Acknowledging Native Land

Image Credit: Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

As members of the local legal community, we are committed to recognizing and addressing the systemic injustices that exist for many of those we serve. We are dedicated, as always -- even during the pandemic -- to providing open and equal access to justice for all. Helping remove the structural barriers that prevent many individuals from receiving the services and information they need to pursue personal justice is part of that mission.

One of the most fundamental obstructions to justice and to a fuller appreciation of and respect for others – particularly Native people -- is a lack of recognition for the very land on which we walk. Native American Heritage Month, which comes to a close at the end November, is the perfect time to start a new journey of understanding, to embrace equity, grow in gratitude for the land we all occupy, and honor the Indigenous people who steward it.

Previously on this blog, we have applauded the efforts of organizations like the American Bar Association, whose Implicit Bias Initiative is designed, in part, to educate and inform the legal community about cultural and structural barriers that impact the delivery of legal services for many people, especially those at the margins.  Today, in a continuation of such a laudable effort, we offer the following additional resources. The organizations linked below explore how we can all work toward achieving an affirming, inclusive, and equitable social ecosystem for all people, and, in particular, those who are native to the North and South American continents.

We conclude the list with a link to a tool that will help you identify, learn about, and acknowledge the Native people whose land we occupy. For example, the land on which the Harris County Law Library sits is home to a number of Indigenous nations, including the Karankawa, Coahuiltecan, Atakapa-Ishak, and the Sana. Enter your address to find the names of the Indigenous people who once tended the land you now occupy. Learning about the culture, language, and heritage of these people is a recommended first step to dismantling systemic injustice against Indigenous communities. We hope the resources provided here help in that effort.

• Embracing Equity

• Reclaiming Native Truth

• Center for Racial Justice in Education – See:  A Racial Justice Guide to Thanksgiving

• U.S. Department of Arts and Culture: Honoring Native Land – A Guide and Call to Acknowledgment

• Native Governance – Indigenous Land Acknowledgment

• Amnesty International – Activism Skills: Land and Territory Acknowledgment

• Native Land – Mapping tool for identifying Indigenous lands

To Grandmother's House? Know Before You Go

The CDC urges Americans that travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19 and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. If your holiday plans still include travel or you are considering travel, it is important to understand that depending on your destination COVID-19 restrictions may vary, such as requiring people to wear masks and requiring those who recently traveled to stay home for up to 14 days.

On May 21, 2020, Gov. Abbott issued Executive Order GA-24 terminating Texas air travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are travelling outside of Texas, here are some resources to help guide your decision and plans within and outside of the United States.

 Domestic Travel

The CDC recommends using Travel Planner before traveling. The site offers links to state, local, tribal, and territorial government restrictions. You simply enter a city, zip code, or address to learn more about COVID-19 travel restrictions, guidance, and resources in your destination.

 Additionally, CNN Travel has also created a list of travel restrictions state-by-state which they update periodically due to the ever-changing situation across the country.

Before making your final travel plans, it would be helpful to also know if cases are high or increasing in your destination. The CDC’s COVID Data Tracker provides the latest number of cases by state. 

Finally, you may wish to consult this map, the COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool created at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Enter your geographic destination, narrowing your selection to the county you intend to visit. Use the slider to specify your event size, from 10-5,000 people. The tool will then assess the likelihood of at least one person getting the virus.

One additional metric for gauging your risk of infection is provided here on this chart from the Texas Medical Association COVID-19 Resource Center. It ranks your chances, on a scale of 1 to 10, of getting COVID-19 while participating in a number of holiday festivities. The chart is available in English and Spanish and in grayscale for easy printing.

 International Travel

 The U.S. Department of State maintains a COVID-19 Traveler Information page that has current information on international travel restrictions, advisories, and any required self-quarantine periods. The State Department also offers a U.S. Embassy COVID page with country specific information, such as entry and exit requirements, self-quarantine policies, and current restrictions on movement within the country (e.g., curfews, intercity travel).

For individuals looking to travel to the United States, the CDC has published the following: Travelers Prohibited from Entry to the United States. With specific exceptions, foreign nationals who have been in any of the following countries during the past 14 days may not enter the United States:

• China

• Iran

• European Schengen area (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City)

• United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

• Republic of Ireland

• Brazil

In a time when we are starved for human connection, we are also faced with alarming numbers. In the United States, there were 162,320 newly reported COVID-19 cases on Nov 18, 2020 alone. Recognizing that we all want to celebrate with friends and family in some way and hopefully in a safe way, the CDC offers a Holiday Celebrations page. One tip: Limit the number of attendees as much as possible to allow people from different households to remain at least 6 feet apart (2 arm lengths) at all times. Although the CDC cannot offer a magic number for attendees, in these times, less is definitely more.

 Mask Requirements While Flying

 The CDC issued a “strong recommendation” that all passengers and employees on airplanes, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-share vehicles should wear masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Surprising to some, there is no formal mask mandate from the U.S. government for travel on airplanes or at airports. The U.S. Department of Transportation previously declined a petition by the largest airline passenger non-profit organization consumer group Flyers Rights to implement one. However, airlines have stepped in and all major U.S. airlines are requiring passengers to wear face masks. As some of these restrictions become tighter, it is advisable to check with your airline for specific instructions and for more information and recommendations on travel visit the CDC’s Travel page.

 From all of us here at the Harris County Law Library, we wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Record Number of Native Americans Elected to Congress

Democrat Sharice Davids, a member of Wisconsin’s Ho-Chunk Nation tribe, defeated four-term Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder in Kansas on Tuesday.

Democrat Deb Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe running in New Mexico’s First Congressional District, also won her election.

Leading up to the 2020 presidential election, pollsters and demographers talked about the potential impact of the Native American vote on the outcome of the race, especially in key battleground states like Arizona and Nevada, where, three days after the election, votes are still being counted. Also discussed in the lead-up to the election was the difficulty that many Native Americans face in registering to vote and in casting their ballots. Decades of denying this population access to the polls via the systematic violation of their right to vote has led, historically, to lower voter turn-out among Native Americans. (The Library of Congress traces Native Americans’ struggle for voting rights, and the ABA documents how the Native American vote continues to be suppressed.)

Although many still don’t feel entirely welcome at the polls, and efforts to increase Native American voter participation are ongoing, the number of Native Americans elected to national political office is growing. In Tuesday’s election, more Native Americans were elected to Congress than ever before. Six candidates won their races, giving the House a record number of Native members, including Democrats in Kansas (Sharice Davids) and New Mexico (Deb Haaland), who became the first Native American women elected to Congress. This historic achievement, decades in the making, may expand paths of access to the polls for a population of voters long denied their fundamental American right, and inspire Native Americans with political aspirations to seek office in future elections.

In November, as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month at the Harris County Law Library, Ex Libris Juris will highlight the achievements and contributions of Native Americans throughout history. Visit often in the coming weeks to learn more!

Resources for Social Media Literacy to Combat Post-Election Disinformation Initiatives

We at the Harris County Law Library are committed to providing our patrons the most accurate and reliable information from legitimate, authoritative sources. If, for example, a patron needs to file a divorce petition, we trust web sites like TexasLawHelp.org to guide patrons through the process. TexasLawHelp.org bears all the hallmarks of a reliable legal information website. It is accurate, authoritative, current, and reputable, qualities that inspire confidence in its validity and reliability.

These are the identifiers to look for when evaluating any online content, especially on social media. In the days after the election, as we await the final tally of all ballots in several states, we can expect to see a rise in the spread of misinformation, particularly on Twitter and Facebook. To encourage information consumers of all political stripes to examine online content carefully, we are providing the following list of resources.

These sites discuss the red flags to look for in identifying misinformation online, helping us all to become more discerning information seekers. Further, they explain how the perpetrators of misinformation campaigns are trying to create doubt, bias our perceptions, and foment discord in our information spaces. Using the strategies presented here for reducing the impact of misinformation may prevent us all from becoming viral vectors in the perpetuation of anything but the truth.    

• Uncertainty and Misinformation: What to Expect on Election Night and Days After -- UW Center for an Informed Public; Washington State University; and Stanford University Internet Observatory

• The most dangerous day for disinformation isn't Election Day, it's the day after – Business Insider

• Interference 2020 – Columbia Journalism Review

• #Protect2020 Rumor vs. Reality – Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

• Misinformation Watch 2020 -- CNN

• Stand With The Facts – KUOW & Center for an Informed Public

• Voters' Guide To Election Security In The 2020 Presidential Campaign – NPR

• The Anatomy Of An Election Disinformation Campaign – On Point, WBUR

• Understanding Election Disinformation in 2016, 2020, and Beyond – Public Knowledge

• Election Day promises to be full of misinformation. Here’s how we can all stop its spread. – Washington Post

It's Election Day!

“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.”

— Rep. John Lewis

"Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it."

— Susan B. Anthony

Today is Election Day. If you didn’t already cast your ballot during the early voting period, this is your final chance to make your mark. To help you #makeaplan and get to the polls, we call your attention to the following online initiatives. The websites linked below are designed to increase turn-out at the polls and to ensure a positive voting experience for all of the electorate.

For your best source of voting information in Harris County (and to download a sample ballot), visit HarrisVotes.org, a service of the Harris County Clerk’s Election Division, whose commitment to S.A.F.E. voting will ensure a Secure, Accessible, Fair, and Efficient voting experience for all.