Since August of 2019, there has been a 200 percent increase in teachers, administrators, and the public utilizing a free web service called Everyday Native. It's an online resource that aims to provide educational material.
The site provides stories from Native youth from around the county to educate non-Natives. It's created with the goal of bridging the gap of understanding between cultures the resource is free to anyone who registers.
Sue Reynolds, the founder of the site, said she hopes to combat stereotypes.
"This pandemic is creating a search for really good online educational materials. And at the same time there is increasing demands for social justice," Reynolds said.
Everyday Native provides discussion questions activities and primary resources for educators to deepen discussion about Native people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Online resources are essential for teachers working from home. Everyday Native provides history, testimonials, and videos to help educate teachers about Native youth experiences. Sue Reynolds hopes to educate largely white middle-class educators about the Native students they teach.
"75 percent of public-school teachers white, mostly middle-class women," Reynolds said. "And with rare exceptions, they do not really have the proper tools for effective Indian education. They do not really know where to find high-quality materials about Native Americans."
Everyday Native includes resources to pair with lesson plans in language arts, history, social studies, and photography.