Mitakuye Oyasin is a Lakota philosophy that roughly translates to "we are all related" or "all my relations." It recognizes one's relationship and responsibility to all living things and reminds us to always consider how our behaviors and actions impact the life around us. 

Unsurprisingly, this philosophy is at odds with colonialism and the capitalist notions of "me" over "we." This discussion will review the universal and practical applications of Mitakuye Oyasin and how humans can cultivate kinship with the life, space, and time around them in ways that reject Western bootstrap/individualistic theories and acknowledge and affirm Indigenous people, values, and practices. 

Taté Walker is a Lakota citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. They are an award-winning Two Spirit storyteller for outlets like "The Nation," "Everyday Feminism," "Native Peoples," "Indian Country Today," "Apartment Therapy," and "ANMLY." They are also featured in several anthologies, including "FIERCE: Essays by and about Dauntless Women," "South Dakota in Poems," W.W. Norton's "Everyone's an Author," and "The Languages of Our Love: An Indigenous Love and Sex Anthology" (forthcoming Summer 2022). Taté recently released their first full-length, illustrated poetry book, "The Trickster Riots" (Abalone Mountain Press, 2022). Learn more at jtatewalker.com.

Taté and ONE have also collaborated to get "The Trickster Riots" out to Lakota youth through The Cheyenne River Youth Project.  You can contribute here through October 30th.  Link: https://www.pledge.to/getting-the-trickster-riots-out-to-lakota-youth-9078 or Text TRICKSTER to 707070 to donate

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