How often do you hear about Native Americans? Never. The only time we have heard about them was when we were in history class. Unfortunately, instead of learning the truth of the history of the United States encounters with the Natives, we learned what many call white-washed history. We continue to perpetuate the lies instead of the truth. These are people that we essentially ruined and forced onto reservations, but we seemingly ignore that. I was not fully aware of the atrocities we inflicted upon them until I researched it myself. From battles like Wounded Knee to The Indian Removal act, it is evident that we have many wrongs to right.

As a country, we are founded on the atrocities that we inflicted on the Natives. We live privileged lives because of the barbarous acts our founders committed. They are an integral part of American culture and are in the very fabric of this country, yet we fail to recognize that. If we took the time to learn the truth and to see how they currently live, we would be forced to recognize that there is a problem.

Unfortunately, we as a country would rather keep with the status quo then do what is right. We have continually forced them to make sacrifices they should never have had to make. At this moment, there are approximately 5.2 million American Indians and Alaskan Natives in the United States. Of that number, only 51 percent graduate college and those that enter an undergraduate program after graduation is a mere 5 percent. Why is this acceptable? As a country, we are clearly failing the Native American community in all aspects such as housing, healthcare and education.

Consequently, suicide is the leading cause of death for Native American youth. 40 percent of those that commit suicide in the Native American community are between the ages of 15 to 24 according to the CDC, and young adults ranging from age 18 to 24 experience higher suicide rates than any other ethnic group and that includes the general population. This statistic is incredibly alarming. It is obvious to me why we never hear or acknowledge the Native American people. For us, they are out of sight and out of mind, meaning they do not exist in our country.

It is time that we right the wrongs we have committed and continue to make. This community is just like the rest of us and arguably even more American than we are. They deserve to be recognized, they deserve to be included, and they deserve to be helped. We cannot continue to sit idle and ignore what is so glaringly obvious and we cannot, in good conscience, continue the horrific cycle our ancestors started.