Episode 26: Renee Hutchens on mountain biking as decolonization & fighting the erasure of indigenous peoples

Renee Hutchens is from the Diné (Navajo) Tribe and is an advocate for Native lands, public health and environmental issues, land conservation, and social justice for Indigenous peoples. She advocates for these issues by combining her culture’s rich oral tradition of storytelling with photography, film, writing, social media, and mixed media artwork. At the heart of her storytelling is her relationship with the land because it is inseparable from the Diné way of life, their culture, and traditions. This is why mountain biking is more than a sport she’s passionate about, it is one of the ways she maintains this necessary connection. 

Discussed in this episode: 

Navajo Nation and the Diné people 
The power of oral tradition and storytelling 
Colonization/Decolonization Mountain biking as decolonization 
"We Are Still Here--Creating Space for Indigenous Riders," Renee's article in Bike mag: https://www.bikemag.com/features/opinion/we-are-still-here/ 
Substance abuse prevention in native youth 
Native Women's Wilderness: https://www.nativewomenswilderness.org 
Vida MTB: https://www.vidamtb.com
Erasure of Indigenous people 
#NotYourTribe petition: https://www.change.org/p/yeti-cycles-notyourtribe-yeti-cyles?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=e65a06a0-bf2b-11ea-ad39-955ec862628c 
Renee's words on recent actions of Rockshox: https://www.instagram.com/p/CDMLzlnH5ee/  
Winona LaDuke: http://www.honorearth.org/speaking_engagements 
Land acknowledgements 

Follow Renee: 

Instagram: @renay.h  

Follow Social Sport: 

Instagram: @socialsportpod 
Facebook: @socialsportpod 
Twitter: @emmamzimm

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