Lakota Pearl Pochedley (Shishibéniyek Bodwéwadmik) is the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) for the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (also known as the Gun Lake Tribe). She is an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation located in Shawnee, Oklahoma. In 2013, Lakota graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor’s degree in sociocultural anthropology and ethnicity and race studies with a specialization in Native American studies. During this time, she had the opportunity to work with a pre-K literacy Program, AmeriCorps Jumpstart, as a corps member and
My 4-year-old daughter Sophia was confused. She looked to me for an answer. “Greyson's not black,” she said. “Her skin is brown.” This was the first time I had heard my daughter bring up the issue of race or skin color.