KCSOS Employees Reflect on the Meaning of Native American Culture, Identity

Every November, Native American Heritage Month offers a time to honor the traditions and contributions of Indigenous peoples. For KCSOS employees Mindy Cruz and Deborah Jackson, this heritage is not limited to one month, though. It’s a daily source of identity, strength, and purpose.

Jackson, a Claims Examiner for SISC Property and Liability, says that Native American Heritage Month is a recognition of culture, tradition, symbolism, and a way of life.

“Native American culture is the invisible tapestry woven into society as a whole,“ Jackson said. “I wish that people understood how important Native American history and culture are to our society.”

Growing up Native American in an all-white community came with challenges that shaped Jackson into the person she is today. She believes those early hardships strengthened her resilience and deepened her appreciation for her heritage.

“My parents always talked about how people should be treated with dignity and respect, no matter what background they come from,” she said.

That foundation of respect, Jackson says, stems directly from her parents — her mother, who was Yaqui, and her father, who is Apache — who taught her about her heritage and “the old ways of the native people.”

As a child, Jackson remembers receiving handmade gifts from her parents during their travels.

“Each piece has its own story,” Jackson said. “They would go and purchase a piece, bring it back, and tell me about how they watched the elders make it or share the story behind why it was made.”

Among her most cherished pieces is a dream catcher necklace, meant to lift heavy burdens and bring peace, and a kachina doll, believed to offer protection and spiritual guidance.

Displayed here are many of the handmade gifts Jackson’s parents brought her during their travels, treasured artifacts that connect her to her roots.

For Jackson, it’s vital that Native American Heritage Month be recognized in schools and workplaces because of the rich history that accompanies the heritage. She encourages students to look inward and reflect. 

“Take a look inside yourself and then look in the mirror — ask yourself, ‘who am I?’,” she said “Is the person staring back at you someone you recognize, identify with, and accept?”

She is also a strong believer that learning about Native American history helps preserve those stories for future generations.

“Historical facts about the Native American people are passed down from generation to generation to help keep the traditions from disappearing,” Jackson said. “Talking about the Native American Heritage in schools and workplaces keeps the native American people from disappearing out of history altogether.”

This belief holds true for Mindy Cruz, a KCSOS special education teacher at Del Rio Elementary, whose family’s story is also preserved through oral history and genealogy. Like Jackson, Cruz sees her heritage as a living influence that guides her values and her connection with others.

In researching her ancestry through Ancestry.com, Cruz discovered her great-grandmother’s Dawes Enrollment Application and noticed her great-grandmother registered as half-Cherokee. Although her great-grandmother was born to Cherokee parents, she registered as half-Cherokee to reduce discrimination and abuse — prejudice many Native Americans faced if they identified as fully Native.

Cruz said she grew up seeing a photograph of her great-grandmother in her home and was astonished to come across a digital version of that same photo decades later during her research.

“It was crazy that I had something before Ancestry.com was even there!” she said.

Cruz says her Cherokee heritage plays a central role in how she teaches and connects with students. Guided by core Cherokee principles such as respect, responsibility, and caring for others, she fosters an environment built on trust, cooperation, and recognition of each student’s unique strengths.

Like Jackson, Cruz hopes students understand that their identities matter.

“I want my students with special needs to know that their identity and abilities are meaningful and valuable. My Cherokee background teaches me to honor every person’s unique strength and spirit.”

Outside of the classroom, Cruz strives to live by Cherokee traditions and values daily.

“As a Cherokee person, I try to live in a spiritual way — being thankful for what I have, showing respect for all living things, and staying connected to Mother Earth,” she said. “I do my best to honor that by living with kindness, gratitude, and care for nature.”

 While their stories differ, both Jackson and Cruz share a deep reverence for their heritage, a passion for preserving Native American culture, and a commitment to passing those values to future generations.

Their experiences remind us that heritage is not just something we celebrate — it’s something we live every day.