Tara Houska Ted Talk Summary

Tara Houska’s 2017 Ted Talk,“The Standing Rock Resistance and Our Fight for Indigenous Rights,” addresses the struggles that Native Americans currently face. Tara Houska is a Native American attorney from the Couchiching First Nation fighting for indigenous rights and justice. Houska describes the oppression that her people face, emphasizing that “when you aren’t viewed as real people, it’s a lot easier to run over your rights” (Houska 00:59). To support this statement, she explains the cultural assimilation of Native Americans throughout the late 19th to late 20th century by including her own relatives, who had "their language and culture beaten out of them"  (Houska 00:59). 

Houska labels herself and other young Native Americans as “product[s] of genocide survival” and provides modern-day examples of oppression (Houska 01:08). She describes moving to Washington, DC and noticing that racial prejudice against Native Americans was ever-present. The local football team, the Washington Redskins, had a racially derogatory name. Houska herself, while lobbying for basic services, was disregarded and told that her people were incapable of managing their own problems. 

Despite facing so many hardships, Houska acknowledges her people’s resilience. While witnessing a resistance occur at Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, Houska commends the power and unity displayed by her people. She saw her people being attacked by local authorities and police dogs when trying to protest the construction of a pipeline through a sacred site. However, they would not back down, displaying their resilience while united as one. 

Towards the end of her speech, Houska calls her audience to action. She tells them that they can also help change the conversation for oppressed people. Houska argues that education reform can shape future generations and that it is imperative for school curriculums to become inclusive in order for indigenous people’s rights to be valued by others now and into the future. Houska also believes that citizens should hold elected officials responsible for upholding treaty obligations. 

Houska ends by asking her audience to “stand with [them and] emphasize, learn, grow, and change the conversation” (Houska 10:06). She affirms that people can be empowered when unified and calls her audience to join her and other Native Americans in their fight against oppression and discrimination.