What happens to human beings when their culture and history are systematically erased? In this powerful account, psychology PhD candidate Jill Fish tells her story growing up as a Tuscarora woman in a world that fails to accurately acknowledge indigenous peoples’ cultures and histories. Integrating psychological theory and research with her personal and collective stories as a Tuscarora woman, Fish demonstrates the critical need to pay attention to the role culture and history plays in the present day lives of indigenous peoples through her model of human development – forcing individuals to see the legacy of settler colonialism and challenging them to do something about it.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx