Hensci (Hello). It’s Native American Heritage Month and Thursday is Thanksgiving in the U.S.

One memory I cherish at Thanksgiving is my grandmother, a Muscogee Nation citizen, had us say Hompvks ce (pronounced sort of like Hum-buck-che) at the beginning of the meal which means something similar to let’s eat or you all eat. I can still see her from my view at the kids table sitting there quiet and strong with a slight grin that showed that Owl-like pride in her heritage.

Some things to keep in mind if you celebrate:

1) It’s Day of Mourning for Indigenous people and considered ThanksTaking. We are still on unceded land. Oppression is not a thing of the past. Listen/Read Native voices on the history.

2) Question why Franklin is sitting by himself in “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and don’t let that happen in real life on your watch (unless Franklin chooses to be left alone).

3) Remember drama is optional at holiday dinners, but also generally in life.

4) Write a full page of things you are grateful for. On my list: grateful for you and the honor it is to be in communications at this time in history.

Let’s get together on Thurs Nov 30th to get your 2024 Content Calendar in great shape to honor cultural moments. Black History Month in Feb (in U.S.) deserves better advanced planning and coordination than it gets. Let’s get to work next week.

Mvto (thank you).

kim

Read “How to ensure your land acknowledgment doesn’t perpetuate Oppression” by Alex Kapitan, the Radical Copyeditor who includes several Native voices as sources.

Kim Clark

The Empathetic Museum. [@empatheticmuseum] (November 23, 2023). “Read ⬇️ From Kim Clarke Communications: Hensci (Hello). It’s Native American Heritage Month and Thursday is Thanksgiving in the U.S.” [Image]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/empatheticmuseum/p/C0AKUxvSooy/