Transcript: Britta Guerrero

As a member of a Native community one is accountable to elders and others

[Guerrero:]: There’s a certain level of accountability when you’re with your community. I’m accountable to Marty. I’m accountable to my aunties. I’m accountable to my elders in my community, and if they see me doing something that is hurtful to myself or others, then I can be called on that. When you’re part of a Native community, you play a part. There’s a role for you and, you know, people are there to tell you that you have to answer to them, and I think it’s expected. When we’re very dispersed and we’re not engaging each other, you’re able to do things without someone telling you, and you may not know that you’re making a bad choice, but when you’ve got people who hold you to a higher standard and they tell you something, you have respect for them, and you want to make sure that you heed their words and you follow in their footsteps and that you don’t disappoint them.