I have worked in Indian country probably for 25 years. It just became increasingly apparent that our people and our issues were still so invisible. With toxic stereotypes.
Yes, they fought savagely while they were a primitive people, False narratives that are being created and perpetuated by non-native people. There isn't much Native American culture in American culture. We birthed a nation.
So we understood that we had to change the narrative. Back in 2015, we concocted this idea about a huge research project. We examined what are the dominant narratives, and stories, and perceptions that the American public and key institutions and sectors have about Native Americans.
Why do they have those and how do they actually impact Native peoples in different ways? I think the research really helped frame for us that it wasn't an anecdotal experience for us individually, but was part of a systemic invisibilization of our people, the past, and the truth of America. And so Illuminative works at the intersection of research, community organizing to address the tropes and stereotypes that have damaged our communities while bringing forward authentic indigenous representation.
Action. Our main departments have been our pop culture and media program that works really on the front lines of Hollywood. And Hollywood is really important to us because it produces 80% of the world's content.
Our representation in media and entertainment is 0. 4%. Over the last five years, we've really developed relationships with almost every major studio and streamer, but also really done everything we can to support the rise of Native creatives and really helping Hollywood to understand, you don't get to tell a story about us without us anymore.
Doing a ton of get out and vote messaging and community organizing. Seeing that the Native vote has made such a significant difference. In 2020, it was the razor-thin margin by the Native vote that won Arizona.
I, Deborah Haaland. I, Deborah Haaland. Representation has started to pick up.
We have the first ever Native American Cabinet Secretary in Secretary Haaland. Illuminative is part of what I would consider an indigenous renaissance that's happening in America right now. We have to very intentionally set out to disrupt and interrupt that erasure every single day and constantly remind the American public key institutions not only are we still here, but we are thriving.
