seems to be what is selling my books. 

- I generate income from speaking engagements as well. 

This is a starting list. My resume and CV go into greater detail.