Send Ms. Kimball to the DNC

My name is Emily Kimball and I have been elected as a  delegate to the Democratic National Convention to vote for Bernie Sanders. I am honored to work alongside my fellow delegates who are leaders in a variety of contexts. The short version is that I need to raise $1,200 to cover the cost of attending the Convention from July 25-29. If you would like an explanation as to why this means so much to me as a teacher, please read on.

Although I can check a lot of boxes of how my identity is entwined with the this election as a millennial, bisexual woman who struggles with anxiety and depression, I feel a more important call to attend the Democratic National Convention because of my responsibility as an educator at a tribal school.

I teach Fourth Grade on the Spirit Lake Reservation in North Dakota and my Dakota students get all the credit for solidifying my vote for Bernie. While there are already politicians on my side, there are rarely politicians who advocate for the rights of my students and their families (If you need an example of how easy it is to ignore this, please Google Abraham Lincoln's actions against Indignenous peoples if you aren't aware of his glossed over, crueler side.)

After centuries of colonialism and genocide, the US government has a long way to go to make reparations. It is 2016 and my students' families still have a nearly impossible time accessing health care, secure housing, proper nutrition, job security, pay equity, a college education...this list could go on.

But these kids are not defined by the problems their reservation faces. I look at my kids every day and I see young people who want to learn and be loved. They adore Legos, Minions, recess, dancing at the Pow Wow, playing basketball, and reading Star Wars books to our plush Yoda in the reading corner. They want to serve on their Tribal Council, and be astronauts, authors, fashion designers, pediatricians, comic book illustrators, video game designers, architects, and superheroes "who save all the stray animals in the world!" to quote one of these brilliant minds. Most of them say math is their favorite subject after diligently working through fractions and long division for months. I am incredibly proud of them.

I wish I could show you the children's reactions to Bernie visiting the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota:

"Ms. Kimball!!! Did you know Bernie went to Fargo, and then he went to Pine Ridge?! He wants to make things better for Native Americans!!! THEY GAVE HIM A STAR QUILT. Do you think he'll come here?! We could give him a Star Quilt, too!" one of my students cried out with eyes wide open, face filled with a smile.

"Oh Sweetie, I hope so. I wish all the candidates would come visit us. Do you think Bernie would make a good president?"

The whole class responded with a loud "YEAAAAH!"


Bernie asks questions, seeks out the local leaders, and recognizes the wisdom communities already have about their own needs.  Watch this video to see Bernie engage with local leaders at Pine Ridge to learn more about the terrible living conditions on another reservation, and how Bernie relies on the people there to offer their own solutions. Likewise, my students' family members are leaders within the Spirit Lake Nation as parents, grandparents, teachers, firefighters, school bus drivers, event planners, coaches, tribal council leaders, and an abundance of other roles of which  Bernie recognizes the importance.

 It is heartbreaking to know that these nine-year-olds are aware of how much their lives are at stake in this election. One of my students even asked me if Donald Trump would drop a bomb on their reservation if he ever came to Spirit Lake. It's cruel that my students' culture, skin color, and worth as human beings has been called into question by the hate-mongering of Donald's campaign.

Bernie Sanders has brought hope to my students that life can improve for their families. Not just remain stagnant or status quo, but genuinely get better. Life on a reservation is complicated, and as a descendant of European immigrants I'm still learning, too. We are confident that a President Bernie Sanders would use curiosity and compassion to enact the systemic changes my students' families desperately need. 

This money is a vote for my students. A lot of my income already goes back into my classroom, which is true for many American teachers, so any financial assistance would be appreciated. That way we

can still do special activities and projects.