Respect, Ambition and Cultural Sensitivity

Some day the earth will weep,
she will beg for her life,
she will cry with tears of blood.
You will make a choice,
if you will help her or let her die,
and when she dies, you too will die.

- John Hollow Horn, Oglala Lakota

I chose to use a piece from John Hollow Horn, as it sparks thoughts of both the past and the present for me. I am reminded of what my native ancestors persevered through on this soil, and I am also reminded of what that same soil is encountering due to our actions today. Both of these instances symbolize a sort of tipping point that can represent the end of what we have known. John Hollow Horn’s words are humbling as I am once again reminded of how intertwined everything in our world is. We are so reliant on the natural resources provided to us, just like how colonizers were reliant on early Americans to learn how to use those same resources. By including words like weeping, tears, blood, and death, John Horn incites language that is moving and serves as a call-to-action. 

The ambitious message of this quote relates to our High Road principles in many ways. So much of what we will do in life, including our projects this summer, will depend on ambition. Cultural sensitivity also is a large piece of the message here, the respect required from everyone is obvious. Respect translates into understanding other cultures, righting past wrongs, and reshaping the future.