Finding Home

There’s so much to be grateful for! On this week of Beyond the Lines, Zoe Gabrielle brings us along on the ride as she discusses acknowledging Native land, finding home, and bringing social awareness to Native students with guest, Johnaca Hunt.

On this episode of Beyond the Lines, Zoe Gabrielle takes a deep dive into Native American Heritage Month, as she discusses Greek life as a Native student, being aware of cultural appropriation, and making a community in newfound spaces.

What is Beyond The Lines?

Beyond The Lines is a podcast created to talk about topics on our college campus that our students want to talk about. Each semester the season will be themed around a different topic that affects students from all walks.

Zoe: 00:06

Hello, beautiful people. My name is Zoe Gabrielle, and today is another wonderful episode of Beyond the Lines. I have a wonderful guest here with me. Jonica Hunt. Hi.

Zoe: 00:17

How are you doing, Jonica?

Jonica: 00:18

Good. How are you?

Zoe: 00:19

I'm pretty good. So I know that we have just come back from a spooky holiday. It was fun. It was sugar filled. How was your Halloween?

Jonica: 00:30

It was pretty good. Very busy. I had fun though, so that's all that matters.

Zoe: 00:34

What did you do for Halloween, if you don't mind me asking?

Jonica: 00:37

So I just went around Greenville downtown and spent some time with my friends and my roommate because I never really get to see her during the week. So it was really laid back and fun.

Zoe: 00:48

Well, that is great, and I am so so happy for you. On today's episode, we are going to be discussing what it is like being a Native American student, how it is from your perspective, what it's like in your communities, and how ECU has positively impacted you. We are gonna jump right into the episode. So you know what that means. Don't touch that dial.

Zoe: 01:09

Get ready. Get set for another episode of Beyond the Lines. Hello, beautiful people. And thank you so much for tuning in. Today is not any regular day.

Zoe: 01:21

Today is Friday, the best day of the week. And may I add, it is even better because I have a wonderful guest here today. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me, Jonica. How's your day been so far?

Jonica: 01:33

Well, it's Friday, so all the stress from the week is kind of taken a toll on me. So I was able to sleep in this morning. And I did have class, and now I'm here. So I'm super excited.

Zoe: 01:46

And we are more than excited to have you here today. Now, to start off the episode, why don't we take it back to the beginning and you give us a little insight on how attending ECU came about.

Jonica: 01:58

So actually, I was the only person for my graduating class to come to ECU. And I'm actually still here and I do have a few friends who transferred in or came in after I did. But ECU was always my number one school. And only because of the medical, professions that they have here, medical majors. So I've always wanted to help out in the community and I was able to find that here at ECU.

Zoe: 02:26

Okay. Did you tour or did you have like family that went here as well?

Jonica: 02:30

So I actually toured here, and I fell in love with the campus as soon as I stepped on.

Zoe: 02:36

It is undoubtedly true that ECU has such a beautiful campus. So it is no surprise that that was your selling point, and I'm glad that you're here. I'm glad to have you here. As I mentioned before, this episode is centered around native students, their experiences, their communities, and the positive impact that ECU has had on them. Stating that, I would love to know more about you, Jonica, what nation or tribe that you belong to. I'm aware that there are more than 500 plus native nations or tribes that are federally recognized by the United States. And if I'm completely honest, I feel like there are much more nations and tribes out there as well too. Now, if you don't mind giving us a little bit more insight, which tribe or nation do you belong to?

Jonica: 03:26

So I am actually a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina that is in Robeson County. Our tribal building is actually in Pembroke, North Carolina. Pembroke is home of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and it was the 1st native institution that was built for natives by natives. And so I kind of, you know, always had that on in mind. I wanted to stay if I wanted to stay home, I always had that option.

Jonica: 03:54

Yeah. But I just wanted to bring the native life here to East Carolina, and I think I've done a pretty good job.

Zoe: 04:02

I would say that you have done a pretty great job as well because our numbers and native students are increasing, and that's always a positive aspect. Now for native students that may not know about ECU yet or are reluctant to transition to a school like ECU, what do you think is the main reason that they are so reluctant?

Jonica: 04:24

I think that a lot of it kind of falls back on, like, tuition tuition at ECU is completely different than tuition at UNCP. Mhmm. But, a lot of people do decide to stay home because they're saving money. You don't have to pay for housing, don't have to pay for groceries. You got that $500 tuition.

Jonica: 04:43

Yeah. So you're kinda set for life. You got everything that you need right there at home.

Zoe: 04:47

That makes a lot of sense. But I am glad that you were able to bring friends and family here because it's a great place to be. I I do you wanna know what's your favorite aspect of ECU?

Jonica: 05:00

So I think that the amount of leadership positions that I've had here, I really don't think I would've joined the sorority that I'm in, become the president of the organization that I'm a part of. Beyond many executive boards, I just feel like I probably wouldn't have come out of my shell because I was, like I said, the only native student from my graduating class at my high school to come here. So I was really kind of nervous at first. I didn't know how I was gonna find my way, but fast forward 4 years later and I've had several leadership positions. Yeah. And I'm here today. I would have never imagined.

Zoe: 05:38

You're doing beautifully. Can where are you from?

Jonica: 05:41

I am from a little community called Elrod. It's, in Rowland, North Carolina. Okay. Rowland is between, the North Carolina, South Carolina line. Wow.

Jonica: 05:53

So kinda near, like, Dillon County. Yeah. So it's between Dillon County and Pembroke. Okay.

Zoe: 05:59

My native family is from Red Springs, which is a small town within Robeson County. It's like I don't know. I don't wanna miscalculate, but I think maybe 20 minutes. I feel like I got that wrong, but maybe 45 minutes from Lumberton. So that's where all of my native relatives stay.

Zoe: 06:18

And so that's and that's where I learned the most about the Lumbee tribe, our people, what we stand for, and how we operate as community. And I just think it's really great that we truly are nationwide. We're statewide. We're global. We're everywhere, which is really cool to me.

Zoe: 06:38

Now, I you said that you are in Greek life. How has that experience been being in Greek life?

Jonica: 06:44

So when I first came to ECU, I knew I was gonna I wanted to be in a sorority. I didn't know, you know, which path to go. There's 4 different, Greek life organization roots to go. So when I came, I was introduced to the community first.

Jonica: 07:02

They were one of the first communities here at ECU to reach out. And they were willing to learn more about me.

Zoe: 07:09

Mhmm.

Jonica: 07:09

And they didn't see me as just another girl with brown skin and brown hair and, oh, let's get her. She's gonna make her numbers look better. Yeah. I was taken very seriously. I was asked about different things that had happened in my life that nobody had really ever sat down to take the time to get to know about.

Jonica: 07:30

Yeah. So I grown as a person and now I'm actually on the panelinic executive board. That's awesome. So I think I've kinda found my way just because of the Panhellenic community.

Zoe: 07:44

So you feel at home? Yes. That's wonderful. And speaking of at home, I have some fantastic news for not only native students, but for all ECU students and that is ECU has dedicated a space, a structure to native students here to recognize them to honor them and to acknowledge our ancestors the people that came before us and their contributions to our community, to our society, to our world and it comes just in time for a Native American Heritage Month, which is all of November. Have you been to that site yet?

Jonica: 08:24

So I actually went to the ribbon cutting ceremony and it was actually a year ago yesterday, so on the 2nd November. And it was just a great way to kinda kick off Native American Heritage Month. Yeah. Because we have a brand new structure here that we've never had here before. Yeah.

Jonica: 08:41

And it just recognizes the people who came before us, the people who are still here

Zoe: 08:46

Mhmm.

Jonica: 08:46

And the people that will come after us.

Zoe: 08:48

Do you feel like a lot of people know about the Lumbee tribe?

Jonica: 08:53

I think they know of the Lumbee tribe only because of UNC Pembroke. I get that all the time. I say, oh, yeah. I'm from Pembroke. And they're like, oh, so you're Lumbee.

Jonica: 09:02

Yeah. But there are many different tribes that are in Robinson County such as the Tuscarora Nations. Yeah. So it just takes, you know, educating and feel like that's what I've done. I've educated them not only on the Lumbee people, but the Tuscarora people because the Tuscarora people are actually the traditional custodians of the land of Greenville.

Jonica: 09:23

Mhmm. And I just think that just educating them on that is opening up their eyes to see that there's just more than just one set tribe.

Zoe: 09:33

Yeah. Throughout the episode, you've mentioned how you take the time to educate your peers in your community on how it is being native and the history of native peoples. My question now is, what do you think are the best ways to be an ally to native students, friends, family, loved ones?

Jonica: 09:52

I think that there's always ways of improvement. But since I've been here, I've kind of educated my peers on where I come from, the struggles that I've gone through. Mhmm. And I remember one of the first weeks I was here, I had someone actually walk up to me and we're like, what are you? Yeah.

Jonica: 10:11

So I was just told them, you know, I'm native American. And I think that, like, social media and the media kind of portrays us as something that we're not. Yeah. But, you know, you can't bash someone because of something that they don't know. So it just takes us educating and sitting down, and you have to be willing to listen and understand and support.

Zoe: 10:35

Now, Jonica, you've been here all 4 years at ECU. Can you please elaborate on how you've seen ECU progress and grow and improve on diversity and inclusion and how ECU has positively impacted you when it comes to diversity and inclusion?

Jonica: 10:54

So in my high school, we I came from a high school that was populated with maybe 98% Native Americans. Mhmm. Whether that be from the Lumbee tribe, Tuscarora tribe, Haliwasa Poni tribe. We were all native people, so we didn't have to worry about discrimination anything. And coming to college, I felt where am I gonna find my place.

Jonica: 11:18

Mhmm. There's not a big like native community here, and I think it took us getting to having different events like through the

Zoe: 11:30

Yeah.

Jonica: 11:30

Ladonia rights center and we also have the native space that we were talking about earlier. Mhmm. I think that people kinda look at it and they're like, oh, okay. And prior to maybe my sophomore year, I never knew anything about the land acknowledgment. I just recently learned then that this is the land of the Tuscarora people.

Jonica: 11:53

Yeah. So I think that, you know, my professors given that out at the beginning of the year, and I just feel like I'm more safe. And people are now willing to listen to our story and just find out who we are.

Zoe: 12:09

Yes. Yes. I absolutely agree. Now we are coming towards the end of our first segment of the episode. But, before we go, I do wanna ask, what would you say would be a suggestion, a helpful suggestion, or advice to a native scholar listening to this episode today?

Jonica: 12:28

So I know in Robinson County, we're always told we're still here. And I think if we come on this campus and we realize we're still here, this is the this is our ancestors' wildest dreams. Yeah. Here you are somewhere in life to where your ancestors would have loved to have been. Yeah.

Jonica: 12:46

And I tell myself that every single day that where I am right now is my ancestors' wildest dreams. I'm a 21 year old female and I just look back on my life. And I remember when my mom was 21 and she was stay at home mom, she was staying home with me and I'm living her wildest dreams. Yeah. Because at 21, she didn't have the opportunities that I had.

Jonica: 13:12

So I think that, you know, knowing that you are important, you are heard, we're here, we're in support, and we have to stand in solidarity together.

Zoe: 13:21

And you're changing the world too. You're changing your family's world, and you're changing the lives of other people, just with every success that you have. And I want to tell you that I'm so inspired by you because what you're doing is is truly incredible. We're gonna take a little break, and when we come back, we are going to discuss the movement of my culture is not your costume. If you guys don't know much about that, it is a movement that is centered around educating others about how to be respectful and to avoid cultural appropriation, especially around social events and holidays such as Halloween that has just passed and just how to how to be an ally to people of color because it is needed and it is necessary.

Zoe: 14:11

And with that, we will be right back after this break. And we are back. I know that you missed us because we missed you. Now, as I mentioned before, we are going to hop into discussing the movement of my my culture is not your costume. Have you heard of this movement?

Jonica: 14:36

Yes. We actually do an event with the LWCC during the, Halloween season. So it starts the first Wednesday in October, ends the last Wednesday in October. And it's just a way that we can get students to come in and kind of describe why they think that, you know, our cultures are not costumes. Yeah.

Jonica: 14:57

And there's some really good answers, some answers that I wouldn't even think of.

Zoe: 15:01

Now, let's backtrack just a bit because I want to give you guys, the audience, a little backstory about what my culture is not a costume, the campaign is. I've been saying movement, I guess, it's pretty telling for me saying how strongly I feel about it, but it is a campaign that is centered around teaching communities about cultural appropriation, how to avoid it. And it was started at Ohio State in 2011 by a student organization that goes by the name STARS. And STARS is students teaching about racism in society. Now, what exactly is cultural appropriation?

Zoe: 15:41

Cultural appropriation is defined by the adoption, usually without acknowledgment of cultural identity markers from subcultures or minority communities into mean mainstream culture by people with a relatively privileged status. A mouthful and a lot to take in. But, like I said before, it is a necessary campaign to have, and I think it's incredible that ECU is continuing to spread this awareness and that they are evolving all their students to be a part of it. Stating that, I wanna know how you felt when you were first introduced to my culture is not a costume.

Jonica: 16:20

I know my mom is actually a an American Indian studies, major. Well, that's what she majored in in college. So we were me and my sister were always taught growing up like, you know, there's certain things that you just don't do, there's certain things that you just don't say about the native culture, others cultures, because you have no idea what they've come from and what they've endured. With my culture is not a costume, how

Zoe: 16:47

do you feel that your steps because you said you start from, 3 Wednesdays or the beginning of October. Yeah. You started at the beginning of October and then the last Wednesday. How do you feel as if that movement was effective for this Halloween? Do you feel as if it was positive positively impactful?

Zoe: 17:07

Do you do you feel like you saw less to know, costumes that were endangered of cultural appropriation.

Jonica: 17:17

I know I actually did try to look around just to kinda make sure.

Zoe: 17:21

Yeah. Because you also enjoy yourself. Yeah.

Jonica: 17:23

Yeah. And I really didn't never seen anything, you know, out the way. I do I did have to actually write up a newsletter article about my culture is not a costume and we sent it to all 11 Panhellenic organizations here on campus. Mhmm. And I think that was very beneficial because it was a very it was a breakdown.

Jonica: 17:45

It was why we shouldn't wear this. Okay. If we can't wear it, then what's the significance behind it? And I think we did a really good job on breaking that down. And a lot of chapters I know did, you know, educate their members on it, showed it up again because who's gonna, you know, check their email or Yeah.

Jonica: 18:02

Read a news article, but they just, you know, they kind of I think we've done a really good job on educating our women. Mhmm. And I think the LWCC did a really good job on educating the ECU community as a whole.

Zoe: 18:15

Yeah. You I I feel as if it was a successful Hallow weekend, and I'm proud to to say that we have people like you in offices, in spaces, representing and advocating for everyone and making sure that everyone feels acknowledged and cared for. So, with that, we are coming to an end of our episode. I really appreciate you coming out and Thank you. Speaking with me.

Zoe: 18:44

I I had such a great time, and I feel inspired. I feel informed. I honestly feel ready to conquer the world. Before we go, Jonica, I would love to get more information on where we could find the native space that is located here on campus.

Jonica: 19:00

So this native space is actually located at the main campus student center behind the ECU letters, which is right across the road from Arby's. There's a plaque there that has a land acknowledgement. And like I said earlier, it kinda just gives recognition to the Tuscarora people, who are the traditional custodians of the land. And there are also there's also a space there where it recognizes the 8 state recognized tribes in North Carolina, which is very important because I'm a and is state recognized. We're not federally recognized.

Jonica: 19:33

Yeah. And I always feel like sometimes we're overlooked because we're not federally recognized. So I think this was an amazing way to show that ECU does really care that we are here and no matter if we're state recognized, federally recognized

Zoe: 19:49

Yeah. We're valued. All one. Yeah. They see us.

Zoe: 19:51

And it's all it feels great to be recognized. It makes you feel like this human experience that we call life is even greater than it can be because we all like to feel acknowledged and perceived and seen and loved and feel and heard and stuff. So yeah. And if you are looking for further resources on how to gain access on information or educate yourself on native tribes or native people or the history of native tribes or native people. Jonica, do you mind telling us a few of those resources?

Zoe: 20:25

Okay.

Jonica: 20:26

So, since this, November, which is Native American Heritage Month, Joyner actually has all of their Native American selections pulled out and on shelving where it's easily easily accessible. So you don't have to go up into the upstairs and kinda try to find it. Whether that be picture books that you can find in the teaching resource center. There's also, North Carolina documentation that shows about the different native tribes here. I know they have a couple books on the Lumbee tribe, which is amazing.

Jonica: 20:58

They have a book by one of my biggest inspirations there, and you can find it, near where the Starbucks is. But other than that, I think that, you know, if you just wanna listen to any native tunes, there's always, drumming music that you can listen to and it's just the way that natives kind of express who they are.

Zoe: 21:21

Yeah. Well, thank you so much, Danica, for coming on to podcast and speaking with me. I had such a great time, and I hope you have a great rest of your day. And as I always say, the world is a much better place simply because you are in it. This has been another installment of Beyond the Lines.

Zoe: 21:38

I'll catch you next week.