After a semester of reading articles and watching documentaries, the WR 100 class “Indigenous Cultures and the Politics of Resistance” left me with the understanding of how the U.S. government attempted to erase, silence, and exploit Indigenous peoples, as well as other subsequent shortcomings of U.S. government policies. While researching Native American gaming communities, I discovered that these policies have long-term consequences that influence the effectiveness of gaming as a tool to revitalize Indigenous communities; there is a web of subtle hardships plaguing Indigenous communities that must be considered when Native American tribes introduce casinos as an economic tool.
DANIELLE SLAWNY is a rising sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in political science and minoring in statistics. She was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. She would like to thank Dr. Marie McDonough for her support and insight when writing and revising this essay.