Native American Communities on Health and Disability — Borderland Dialogues

This volume examines concepts of disability and wellness in Native American communities, prominently featuring the life's work of Dr. Carol Locust. Authors Locust and Lovern confront the difficulties of translating not only words but also entire concepts between Western and Indigenous cultures, and by increasing the cultural competency of those unfamiliar with Native American ways of being are able to bring readers from both cultures into a more equal dialogue. The three sections contained herein focus on intercultural translation; dialogues with Native American community members; and finally a discussion of being in the world gently as caregivers.

Lavonna L. Lovern received her PhD from the University of Missouri-Columbia, USA in Philosophy. Currently, she is Assistant Professor at Valdosta State University in the department of Philosophy & Religious Studies. Dr. Lovern is a founding member and Professor in the VSU Native American Studies Program. Recent publications include Health and Disability Care in Native American and Alaska Native Communities, Native American Concepts Involving Human Difference and Trampling the sacred: multicultural education as pedagogical racism. Dr. Lovern serves on Florida America Indian Health Advisory Council.

Carol Locust (Eastern Cherokee) received her Ed.D. from the University of Arizona, USA. She is currently retired from teaching, but is an international consultant on wellness and disability in Native American communities. Dr. Locust currently is on staff with the Native American Cardiology Unit at the University of Arizona hospital. Dr. Locust has published extensively on Native American education and wellness including A Split Feathers Study, Wounding the Spirit: Discrimination and Traditional American Indian Belief Systems and Overview of Health Programs for Canadian Aboriginal People. Dr. Locust assisted in the establishment of and served on the Consortia of Administrators for Native American Rehabilitation, and is Director of Ultimate Potential Corporation, a non-profit Native American foundation.