Army veteran Mitchelene BigMan talks about her military service, importance of culture, creation of a Native American women veterans nonprofit and more in this week’s episode of Tango Alpha Lima.
Native Americans serve at a higher percentage than the general population. Still, there are misunderstandings about their culture, spiritual beliefs and more even among their brothers and sisters in the armed forces.
“We have many cultures and we are all different,” Mitchelene BigMan, an Army veteran, says. “And one thing you cannot lose is the respect for the culture. You don’t have to be part of the culture but at least respect it. Everybody was raised in a different type of socialization.”
In this week’s episode of the Tango Alpha Lima podcast, she talks about her military experience and how it led her to create Native American Women Warriors (NAWW) where she is still CEO. NAWW is a veterans organization that provides insight, resources, advocacy and education to Native American women veterans
“For those who served, there are a lot of stereotypes to overcome and there still are,” she explains. “At my first duty station, I was told, ‘We didn’t know you Indians still existed.’”
BigMan is on a mission to bring recognition to women veterans of Native American descent who have served in our military. Her vision is to assist women veterans with employment, education and health in order to become stronger in mind, body and spirit.
During her military service, BigMan faced challenges in the forms of racism, sexism, post-traumatic stress syndrome and military sexual trauma.
“I still have this guilt and this shame,” she says. “But what I learned in the military was a woman has a right to say, ‘no.’ A person has a right to say, ‘no.’”
NAWW serves its community in a variety of ways, including providing a Color Guard. Their members bond through communication, dance and sharing their culture.
“As veterans and as a nation, it’s time to heal,” she says. “When we dance it is time for that reason.”
Also, co-hosts Joe Worley and Stacy Pearsall discuss:
• Native Americans and their penchant for military service.
• The removal of a Native American flag at a VA facility.
• A plan for a new memorial dedicated to Native American veterans.
You can also check out the more than 300 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima