The Atlantic

Mentoring With a Time Horizon of Seven Generations

Jodi Gillette, formerly an adviser for Native American affairs under President Obama, on how her worldview is built into her career.
Source: Edward S. Curtis / Historical Picture Archive / Getty

Suzan Shown Harjo, a Cheyenne-Creek elder, has been one of the most public faces in the campaign urging Washington’s NFL team to change its name, and for other high school, college, and pro teams across the country to do the same. Harjo’s activism has much deeper roots: She has been fighting to advance the rights of Native Americans for five decades, having worked with both President Carter and President Obama.

Over the years, Harjo has also been a mentor to Jodi Gillette, who is Lakota and a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Gillette served as senior policy adviser for Native American affairs under President Obama—a position she credits Harjo

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Atlantic

The Atlantic4 min read
Dropping Out Is Biden’s Most Patriotic Option
Joe Biden says he ran for president in 2020 because of Charlottesville. He says he ran because he saw the threat Donald Trump posed to the country and the threat he posed to democracy. If Biden truly believes that, he needs to end his reelection camp
The Atlantic2 min read
The Secrets of Those Who Succeed Late in Life
This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight. Sign up here to get it every Saturday morning. “Today we live in a society structured to promote
The Atlantic4 min read
Amazon Decides Speed Isn’t Everything
Amazon has spent the past two decades putting one thing above all else: speed. How did the e-commerce giant steal business away from bookstores, hardware stores, clothing boutiques, and so many other kinds of retailers? By selling cheap stuff, but mo

Related Books & Audiobooks