It’s well known that being connected to others socially is crucial to our well-being and even to our survival. We are made for relationships, which is a gift from our Creator. 

Being in relationship with others provides us with a sense of connection and support and with everything we’ve been through as a community these past couple of years, it’s no wonder that a new Loneliness Study done by AARP reports that we’re now entering into a “Loneliness Epidemic”. 

When we’re connected with others, we recognize that what happens to others directly affects us and vice versa but in order for us to be helpful and to be helped, we have to be available, we have to be present and we have to be willing to listen. When I ran for tribal council I made the commitment to keep an afternoon open to talk to and meet with tribal members. In less than two weeks since writing this article, I have spoken to: a homeless tribal member, a tribal member who just lost his job, a tribal member on the verge of losing her job, a tribal member in recovery struggling with the daily demands of life, a disheartened mom who is trying to advocate for her son in school, an elder who is lonely and an elder who wants to help make positive changes for other elders in our community. The common theme throughout these discussions was discouragement over the lack of connection and being able to be together in community. We’re made for relationships and we’re made for community.

When we’re not in relationship with others, it sets the stage for creating the “otherness” mindset.  Instead of seeing and respecting our differences, it allows us to alter the way we respond to others by thinking and saying, well, I feel bad for that person, but at least that’s not me. When we should be thinking and saying, that could easily be me. That homeless person I spoke to…that could be me. That person in recovery struggling with the daily demands of life…that could be me. That disheartened mom trying to advocate for her son in school, that IS me. What happens to those tribal members, it affects me, it affects you. We are in this together and this is precisely why I do this work. 

My heart’s desire is that this topic allows you to dig a little deeper and reflect on your own relationships, perhaps lack of openness, vulnerability or being able to ask for help. Now that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, this is the perfect time to reflect on where and how we want to relate to others moving forward. I treasure the time that I’ve been able to talk to tribal members, lend a listening ear and get to know people better. I’m honored that people reach out to me and I look forward to more of the same in the future. 

In closing, please encourage your family to sign up for Listserv so they don’t miss out on future E-Newsletters and Tribal Council announcements. It is our goal to increase subscribers for communication purposes and this platform is the most cost-effective way of doing so.

Listserv is a service provided to tribal members since 2017 to aid efforts in streamlining communication for posting:

• Regular council meeting minutes and agendas
• LAC meeting minutes and agendas
• Job Announcements
• Event Reminders
And now E-Newsletters and more!

Please share this link with friends and family to receive future notices and emails:

https://listserv.grandronde.org

Masi. Be well.

Michael Cherry

Tribal Councilwoman

503-879-4555

Have you ever had a moment where somebody reminds you of a conversation that you don’t entirely recall? That happened to me recently. I met with an executive of a nonprofit who just happened to be my very first connection as the executive director of the Spirit Mountain Community Fund almost 5 years ago. I had the pleasure of meeting her again recently in her new role as a director of another non-profit organization doing great work in our communities. So while I didn’t recognize her name, I did recognize her face and her smile and said so. I told her I recalled her being my very first appointment in my new role. And then she said something surprising. She said, yes, but I was rather wishing you didn’t remember it because I was slightly embarrassed by something I said to you, and you kindly put me in my place. I was perplexed because that’s not something you hear every day and my mind was scrambling to recall the details before it got awkward. Thankfully she recounted the conversation before she realized I was drawing a blank. She said it was right on the heels of a new presidential administration taking office and she boldly claimed, upon entering the meeting, that she was very displeased about it and commented about how we (as native people) were probably not happy about it either. She reminded me how she basically called me out in front of the group to offer comments and put me on the spot. She said she’ll never forget what I told her at that moment. (I kind of wanted a reminder as well and was on the edge of my seat)…

She said that I told her, kindly, but assuredly, “that we were a resilient people for a reason and that we survive by being a pendulum of sorts and that I had no comment about the new administration.” Because my head was spinning only being days into my new job and being in semi-disbelief that I was being put in that position, I redirected the conversation to the matter at hand and asked about her non-profit work. I didn’t give it much thought after that day but it sure stuck with her after all these years. I’m glad she was humble enough to bring it up and now I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on it. One, she didn’t need to be so apologetic, I don’t take offense easily but I was glad to hear her say that it was a learning moment for her. Two, I would never intentionally embarrass anyone, but, in retrospect, there’s a lot of truth in what I reportedly said. Indeed, I do believe, as sovereign nations, it’s important to be nimble and adaptive to ever-changing political agendas. Regardless of who’s in office, protecting our culture, sovereignty and rights for self-determination should be a top priority for leaders.

As I run for a seat on Tribal Council I have been asked (more than once) if I’m a Republican or a Democrat. For one, there’s more than two political parties and for the record, I’m registered Independent. I’ve been asked and I have no qualms talking about issues rather than political parties and being transparent about my personal views. We can probably agree that there is no perfect party and likely never will be. In my early years I was registered Democrat and in later years registered Republican. Now, I’m registered as an Independent. I would like to think that makes me bi-partisan, or open-minded when considering solutions for the multitude of issues our people are facing today.

I have an optimistic outlook on life but regardless, people are inclined to label you or may expect you to take positions that solely align with, or even against, a political party for a number of different reasons. I don’t like that approach and prefer to discuss individual issues, solutions and the impact on people. My hope and prayer is that this “Swing Like a Pendulum” message empowers you to speak boldly but with an open mind and a servant’s heart in all things that you do and remember in all your conversations that we have way more in common than not.

Hello nyka tillikum. A few weeks I started my 3-part series on my Platform of Honoring the Past, Serving the Present and Shaping the Future for:

Elder Care

Education & Youth

Financial Sustainability & 

Preserving Culture and Spirituality, all embedded in community.

And this is the last video of that series: “Shaping the Future” and I’m going to wrap it up with 3 points of discussion: 

1. Tribal Youth, Our Future Leaders;
2. Enrollment & Membership; and
3. Financial Sustainability & Economic Development, 

So Jumping right in to the 4 Talking Points for Tribal Youth, Our Future Leaders

• 1- We need a Youth Recreational Center in Grand Ronde to improve the health & well-being of our youth in Grand Ronde & continue to build upon our prevention efforts with timely access to mental health supports, needed now more than ever.
• 2- I’ve served on the Education committee for the tribe for a number of years and one of our initiatives in partnership with the Educ. dept and ODE is improving timely access to our students’ data and progress in schools across the State, not just locally. We need to work on MOUs for release of info from parents as a part of the registration process and have timely access to student progress and educational needs. I don’t have to tell you that drop out rates for native students is extremely high and graduation rates very low. We can help bridge that gap to support parents and students to help them succeed. 
• 3-Research and Develop “Healing Centered” mentorship program opportunities (with elders/youth & peers) centered around community & cultural activities which could also be tied to the Recreational Center outcomes as well.
• And last on this subject: Explore and create Community Apprenticeship Opportunity programs and partnerships with local businesses for youth that are not college bound. Connecting youth to career opportunities and exploring unique pathways for youth in the trades as a part of that by partnering with TERO, Education, Community businesses and the like. 

The Next point of discussion for Shaping the Future is a very complex one and a hot topic: Enrollment & Membership:

• I’ve had quite a few people ask me about my position on Resolving the 1999 Amendment that created split families with “Parent On the Roll” and let me be very clear that I am 100% in support of any and all efforts to heal split families. One, as you know, it requires a Constitution amendment and not “bundling” issues may help clear up any confusion for future elections. We also know from the audit that was conducted that there are many issues with blood quantum that need to be fixed. I attended 3 of the 4 recent Enrollment and Membership meetings & the suggestions about lineal descent resonates with me the most but I am committed to working with the 8 other council members to find that solution sooner than later. And to the families that are struggling who should be enrolled and can’t be right now, I would just encourage you to not give up. Lastly on Enrollment for the first of 3 talking points, for the record, I also do not believe in disenrollment aside from being dual enrolled.
• 2nd bullet point: I think Amending the BIA requirement to only require members to have to register one time for every Secretarial election vs every time, could help increase participation and eliminate confusion.
• The last bullet point on Enrollment: I think we should create a Tribal Member Ad Hoc committee for outreach efforts to educate non-engaged members on the importance of voting. (for example, possible have a table at Pow Wow with educational material, Signature Verification forms and the ability to register on the spot & make resources available for assistance to members who live out of the area with the ability to have Q&A dialogue.

And last but certainly not least for this segment: Financial Sustainability & Economic Development has 4 talking points:

• 1- Building community resilience through economic empowerment for individual entrepreneurs, such as creating small business loan programs, incentives for entrepreneurs and developing a Small Business Resource center. I’ve owned my own small business for 20 years in Photography, which has become more of a hobby and now I’m passing that torch on and teaching my daughter. But I graduated from the ONABEN certification program held in Portland at the time 25 years ago and we can partner with ONABEN in many ways to benefit tribal member entrepreneurs. 
• 2- The “focus on the next 7 generations” by our visionaries is very important; however, also being for “this generation” is critical and serving the needs of the members in the moment is important. To me, not all investments will have a financial ROI; while it’s important to save for the future, I think it’s also important to give people the hand up that they need to make ends meet. Sometimes the return on investment is investing in people and the outcome is peace of mind, living your best life, having joy & creating a sense of community. My personal opinion, I think the Grand Ronde store is an example of a missed opportunity for a tribal family to own a small business in Grand Ronde and contribute to a thriving and vibrant community. It was once a goal to have tribal members return to Grand Ronde and for that to happen we need to have more opportunities for small business ventures. 
• Which leads directly into the 2nd to the last bullet: Addressing the Housing Crisis: I know the current Council has approved new home ownership housing that is moving forward for 20 new homes in the first phase and that’s wonderful but we continue to have a lot of unmet need beyond those 20 units for market rate housing options.
• We also need to think long-term for building a Retirement Center community & Assisted Living options for our aging population and fill that unmet need for elder care as well.Which can also serve as an economic development opportunity for tribal members to own, lease or work for those care facilities.

Well, friends, that is a wrap! 

You may have heard me reference “talking points” a few times throughout the video and that’s because I’m holding an Open Zoom meeting on Wednesday, August 18th from 6-7 pm and I would love to continue the conversation on any of these topics or anything else you would like to ask me about. You can find it on my events tab on my facebook page or you can also click the link below on August 18 at 6pm.

Thank you, stay well.

taxayem kanawi tillixam~ I have a chak chak flying overhead, so that’s a good start to my day!

Last week I started a 3-part series on my Platform of Honoring the Past, Serving the Present and Shaping the Future to delve deeper into my specific commitments with tangible objectives for:

Elder Care

Education & Youth

Financial Sustainability & 

Preserving Culture and Spirituality, all embedded in community.

So jumping right into the 2nd video in this 3-part series, “Serving the Present” has 3 points of discussion: Tribal Member Communication, Tribal Member Engagement & Elder Care & Aging in Place

#1 Tribal Member Communication:

• Continue to encourage unified statements on a consistent basis on social media from the “office of the Tribal Council” as a Marketing/Communications strategy on key issues. (for example, the week prior to per cap & other high-level decisions that are made by TC and/or Boards. On the one hand we’re so fortunate to have so many methods of communicating with one another and on the other it can be overwhelming and messaging can get lost. Consistency is key and a unified statement on behalf of one body helps prevent misinformation from occurring. 
• Next: Tribal Resources & Outreach by age starting at birth; then turning 18 & receiving health and medical resources, insurance info, vocational rehabilitation info, scholarship opportunities & financial education, Voter registration forms, etc. all in one packet. Then becoming an elder at 55 for outreach and purposes, (even a small gift like a pocketbook of our tribal constitution with names of current and past Tribal Council representatives). 
• And lastly for Tribal Member Communication is an idea to have a “Council Corner” on the Grand Ronde webpage with links to blogs, Facebook pages, personal webpages, etc – I really enjoy the TC FB pages, blogs and Youtube videos and having links and access to those in one location I think would be so helpful. 

#2 Tribal Member Engagement:

• I would love to see a “Tribal member Dashboard” on the webpage for members only….with access and links to meeting minutes, the awesome enrollment reports we just received, the Tilikum wawa and resources etc without having to request them or locate them on differing pages.
• To that degree, also seeing the Tilikum Wawa specials available online and in Audio format. We all spend alot of time in our vehicles, while I love to read, most of my available time is spent listening. Having the ability to provide key information in audio format for elders I believe would also be very useful.
• These weekly videos I’ve been doing is an example of Tribal Member engagement that I would be committed to continuing on some level if I were representing the members. Announcements, weekly highlights of priorities, just touching base workweek: Posting Schedules, a recap of trainings, insight, travel, thoughts about various legislation being considered, etc. It’s just one more method and strategy to aid in that goal.
• And lastly under ™ Engagement is to seek more Advisory Adhoc Committees for tribal members who want to be involved and engaged for various tribal issues. There is already an Ordinance in place that supports these efforts and utilizing the talents and interests of tribal members to help expand outreach for members who are not as involved can be very effective in the long-run and if you’re able to attend one of my upcoming picnics I would love to expand on ideas for that work. (such as calling members who are not registered to vote or disengaged with the tribe). Add option on SVF allowing candidates to receive contact info. Increased efforts and priority to engage with eligible voting members who are not registered. 

And last but not least, on that I am very passionate about: #3: Elder Care & Aging in Place:

• Continuing to build upon and enhance key Partnerships in the community such as local colleges & universities (for practicum students and interns that need volunteer hours and credit hours for their degrees to work with elders and students. (Tutoring, technology education for elders, capturing their stories on video, exploring mentorship opportunities to look like: just sharing a meal, linking the generations and breaking down barriers between the generations)
• Explore Intergenerational Housing Models such as Bridge Meadows which creates and builds Intergenerational communities where elders and youth and families thrive and support one another. I have a link to a Bridge Meadows video on my webpage if you would like to learn more about that work.
• Along the same vein of housing: Exploring Transitional housing models for elders when transitioning from Independent living to Adult foster care, retirement center living and Assisted living in a hospice care setting. Not just to improve the quality of life and create a thriving retirement community, but also to serve as an economic development opportunity for tribal members to own, lease or work for these care facilities.
• Developing a Community Volunteer Elder Ambassador program for youth/elder mentorship opportunities. Community ambassadors would fill the gap for elders on various needs whether it be technology, community resources, cleaning, yard work, community garden visits, general welfare checks etc. 
• And Lastly for Elder Care is creating a Social Services Community Advocate (ie., establishing wills, advanced directives, wishes, estate planning, providing individual & family counseling, and ensuring that elder abuse is not a concern. 

If you want to reach out and talk more about any of these ideas further, please reach out on Facebook or email me at mcherry.co@gmail.com.

You can also get a sneak peek of the last video of this series on “Shaping the Future” for: 

Tribal Youth & Creating Future Leaders

Economic Development & Financial Sustainability 

And Enrollment & Membership 

on my webpage at michaelcherry.co

Alqi, have a good day.

Hello Tribal Tilixam~

Michael Cherry nayka nim. I am the daughter of Candy Robertson, Grand Ronde tribal elder and the late Jesse Robertson, Oglala Sioux. Grand-daughter of Alberta Riggs-Norwest. Great-grand daughter of Lena Bobb Norwest, sister of Clara and Faye Riggs and Great-great granddaughter of Chief Solomon Riggs. 

I am a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, auntie, daughter and friend.

I am honored to have been nominated for Tribal Council by my mother, Candy Robertson, elder and former Council member who served post-restoration for a decade.

I am running for Tribal Council to serve the members, to listen and represent their needs. It’s been my honor to have dedicated my career to serving our tribe in various capacities for the past 25 years starting in Indian Child Welfare in 1990 for a decade. Youth are near and dear to my heart and as our future leaders, investing in them is one of my top priorities. 

I was born and raised in Grand Ronde, pre-restoration & I have big dreams and vision for our Grand Ronde community. Our mom instilled in me the values of being of service, standing up for what’s right and respecting elders. 

I am passionate about caring for and honoring our elders, preparing our youth for what’s next and protecting the sovereignty of our people. 

I come from a long line of problem solvers and former leaders of the tribe. If given the opportunity to serve in this capacity, I will bring my experience and passion to lead with integrity, honesty and transparency. I am proud to say that I am the same person at work, at home, at church, when I represent and lead my children, or the teams I work with, when I represent our Creator or our tribe that I was born into. If elected, I will represent with a sound mind and reason and with a full and thankful spirit. 

My Experience:

10 years – Indian Child Welfare – CTGR

5 years – Human Resources – SMGI

8 Years – Marketing Manager – SMGI

Current: 4.5 years – Spirit Mountain Community Fund Director

Current Boards/Committees:

6 years: CTGR Education Committee 

5 years: US Selective Service System Board 

3 years: Willamette Valley Hospice Board

2 years: SMGI Board of Directors

2 years: Grantmakers of OR & SW WA Board

Past Boards/Committees:

2000- 2003: Grand Ronde Gaming Commissioner

2014-2019: Parent Advisory Committee – Salem/Keizer Indian Education

My Personal Values:

• Creator/Spirituality
• Family
• Accountability
• Professionalism
• Fairness
• Service

My Commitments to Tribal Members:

• Embracing differing opinions and being respectful 100% of the time;
• Being aware and engaged in what matters to members;
• Being adaptable, listening and learning from the experience of others;
• Maintaining moral and ethical standards at all times;
• Never losing sight of my vision for the community of Grand Ronde;
• Be accountable, responsible and transparent for my own decisions;
• Focus on improvements, taking action and being purposeful each day;
• Being a team player and making meaningful contributions.

A tribal elder and friend recently told me we were a tribe restored on prayer and when reflecting on this and thanking our ancestors, this is the verse that came to mind:

1 Peter 2:9

“But you are a chosen race, a spiritual nation, set apart as God’s devoted ones…”

I would be honored to represent you and I humbly ask for your prayers, for your support and for your vote. 

Please reach out if you have any questions. I can be reached at 971-599-8808.

Website: www.michaelcherry.co

Email: Mcherry.co@gmail.com

Masi~

Michael Cherry

#1091

taxayem nyka shiks pi tillixam

Hello friends and family~ 

This video will be one of a three part segment to delve deeper into specific commitments and tangible objectives to hopefully see some of my ideas come to fruition in my platform areas of:

Elder Care

Education & Youth

Financial Sustainability & 

Preserving Culture and Spirituality, all embedded in community.

This first video will focus on Honoring the Past through preserving Culture and Spirituality. Choosing to start with Honoring the Past was not happenstance, I believe it is the foundation for all the rest of it. 

So jumping right in: Preserving Culture & Spirituality Has 7 points of discussion:

#1. Collecting and archiving today’s elder wisdom for tomorrow’s leaders and future generations.  You can’t buy wisdom or get it by hard work. Wisdom is Maturity through living & relationships, how are we honoring that and capturing that through stories with our elders and learning from them? I think it’s important to not only remember and capture Tribal Elder quotes, “We were restored on prayer”, “We are spiritual people”., but to also have them written down by their author for future generations.

2. To continue to have representation in city, county, state and federal jurisdictions to ensure tribal sovereignty is understood, respected and protected in the future. I believe our current council is doing a great job of this but it’s also a full time job and one that needs to continue to be a priority for continuing to maintain and build those relationships long-term. 

3. Preserving the right to protect our tribal culture, spirituality and practices. Personally, I would love to see our tribe establish a Ceremonial Day of Prayer and a Ceremonial Prayer site for family gatherings who live in the area and those traveling to the area during Pow wow time and times of mourning for family funerals, ceremonial services & naming ceremonies to just name of few. Establishing a sweat lodge, and even hiking trails to encourage more time spent in nature where a lot of us connect spiritually.

4. Creating a Legacy Wall of all past Tribal Council members with names, photos and dates of service located at the Governance Center. To some this may seem insignificant but it’s how we remember people and their sacrifices and service and to teach our young ones of those who came before them and made all this possible.

5. Establishing Treaty Signing celebrations for the 6 treaties we have and acknowledgements on the anniversaries of treating signings for community connectedness and cultural education, a time to pray, connect, gather, eat and celebrate, just one more way to honor those brave ones who came before us. 

6. And lastly for this segment, Enhancing Elder Care and creating new programs such as an Elder Ambassador Care program, components that include youth and elder mentorships, community ambassadors who volunteer to work with elders on various things such as learning new technology, doing yard work, community service for our elders & general welfare checks. We have a lovely community garden I have had the honor of being a part of for 3 years now and incorporating garden-based educational lessons that improve health and educational outcomes for youth and elders to learn from one another including indigenous foods, and preparation, a harvest gathering, etc. would be amazing!)

So, if any of those 7 discussion items resonates with you and you want to reach out and talk about them more, please reach out to me on Facebook Messenger or email me at mcherry.co@gmail.com and you can also get a sneak peek of the “Serving the Present” objectives on my webpage at michaelcherry.co

In order to receive a ballot in the mail, you must have a Signature Verification Form (SVF) on file with the Election Board. Please submit one if you have not done so and participate in this year’s Tribal Council elections. Ballots mail out on July 28th!

Signature Verification Form: https://www.grandronde.org/media/1517/voter-reg-form.pdf

Blank forms are also available at the Election Office in Grand Ronde.

Completed forms with a notarized signature OR legible copy of ID, including your signature (drivers license, member ID card, passport, etc.) attached and mailed to the Election Board for processing. The form will not be processed unless it has been notarized or includes a legible copy of ID and signature.

Election Office Hours:
Office open July 26 through September 9
Open Mon, Tue, Wed & Thur, 10:00am – 3:30pm

Mail forms to:
Election Board Office
9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, OR 97347

Election Board Office Phone:
503-879-2271

Ballots will be mailed to voters with verified signatures on July 28. Tribal members may submit a verified signature card at any time up to and including Election Day on Saturday, September 11.

*Information provided in the July 1 edition of Smoke Signals

I was reading an article recently, Advice From Thomas Jefferson, that included the letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to his namesake with words of wisdom and I felt compelled to write about the half century journey with my own name. 

Growing up, my Uncle John, my dad’s brother, would sing to me, “My name is Michael, I got a nickel, I got a nickel, shiny and new, I’m gonna buy me all kinds of candy, that’s what I’m gonna do.” It brings back good memories and is etched in my brain for all eternity. It was either that or “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”, which I equally adored, but only more so as I got older. It wasn’t as catchy-a-tune as a child but I did learn in later years that it was the number one song in 1961, written about slaves rowing to freedom while asking the Archangel Michael to protect them. Wow.

For the most part, I can’t carry a tune, but it didn’t stop me from writing songs for my grandkids and singing to them. My granddaughter, Maylena, falls asleep every single solitary time I sing her song to her, “Bigger than a Bee”, and those are the sweetest moments that I treasure so much.

But, it wasn’t always easy “having a boy name”. In High School I got called out of class so many times to meet with Army recruits because they thought I was male until I finally decided to just change the spelling of my name to something more feminine. Immediately following High School I legally changed my name to “Mychal”, much to the chagrin of my mom and also her cousin, Michael Larsen, the wonderful man I’m named after. Honestly, he never called me by my given name anyway, but simply called me “Namesake”, or sometimes in later years, “Makasa” after a crystal gift bowl, but that’s another story for another day. 

Moving ahead a few decades, when my husband and I traveled to Israel just a few years ago, I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy it. I contribute that in large part to the fact that nobody raised an eyebrow when I said my name was Michael and didn’t follow that up with, “Are you sure you don’t mean Michelle?” because Michal, the first wife of David and daughter of King Saul in the book of Samuel, was credited with making a masculine name feminine in Israel, hayu masi, Michal! 

In reflection, it occurred to me how given names are an incredibly important part of our identity that carry deep meaning to people and places and although it may have taken a half a century, I can truly say I’m honored to be named Michael.

When I called my sister, Debby, to tell her I was running for Tribal Council, she excitedly told me that she had started a painting that day but was not sure for who or why. She felt strongly that it was for me to use for my campaign. So, I am.

Left Arrow: Represents honoring the Past.

• Honoring our Ancestors and the sacrifices they made so that we could live
• Holding onto traditions, setting prayer day and prayer sites
• Acknowledge Sacrifices, creating memorials and Legacy wall to never forget those who came before us. 

Center: Represents the Present

• Be present, listen, be available and without judgment.
• Honor the past & plan for the future but live for the now. People are hurting, we can’t be so focused on the past and the future that we forget that people need connection, healing and hope right now.
• Focus on Healing. Mental health, suicide prevevention, intergenerational trauma and addiction is prevalent in Indian country and is a priority. 

Right Arrow: Represents the Future

• Raise up righteous leaders. There will be a time when we pass the baton on to future leaders, our youth. We have to prepare the next generation. 
• Preserve our land. We were first stewards of the land. How do we preserve and protect our land, and educate future generations.
• Protect future generations. We cannot rewrite history but we can prepare the future so that history doesn’t repeat itself.