The COVID-19 pandemic exposed systemic economic gaps for young Indigenous professionals returning to U.S. reservations after higher education, with many finding few pathways to apply their skills locally. Kyle Mesteth, Director of nonprofit Ground Control, highlights the disconnect: \"Someone studies filmmaking, comes home, and there’s no job. They’re forced to choose between their passion and their community.\"
Mesteth criticizes media narratives that overshadow resilience on reservations, urging recognition of systemic underinvestment. \"We’re not just a ‘problem’—we’re innovators rebuilding our futures,\" he says, emphasizing grassroots efforts to create sustainable opportunities in tech, arts, and green energy.
Reference(s):
The Race Gap in US: Because there's a lot of great things happening
cgtn.com
