Bridge Magazine Adds Reporter Focusing On Overlooked Indigenous Issues
Journalist Meghanlata Gupta says it is crucial for non-Native, non-Indigenous people to understand issues facing tribal nations.
Indigenous communities are far too often excluded from the collective conversation around racial disparities, politics, public safety and culture.
“Policy is often shaped by the ways in which people think about certain communities.” — Meghanlata Gupta, Bridge Magazine
This summer, Bridge Magazine is boosting its reporting on many of those issues with the arrival of reporter Meghanlata Gupta who is covering tribal news in Michigan for Bridge.
Listen: Meghanlata Gupta on the importance of reporting on tribal nations and the issues facing Indigenous populations today.
Guest
Meghanlata Gupta founded Indigenizing the News, a digital news source dedicated to educating non-Native allies about Native nations, cultures, issues and knowledge systems. Gupta says she witnessed the media relying on stereotypes when talking about tribal nations, something that motivated her to start the newsletter.
“Policy is often shaped by the ways in which people think about certain communities,” Gupta says in relation to her mission to educate non-indigenous communities on tribal issues.
Like many residents across the state, Gupta says tribal nations are struggling to contain the coronavirus and address economic issues related to the pandemic.
“Healthcare access is definitely pretty hard on reservations already. Also, in Michigan, it’s important to note that casinos drive a lot of revenue, services, and tribal operations,” says Gupta.
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