As mentioned in the Terminology PowerPoint, names can refer to a person’s job, their relation, and their family history. Personally, my first name does not have much meaning to me. However, I got my middle name, Claiborne, from one of my parents’ best friends. The name Claiborne reminds me of the support system that my parents have set up for me. While my name personally does not carry a deep meaning for me, I can understand why names are an important part of some people’s identity.
The various terms used to refer to Indigenous people carry weight for various reasons. Terms like Red Skin are overtly racist and I believe they should not be used to refer to Indigenous people. The term American Indian has a less negative connotation but still invokes colonialist/European ideals, as mentioned by Calloway. Native American, while not necessarily racists or particularly European, can be misconstrued to mean anyone born in the United States. While the term Indigenous can be vague, it does not carry a negative connotation and can be used as an adjective to describe people from various