Alex Flanders
- College of Arts and Sciences Senator
Additional Information
Why are you running for Student Government?
I am a Native American woman from the Winnebago Indian Reservation here in Nebraska. I am also the current President of Inter-Tribal Student Council, which is the only Native American/Indigenous group on campus. It's housed within the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
I attended a meeting with administration in December last year and noticed how ignorant they were about that Native students here on campus. I went my whole life telling people that we are still here, and still do it in my classes. For many, when I talk about my student organization, it's the first time they hear about it. It's the first time they hear about the Wambli Sapa Memorial Powwow or the Native American Film Fest.
My organization and their events have been here at UNO longer than I have been on this planet. I would like to speak on behalf of the Native American students who are ignored and underrepresented here on campus.
Which issue do you think should be changed or improved on campus?
It's not just the Native American students here on campus. It's everyone. We're invisible in our own university. My friend who received a heart breaking letter on his car last semester, my relatives who get called out in class just because they're Native American, my friends who have to defend themselves because of an epidemic they had nothing to do with.
We need to spread awareness on this campus and provide support not just to the white-American students, but the multicultural ones. We have our own months that we celebrate though the Office of Multicultural Affairs, but after those months pass, no one hears about us. We don't get the coverage like the sports games. We don't get the recognition and advertisement like Blackbear is getting right now for coming to our school.
What makes you qualified to sit on Student Government?
I wonder, how many of the people on student government represent the large amount of diversity on campus. I wonder how many of the people on Student Government represent the population of Native American students here on campus.
My people and my views are important too, considering that the land we stand upon used to belong to the Omaha, Ponca, and Pawnee tribes and it isn't known anymore. Only at the Native American Studies, Inter-tribal Student Council, and Tribal Management and Emergency Services events have I heard that addressed. Maybe we're not important to anyone anymore, as everyone thinks we're all dead. I bring to the table the Native American view.
I have experience working with not just a Native American group, but a multicultural one as I'm a work-study in the office of Multicultural Affairs. If I sit on student government, that would help me fill my goal of letting people know that We're still here. I won't just fight for the issues that Native American students face on this campus, I'll fight for everyone regardless of our history. I have a warrior spirit, and I'm determined that nothing will get in my way.
Additional Information
Why are you running for Student Government?
I am a Native American woman from the Winnebago Indian Reservation here in Nebraska. I am also the current President of Inter-Tribal Student Council, which is the only Native American/Indigenous group on campus. It's housed within the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
I attended a meeting with administration in December last year and noticed how ignorant they were about that Native students here on campus. I went my whole life telling people that we are still here, and still do it in my classes. For many, when I talk about my student organization, it's the first time they hear about it. It's the first time they hear about the Wambli Sapa Memorial Powwow or the Native American Film Fest.
My organization and their events have been here at UNO longer than I have been on this planet. I would like to speak on behalf of the Native American students who are ignored and underrepresented here on campus.
Which issue do you think should be changed or improved on campus?
It's not just the Native American students here on campus. It's everyone. We're invisible in our own university. My friend who received a heart breaking letter on his car last semester, my relatives who get called out in class just because they're Native American, my friends who have to defend themselves because of an epidemic they had nothing to do with.
We need to spread awareness on this campus and provide support not just to the white-American students, but the multicultural ones. We have our own months that we celebrate though the Office of Multicultural Affairs, but after those months pass, no one hears about us. We don't get the coverage like the sports games. We don't get the recognition and advertisement like Blackbear is getting right now for coming to our school.
What makes you qualified to sit on Student Government?
I wonder, how many of the people on student government represent the large amount of diversity on campus. I wonder how many of the people on Student Government represent the population of Native American students here on campus.
My people and my views are important too, considering that the land we stand upon used to belong to the Omaha, Ponca, and Pawnee tribes and it isn't known anymore. Only at the Native American Studies, Inter-tribal Student Council, and Tribal Management and Emergency Services events have I heard that addressed. Maybe we're not important to anyone anymore, as everyone thinks we're all dead. I bring to the table the Native American view.
I have experience working with not just a Native American group, but a multicultural one as I'm a work-study in the office of Multicultural Affairs. If I sit on student government, that would help me fill my goal of letting people know that We're still here. I won't just fight for the issues that Native American students face on this campus, I'll fight for everyone regardless of our history. I have a warrior spirit, and I'm determined that nothing will get in my way.