Raising Native American Voices

Diversity Matters with Oscar Holmes IV

Season 5, Episode 4

Episode Title: Raising Native American Voices

Guest: Dr. Joe Gladstone

 

Diversity Matters with Oscar Holmes IV is a podcast that explores all things diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) related. In each episode, Oscar and his guests have lively discussions around DEI topics, explore the latest research on the topic, and discuss the implications so that listeners will be more knowledgeable about the topics and be able to apply the insights to their lives.

 

Show Summary: 

"For any Native American advocate, be who you are, find what you're passionate about, and do your best not to let people talk you out of it. Things won't change instantly, but in the grand scheme of things, good work done diligently will ultimately prevail."

— Dr. Joe Gladstone

 

Too often, the vibrant tapestry of Native American cultures gets flattened into a single, oversimplified narrative. But their powerful voices demand to be heard in all their diversity. 

 

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Joe Gladstone, whose roots span the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana and Nez Perce. As an esteemed educator, he's on a mission to bridge the worlds of modern management principles and the rich wisdom of Native and Indigenous cultures. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Management at Washington State University's Carson College of Business. 

 

From exploring the deep symbolism of land acknowledgment ceremonies to preserving Indigenous languages, his insights will challenge you to reflect on the profound respect owed to Native communities. We also touch upon transplanar wisdom, a foundational Native American and Indigenous philosophy, and its influences on organization management and business ethics.

 

3 Exceptional Highlights:

 

• Over 500 federally recognized Native American tribes in the U.S. retain sovereignty, as enshrined in the Constitution defining them as sovereign nations alongside foreign states.

• Land acknowledgments should be accompanied by tangible efforts to recognize, honor, and give back to the Native communities that have historically been connected to that land. 

• Rather than deeming any Native tradition or culture obsolete, we must examine which ones are genuinely authentic to pre-reservation times and which are more recent adaptations.

 

Show Highlights: 

 

Can you share how your cultural heritage has influenced your personal and professional journey? 

 

02:31 - Dr. Joe Gladstone

 

• Working with tribes has given me a deep understanding of how different cultures perceive and navigate the world. This understanding has influenced my focus as an educator on respecting and helping others draw from their own experiences.

 

What does it mean to be enrolled into a particular tribe, and what does life look like for people on reservations?

 

08:39 - Dr. Joe Gladstone

 

• Each tribe has its own rules around enrollment, which is essentially citizenship. For many tribes like the Blackfeet, you need a certain 'blood quantum' or degree of ancestry to enroll. Your enrollment is usually decided by your parents when you're young based on the tribe's rules.

• Reservation life ranges from isolated rural communities to urban existences, depending on the tribe's geography and enterprises.

 

What does The PhD Project mean to you? 

 

14:37 - Dr. Joe Gladstone

 

• I'm grateful to the PhD Project for connecting me to schools like New Mexico State that were interested in my background with American Indian communities. 

• For minorities to build strong economies, we need business skills around making, managing, and accounting for money. Having professors who look like the students and c