Description:

Please join us for a discussion led by special guest scholar Dr. Stephanie A. Fryberg, a member of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington State, Director of The Research for Indigenous Social Action and Equity (RISE). Dr. Fryberg is also a Diversity and Social Transformation Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan.

As a social and cultural psychologist, her research focuses on how social representations of race, culture, and social class influence the development of self, psychological well-being, physical health, and educational attainment. In addition to publishing articles in leading academic journals, Dr. Fryberg provided testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, received the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Early Career Award, and was inducted into Stanford University’s Multicultural Alumni Hall of Fame.

"In the U.S. cultural imagination, Indigenous Peoples loom large in romanticized and stereotyped ways, yet contemporary Indigenous Peoples are largely omitted from the public conscience. In K-12 education, for example, 87% of references to Indigenous Americans portray them in a pre-1900’s context. In mainstream media, less than .5% of representations are of contemporary Indigenous Peoples. Utilizing both experimental and national survey studies, I will demonstrate that prevalent representations of Indigenous Peoples (or the lack thereof) shape how people think, feel, and subsequently act towards Indigenous Peoples, as well as how Indigenous Peoples feel about themselves and act to make change in society. Specifically, I will first show that recognizing Indigenous omission shapes discrimination and both implicit and explicit bias towards Indigenous Peoples, including attitudes about the use of redface, and apathy towards the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls epidemic. I will then show how sensitivity to Indigenous omission has adverse psychological consequences for Indigenous Peoples’ wellbeing, but also serves to galvanize efforts to change the status quo through civic engagement. By making visible the pernicious consequences of omission and highlighting Indigenous agency and resistance to omission, we illuminate a path towards creating a more equitable future for Indigenous Peoples."

Reception immediately following lecture (same location), 5:15-6:15pm.