April 30, 2013

IWRI’s 2013 Graduates

Kerrie Sumner Murphy

Osiyo!  I am of Cherokee, Irish and English descent, growing up mostly in Iowa in a moderately urban setting.  I moved to Washington in 1994 after graduating from the University of Iowa where I majored in anthropology and women’s studies.  One of my first jobs in Washington was with the Native American Science Outreach Network at the University of Washington, a middle and high school pipeline project focused on culturally relevant science curriculum and peer-mentorship for Native youth entering “Science, Technology, Engineering and Math” fields.  I am a non-traditional graduate student returning to school after raising my daughter and working for many years as an administrator in the medical field, then as a program director and part-time instructor in the community college arena, where I also advised the Native American student association for about ten years.

My concerns regarding institutional barriers for Native students steered me in the direction of social work.  I entered the Masters in Social Work Extended Degree Program in fall of 2010. My studies at the School of Social Work have centered on multi-generational health and wellness, with a particular focus on indigenous health and community resilience.  In 2012, I was honored to have the opportunity to work with the Tulalip Office of Civil Legal Aid to complete my foundation practicum.  My experience there was invaluable and I am forever grateful!   I joined IWRI in fall 2012 to complete the advanced practicum.  My experience at IWRI has been a refreshing change where Native perspectives are not just included and respected but are at the forefront of everything we do.  The staff and faculty are amazing, doing revolutionary work that is inspiring.

As a young person with mixed identity, born in the midst of the civil rights movement, it was often difficult to navigate the politics of race going on around me, even within my own family.  I am grateful for the elders, my teachers and mentors who have taught me so much and have encouraged me through the years to persevere, stay grounded and continue to learn and develop with an open heart and open mind.  I credit their mentorship for getting me to where I am now; ready to graduate this June — looking toward the future.  I am excited to continue my journey with a renewed focus and commitment to the health and wellbeing of all indigenous peoples.  Wa-do! to everyone who has supported me in this endeavor.

Jessica Lusk

O si yo, dia duit, keshi, Hey, y’all!  (Hello.)  My name is Jessica Lusk and I am of Eastern Cherokee, Irish, Zuni, Dutch, etc. descent, but spent most of childhood living in Austin, Texas (hence the Hey, y’all).  Growing up in Texas, my childhood was filled with the experiences of living in a family burdened by a multi-generational history of poverty, abuse, and neglect.  Apart from a way to get a better job, my interest in education began as an attempt to understand these experiences; but as I began to learn about the multitude of complex environmental and social contextual factors contributing to my background, I found that my compassion and empathy for others had deepened.  As a result, I entered the UW’s Master of Social Work program in the fall of 2011, focusing on developing a practice working with children, youth, and families.

I can’t say that being a “non traditional student” (a single mother in my 30s with two girls) and having to navigate the college system has been easy, or for that matter, practical.  At times being in a classroom learning about the impacts of poverty, discrimination, and cultural genocide on individuals and families brings up very difficult memories and really hard emotions. Being at IWRI this last year of a very long and hard 8-year journey has been a blessing. The staff and faculty are not only doing amazing work, they have also become a sort of “safe haven” for me, people I can turn to for support when “it all just becomes too much.”  Yet somehow, I found the strength, courage, and support to make it doable, and in just a few short weeks I will be the first person from my family to have a college degree, and a Master’s to boot! My hopes are that after graduation, I will continue my practice with youth and families, and more importantly, have my two girls to pursue their own paths.

 

Tiffany St. Claire

I am an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.  I am mostly French-Canadian, Native and one quarter Norwegian.  My dad’s family is from Dunseith, North Dakota and my mom’s family is from the Seattle area.  I am the only one of four siblings born outside of the Turtle Mountain reservation.  Last year I learned that my great-grandfather’s real name was François, that my grandparents were native French speakers and that my dad was taught by the father of Louise Erdrich’s (currently one of the most critically-acclaimed, Native American authors) at a boarding school in North Dakota.

I am very honored to be graduating from the University of Washington with a Bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in Language and Literature. Graduating this June is a huge milestone, as I am the first to graduate from college in my family.  As a child, I struggled tremendously with reading, writing and math and was told I wouldn’t be smart enough to go to college.  I am proud to be a UW Husky, let alone a college graduate.

Interning at IWRI has been an excellent learning experience in many ways.  The biggest challenge has been writing for a variety of people and their important research projects. These talented academics put their heart into their work and conveying that has been an enjoyable challenge.  Simply reading their research and listening to them explain their projects only scratches the surface.  At IWRI, I have found a sense of community and have learned more about my own tribe and myself.  That new-found knowledge has empowered me to consider Tribal law as a future academic endeavor.  Although it has taken me 14 years to get to the UW, and has been anything but easy being married with two little girls, it has been very rewarding and worth the effort.

 

 

Please join us in congratulating IWRI’s latest graduates!