As graduate students in the César E. Chávez Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies at UCLA, we are deeply disturbed by the recent revelations concerning Professor Maylei Blackwell’s misrepresentation of herself as Cherokee. Like many others, we are truly grateful to the Native American and Indigenous studies Association (NAISA) and its council for shedding light on this issue. It is because of their work and diligence that we are able to confront this painful truth and begin a process of reckoning within our department. We would also like to thank the Cherokee Scholars Group for bringing this issue to NAISA.
Upon receiving the news of Blackwell’s self-indigenization, our department has sought to stand in unwavering solidarity with the Cherokee Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians among other Indigenous and Native communities impacted by this deceit. We understand and acknowledge that Indigenous communities, including the Cherokee, have diverse and specific norms of belonging, citizenship and membership, all of which are rooted in their sovereignty rights as nations. These norms are not up for debate, nor are they subject to interpretation by those outside of these communities. We unequivocally respect the sovereignty of the Cherokee people, who have made it clear that Blackwell’s claims were false and harmful.
Following Blackwell’s admission we are taking the necessary action to reflect on the multi-layered harm and deceit that have caused former and current students and to Indigenous and Native communities in the U.S.. Many of us chose to work with Blackwell because we were led to believe she was Cherokee — a two-spirit healer in her community. We now know that these beliefs were based on a fabrication of lies. The trust that was built on these false claims has been irrevocably damaged. For students, particularly those who sought mentorship and guidance from someone they believed shared their identity or cultural background, this is a deep betrayal — one that cuts deep.
As doctoral scholars, we are acutely aware of the power dynamics in academia and the ways in which self-indigenization can be wielded as a tool of both personal and professional advancement at the detriment of actual indigenous scholars. Blackwell’s actions reflect a troubling pattern that we have seen time and time again since the inception of Ethnic Studies and Chicana/o Studies: the romanticization and the erasure of Indigenous voices. Let us be extremely clear. This is not just an individual act of deception, it is a continuation of colonial violence that undermines the sovereignty of Indigenous and Native nations, and disrespects their lived experiences.
At this moment, we look to Indigenous and Native scholars who have long written about the dangers of self-indigenization and the harmful legacies of colonialism in academia. We acknowledge the labor and contributions of Indigenous and Native scholars who have consistently spoken out against these issues, often at great personal and professional cost. Their work provides the framework through which we must understand the harm caused by Blackwell’s actions and offers the tools we need to begin to address it. However, we also recognize that it is not the responsibility of Indigenous scholars or communities to carry the burden of addressing this harm alone.
One of the primary reasons we are compelled to take action and speak out is because we refuse to place all the labor of redress on our Indigenous and Native colleagues. We cannot, in good conscience, remain silent while Indigenous and Native scholars and students are once again called upon to address the repercussions of harm they did not create. As graduate students committed to decolonial praxis, we believe that we must take on the work of holding those in positions of power accountable for their actions. The culture of silence that permeates academia has allowed harm to persist in the name of reputational protection. But we refuse to fall victim to this paradigm. Academia often breeds complicity by encouraging students and faculty alike to remain quiet about issues of identity fraud, appropriation, and harm in order to protect the institution. We will not be complicit in such silences.
We call on Professor Blackwell to resign from her position. Her misrepresentation is not acceptable in our field of study or in rigorous academic scholarship, and it is deeply unethical to continue working with someone who has so egregiously violated the trust of students and colleagues. The time for deceit is over! As long as self-indigenization is tolerated, we are complicit in the ongoing romanticization and commodification of Indigenous identities that have plagued Chicana/o Studies and Ethnic Studies since their inception.
As the future of this field, we pledge to continue rigorous interrogation of ourselves and our scholarly work to ensure we do not reproduce anti-indigenous harms historically perpetuated by Chicana/o Studies. We also find it important to note that this letter was authored by a group of mixed-race scholars, including mestiza/o/x, Indigenous/Native, Chicanx and Central American scholars.
It is important to remember that the consequences of self-indigenization are not limited to personal betrayal — they contribute to a broader colonial project that seeks to erase and commodify Indigenous identity. As Dr. Kim TallBear writes:
“Self-Indigenization is an ultimate act of colonial appropriation whether self-Indigenizers intend it or not. Self-Indigenization co-evolves with recognized genocidal strategies. It is predicated on 200 years of racial science across disciplines co-constituted with settler state laws and policies designed to kill the Indian within the human. Individuals may survive, but actual Indigenous collectives must remain conquered, controlled, and sufficiently alive only to provide the bio- or cultural matter necessary for the vampiric thriving of a settler state.”
Dr. TallBear’s words underscore the fact that self-indigenization is not just a personal failing, but an extension of the ongoing settler colonial project. This is why we find it necessary to speak out. Our commitment to decolonial praxis demands that we address these harms head-on. This work is not easy, and it is not for us to determine what justice looks like for Indigenous and Native communities. Only Indigenous and Native peoples know what accountability should entail. However, what we can do is ensure that those who harm Indigenous communities are held accountable and that the structures that allow these harms to persist are dismantled.
As we move forward, we welcome critical dialogue with Indigenous scholars, students, and communities. Our work is to listen, support, and act in solidarity. The future of Chicana/o and Central American Studies depends on our ability to right these wrongs and ensure that our field does not perpetuate the colonial practices it was intended to challenge.
In solidarity,
an anonymous collective of over twenty Chicana/o and Central American Studies Graduate Students