WEBVTT 00:04.140 --> 00:06.050 Yeah , yeah . 00:08.640 --> 00:09.640 Mhm . 00:14.140 --> 00:16.362 If we want to be good leaders , we have 00:16.362 --> 00:18.418 to care about our people . You can't 00:18.418 --> 00:20.529 care about people unless you know who 00:20.529 --> 00:23.900 they are . Two years ago Colonel Adams 00:23.900 --> 00:25.956 who's now General Adams was our base 00:25.956 --> 00:28.067 commander . We had a diversity day at 00:28.067 --> 00:30.350 the chapel . I just was loud and proud 00:30.350 --> 00:32.572 about who I was and where I came from . 00:32.572 --> 00:34.628 And general Adams remembered that so 00:34.628 --> 00:37.130 fast for two years later . He is now at 00:37.130 --> 00:39.297 the pentagon and the Department of the 00:39.297 --> 00:41.241 Air Force has established the bear 00:41.241 --> 00:43.408 analysis working groups and he was the 00:43.408 --> 00:45.574 champion for the native american group 00:45.574 --> 00:47.686 and he asked me if I would be part of 00:47.686 --> 00:49.852 that team and be the lead for that . I 00:49.852 --> 00:52.019 of course said yes because now we have 00:52.019 --> 00:54.241 an opportunity to identify barriers and 00:54.241 --> 00:56.860 affect policy that that inhibit native 00:56.860 --> 00:59.082 americans for being fully successful in 00:59.082 --> 01:02.900 the deaf Annette is the 01:02.900 --> 01:05.710 indigenous nations equality team led by 01:05.710 --> 01:07.599 General Adams . That's a group of 01:07.599 --> 01:09.543 volunteers that are within the Air 01:09.543 --> 01:11.377 Force or Space Force and we have 01:11.377 --> 01:13.690 established some lines of effort where 01:13.690 --> 01:16.320 we are trying to um modify policy for 01:16.320 --> 01:18.320 several different things within for 01:18.320 --> 01:20.209 native americans in the Air Force 01:21.040 --> 01:23.460 bottom line up front hair policy for 01:23.460 --> 01:26.430 men ability to wear regalia within 01:26.440 --> 01:28.670 within the uniform during specific 01:28.670 --> 01:31.190 ceremonies and promotions permissive T 01:31.190 --> 01:33.680 DY to go to feasting and ceremonies 01:33.680 --> 01:36.550 before and after deployments as well as 01:36.550 --> 01:38.717 we're in conversations with Chief Bass 01:38.717 --> 01:40.606 about the use of the Chief master 01:40.606 --> 01:42.910 Sergent logo and how we can represent 01:42.910 --> 01:45.243 and be respectful of indigenous peoples . 01:45.540 --> 01:48.140 I think cultural awareness for the 01:48.140 --> 01:50.362 native american society and the culture 01:50.362 --> 01:52.529 that they have is important for people 01:52.529 --> 01:54.800 to know certain tribes for instance , 01:54.810 --> 01:56.866 they'll have an affinity for keeping 01:56.866 --> 01:58.866 their hair long . I would certainly 01:58.866 --> 02:01.032 grow my hair out and enjoy having some 02:01.032 --> 02:04.590 long traditional hair when I go home 02:04.600 --> 02:08.500 I'm , I'm Niko to increase on and then 02:08.500 --> 02:11.320 I'm chip , I go , I go throughout my 02:11.320 --> 02:13.420 country and I do ceremonies , I do 02:13.430 --> 02:15.763 celebrations all these things right now . 02:15.770 --> 02:17.992 If I were speaking to you and I were at 02:17.992 --> 02:20.159 home I would have my head dress on , I 02:20.159 --> 02:22.270 would be able to speak to you in that 02:22.270 --> 02:24.381 form . But since dress codes I didn't 02:24.381 --> 02:24.340 want to , I didn't want to get in 02:24.340 --> 02:28.240 trouble but in it has been that bridge 02:28.250 --> 02:30.550 they give me hope because now I'm able 02:30.550 --> 02:31.717 to connect the two . 02:32.540 --> 02:36.660 What 02:37.040 --> 02:38.818 so it's important to have these 02:38.818 --> 02:40.984 programs in the Air Force just so that 02:40.984 --> 02:43.560 we can um communicate and understand 02:43.560 --> 02:45.727 each other a little bit better to be a 02:45.727 --> 02:47.616 little bit more empathetic and as 02:47.616 --> 02:49.727 leaders , it's important to know your 02:49.727 --> 02:52.090 people and that is a primary way that 02:52.090 --> 02:54.201 we can do that to help accomplish the 02:54.201 --> 02:56.312 mission . And so and also to help get 02:56.312 --> 02:58.479 them as engaged as possible in the Air 02:58.479 --> 03:01.240 Force culture . So we never even had a 03:01.240 --> 03:03.300 voice until now . Now we have this 03:03.300 --> 03:05.950 voice at the pentagon to advocate for 03:05.960 --> 03:08.870 and try to modify a policy or 03:08.870 --> 03:11.037 initiatives for native americans which 03:11.037 --> 03:13.037 I think is huge . If we didn't have 03:13.037 --> 03:15.092 diversity in our in our forests , we 03:15.092 --> 03:17.203 would we would be stagnant . It's new 03:17.203 --> 03:19.037 ideas from different people have 03:19.037 --> 03:21.259 different perspectives that can help us 03:21.259 --> 03:20.960 be a better force overall .