As part of Spring Lobby Weekend 2024, nine students from the Furman University Justice Forum gathered in Arlington, Virginia, on March 16–19, along with hundreds of other youth from across the nation, to lobby US senators and representatives regarding the detrimental legacy of the Indian Boarding School era. The Friends Committee on National Legislation planned the trip. Many generations of Native Americans have carried on the pain that the Federal Indian Boarding Schools of the early 1900s imposed upon Indigenous students for engaging in their own traditions and languages, according to Lydia McCarty ’24, president of the Furman Justice Forum.
Lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill
Xavier Johnson ’24, Addison Wood ’27, Julia Turner ’24, Georgia Whiteside ’24, Caroline Brawley ’24, Abijah Leamon ’24, Jada Walker ’24, and Harper Lumpkin ’27 joined McCarty in Northern Virginia. From a History of Education in America course in the fall of 2023, McCarty learned about the schools, which occasionally used harsh tactics to “civilize” or integrate Native American youngsters into Anglo-American society.
During seminars with leaders in the Friends Committee advocacy and specialists on Indigenous problems, she and her fellow student lobbyists gained a great deal of understanding. That morning, just seven justices came out from behind the marble columns that surrounded the bench. It is quite possible that Justice William O. Douglas left the city for his home in Goose Prairie, Washington, without waiting for the official end of the term, as Justice Byron White had gone two days before for the Tenth Circuit Judicial Conference.
Challenges and opportunities
“Without some protection for seeking out the news, freedom of the press could be eviscerated,” White conceded. However, he stated that the matter at hand concerned “reporters’ obligation to respond to grand jury subpoenas as other citizens do and to answer questions relevant to an investigation into the commission of crime,” and he gave instructions that every “incidental burdening of the press that may result from the enforcement of civil or criminal statutes of general applicability” does not constitute a First Amendment violation.
McCarty remarked, “In certain sessions, I was moved to tears just hearing people’s stories.” “Many of the outcomes we see in Native communities today are the result of generational trauma, not just the deaths or abuses of children.” When the students arrived on Capitol Hill, they were prepared to advocate for the bipartisan Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act which was reintroduced in Congress in February 2024 because they had gathered evidence and developed strong arguments. Should the legislation be approved, a commission would be formed to look into, record, and recognize the real history of the institutions.
Navigating the legislative process
Furman Fellow and peer mentor in Furman’s Pathways Program McCarty stated, “It would allow people to examine the role of the federal government and different religious organizations in these boarding schools.” Additionally, it would enable the panel to issue subpoenas to find out how many children perished. In what location are they interred? What took place? All things considered, McCarty stated that the Furman group’s discussions with staff members in the offices of US Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott as well as US Representative William Timmons were fruitful.
The Furman students cited the university’s Land Acknowledgement and its Task Force on Slavery and Justice as evidence that these concerns are important in the state, despite the fact that there are no Indian boarding schools there. McCarty stated that there was a Furman magnet on the mini-fridge in Scott’s office. Both Scott’s and Graham’s staffers pledged to alert the senator about the incident. Not only did the Timmons office staff member pledge to bring up the boarding school matter with the congressman, but she was also unaware of it beforehand.
Opportunities for impact
McCarty and the Furman Justice Forum arranged over a dozen activities, including the trip to Washington, according to Gandolfo. The institution helped with the trip by contributing money, allowing students to come regardless of their financial situation. “The Furman Advantage ensures that every student finds a means to make their voices heard,” the speaker stated. Never one to pass up a chance to network, McCarty took advantage of the opportunity to get in touch with a number of Furman graduates in the D.C. region that she discovered with the assistance of the Malone Center for Career Engagement. Meeting Davis Cousar ’20, the inaugural president of the Furman Justice Forum, was one of the highlights.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Upon returning from Washington, D.C., McCarty had scheduled interviews at many congressional offices. Whether in the public or nonprofit sectors, her objective is to work in a role that will allow her to constructively impact the policies that she supports.
