You’re No Indian: The Disenrollment Crisis Nobody Wants to Talk About
Tue Feb 03 2026
https://www.patreon.com/c/u40108333
Support the work on Patreon: In this episode, I’m sharing my thoughts after watching the documentary You’re No Indian at a screening here in the Central Valley. This film is a heavy but necessary look at disenrollment and how it impacts Native families and tribal communities across the country.Disenrollment is often talked about like it’s just an administrative issue, but the reality is deeper. It can mean people being banned from their own communities, cut off from services and resources, and in some cases even evicted from their homes. The human cost is real, and it hits even harder when you personally know people involved. I know many of the individuals featured in this film, and I’ve seen firsthand how committed they’ve been to their communities.In this review, I also talk about the tension that sits at the center of this issue. I’m a firm believer in tribal sovereignty and I believe tribes have the inherent right to determine citizenship. At the same time, some disenrollment cases can feel deeply unjust, especially when due process is unclear or inconsistent. And we also have to be honest that there are two sides to these stories. It’s possible that some people seeking enrollment are doing it mainly for benefits rather than cultural connection, and it can be incredibly difficult to determine legitimacy because of complicated histories and messy records.We also get into blood quantum, why it’s a colonial tool, and how it can fracture families and be weaponized in disputes. And I address what the film argues is driving disenrollment in many cases, greed tied to casino money, per capita payments, and the consolidation of power.This is not an easy conversation, but it’s a necessary one. My hope is that we can have more healthy discussion around this topic without outsiders using it as an excuse to attack Native sovereignty.The film is not available for streaming yet and is currently being shown through limited theaters and select screenings, so if you get a chance to see it, I encourage you to go and then start a respectful conversation in your own circles.Drop your thoughts in the comments, but keep it respectful. What does justice and due process look like inside tribal sovereignty#YoureNoIndian #Disenrollment #TribalSovereignty #IndigenousRights #IndianCountry #NativeVoices #NativeJustice #BloodQuantum #Decolonize #LandBack #CentralValley #DrBTeaches
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https://www.patreon.com/c/u40108333 Support the work on Patreon: In this episode, I’m sharing my thoughts after watching the documentary You’re No Indian at a screening here in the Central Valley. This film is a heavy but necessary look at disenrollment and how it impacts Native families and tribal communities across the country.Disenrollment is often talked about like it’s just an administrative issue, but the reality is deeper. It can mean people being banned from their own communities, cut off from services and resources, and in some cases even evicted from their homes. The human cost is real, and it hits even harder when you personally know people involved. I know many of the individuals featured in this film, and I’ve seen firsthand how committed they’ve been to their communities.In this review, I also talk about the tension that sits at the center of this issue. I’m a firm believer in tribal sovereignty and I believe tribes have the inherent right to determine citizenship. At the same time, some disenrollment cases can feel deeply unjust, especially when due process is unclear or inconsistent. And we also have to be honest that there are two sides to these stories. It’s possible that some people seeking enrollment are doing it mainly for benefits rather than cultural connection, and it can be incredibly difficult to determine legitimacy because of complicated histories and messy records.We also get into blood quantum, why it’s a colonial tool, and how it can fracture families and be weaponized in disputes. And I address what the film argues is driving disenrollment in many cases, greed tied to casino money, per capita payments, and the consolidation of power.This is not an easy conversation, but it’s a necessary one. My hope is that we can have more healthy discussion around this topic without outsiders using it as an excuse to attack Native sovereignty.The film is not available for streaming yet and is currently being shown through limited theaters and select screenings, so if you get a chance to see it, I encourage you to go and then start a respectful conversation in your own circles.Drop your thoughts in the comments, but keep it respectful. What does justice and due process look like inside tribal sovereignty#YoureNoIndian #Disenrollment #TribalSovereignty #IndigenousRights #IndianCountry #NativeVoices #NativeJustice #BloodQuantum #Decolonize #LandBack #CentralValley #DrBTeaches