I was once invited to be a panel speaker for a university event on genetics, race, and racism. When the event flyer came out, I found out I was the only scholar of color on the panel. 🧵 I am an early career researcher and, at the time, at a critical point of entering the job market. Accepting invites is what ECRs are encouraged to do. However, being the "representative" voice put an unfair burden on me. My white co-panelists did not have this same responsibility

Too many scientists self-proclaim their procurement of Indigenous peoples' DNA & data from non-sovereign entities as "ethical".

Legal ≠ ethical. Collecting genomes from Indigenous groups who are "easier to recruit" under the guise of "inclusion" does not excuse your extraction Indigenous nations have always self-governed, since before current geopolitical bounds.

If we limit our recognition of "sovereignty" to extrinsic definitions, we are complicit in enabling the same colonial structures that disenfranchise and disempower Indigenous people.

Dear #Academia, can reflect on the wording “what can we learn from #Indigenous Knowledge/people/experience” for a sec?

1) That framing has the danger of being extractive, and it potentially diminishes us as only being of use when we serve non-Indigenous means 1/5 Generalizable knowledge is important. But #academia must reconcile its colonial duality of discrediting our #knowledge systems while also wanting to benefit from it.

It’s time to enact protective and supportive structures if you value our contributions (hint to the NIH) 2/5

I am so glad that researchers are interested in helping extend #STEM opportunities to #tribal students!

But please understand that we #Indigenous academics spend considerable time to cultivate relationships of TRUST. No one should expect automatic access our networks. 1/8 #phd Some well-intentioned researchers have asked to contact my networks bc they 1) have a #diversity goal (Indigenous people as a ✔️), 2) request a letter of support, or 3) have an idea to "help us". If this is our first communication, understand that we have not yet built trust. 2/8

Today, after @JulianCastro’s news, discussion by mostly non-Indigenous ppl who still support #ElizabethWarren’s DNA political ploy was again met w dissent from Indigenous scholars.

I, an #Indigenous scientist, remind that Warren is NOT Native American: theconversation.com/two-native-ame… 1/

https://twitter.com/kstsosie/status/1214395247020560384

Any estimation of Warren’s supposed “Native American” ancestry is based on statistical INFERENCE reliant on % similarity w short chromosome segment that recently admixed Indigenous individuals from Central & South America happen to also share. And it’s poorly sampled (N=37). 2/