Heather Bruegl reminds us that if we want to use the tools we have to make America great in ways it never has been, we need to know, talk about and learn from the true history of this land. An historian specializing in federal Indian policy, Heather shares true stories of colonial violence, displacement and betrayal of Native Americans, including of the tribes indigenous to this region. A citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and first line descendent Stockbridge Munsee, Heather shares how she came to her love of history and her experiences of both happiness and anger in returning to the land of her ancestors. 

Heather is a graduate of Madonna University in Michigan and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in U.S. History. She has become an ‘’accidental activist,’’ speaking to different groups about intergenerational racism and trauma and helping to bring awareness to our environment, the fight for clean water and other issues in the Native community. In addition to serving as the Director of Education for Forge Project, she travels and speaks on Native American history, including policy and activism.

Website: https://forgeproject.com/

Recommended article: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/05/return-the-national-parks-to-the-tribes/618395/