Tech-Fueled Quantifiable Narrative Shift

In the age of Big Data we all know that we need it, but no one ever really gets to the point about what it a means and how do you implement it in Indian Country?

There is a gap in the understanding, accessibility and transparency about platforms, systems, and consultants talking about the importance of the Big Data concepts. The NUNA Team set out to remedy the problem specifically in public affairs and strategic communications.

We have spent the last two years developing pilot projects across Indian Country utilizing what we call Quantifiable Communications Strategy to work smarter and not harder to impact public opinion about critical issues for Native communities.

Turning words into numbers by employing communications industry leading digital listening software Brandwatch coupled with the NUNA data analysis process, we have established a way to measure the impact of messaging platforms and keywords in online media.

Firstly, there is an active and inherent erasure of Native peoples in the media, Congress, and in the general knowledge base of America. Secondly, in the information age, this nation's original storytellers are not rising above the mainstream media cycle and have a deficit of access to culturally appropriate strategic communications training, and therefore an unfulfilled bench of professional communicators.

What we know from research conducted by Native researchers in the Reclaiming Native Truth report is that nearly 80% of Americans are interested in learning more about Native cultures. We also know from the research that Native representation in the media is less than 0.4% and that in 87% state-level history standards fail to cover Native peoples history post 1900.

The entire population of Native peoples are impacted by this invisibility and erasure of identity leading to the perpetuation of racism, undue bias, and anti-Native behavior.

We are looking to completely impact and change the mainstream narrative about Native peoples and ensure inclusion and education on the vibrancy of Native people in this country by recognizing ancestral knowledge of storytelling and bringing it into the technological future - and training others in our communities to build capacity.

Through a scientific method practice, NUNA has developed strategic plans with proven successful outcomes for key pilot projects on national initiatives led by native organizations on issues, such as the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), shifting narratives through public education campaigns based in data for Indian Country.

Turning words into numbers by employing communications industry leading digital listening software Brandwatch coupled with the NUNA data analysis process, the NUNA Team has established a way to measure the impact of messaging platforms and keywords in online media.

Simply put, we pull in keywords and queries into the software, identify key messaging, develop strategies, and implement narrative change initiative programs while tracking language changes over time through the digital listening software allowing us to quantify the efficacy of each campaign.

This solution has a broad reach. We want to create an opportunity for tribal governments, Native organizations, and individuals in our Native communities to develop a strategic focus on communications and outreach through working smarter and not harder with limited resources.

Continuing our pilot program specifically in the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) space at the national and state level providing resources directly to tribes but also supporting the national Native organizations working with policymakers, litigators, and judges to educate them about the core issues and furthering the understanding of ICWA by the public. 

This solution is immediately scalable from grassroots non-profits to policymakers to effectively reach internal audiences like tribal citizens and tribal membership, to educating local newspapers about the contribution of the tribe to the local culture outside the boarders of your reservation or traditional homelands.

Through this work in partnership with our Native organization coalitions, we believe this is the next step in self-determination for tribal governments in owning their own stories told from their perspectives with their own words. We would like the opportunity to give our communities those tools to build their own strategic communications infrastructure.

There is a severe deficit in Native communities for strategic communications professionals, an even more important field of specialty than before due to the era of a global pandemic. 

The Indigenous Communities Fellowship is an opportunity to have a dual purpose role in not only building a capacity for Native communities in training the next generation of professional communicators, but to help us carry out the final stages of our work on the Indian Child Welfare Act that impacts ALL Native communities across 50 states.