IndigeModels

The specific problem that I am working to solve within this challenge is the under representation and misrepresentation of indigenous communities in the realm of 3D modeling and printing. Globally, indigenous communities face stereotyping and cultural misrepresentation, which leads to a lack of cultural content and educational resources that reflect the true diversity and richness of their histories and traditions.

In the communities I have worked with, particularly the Gila River Indian Community, there is a gap in culturally relevant educational materials that are accessible to youth, especially those associated with the foster system or that are part of diaspora. This under representation is part of a larger global issue. According to the United Nations, there are approximately 476 million indigenous people worldwide across 90 countries, representing 6.2% of the global population. These communities often do not see their cultures accurately reflected in mainstream media and educational resources. This project is centered around building relationships and helping to develop local educational resources that are focused on specific community history and culture.

This project seeks to target a few different issues -

1. Stereotyping and Cultural Misrepresentation: Often, available 3D models related to "Native American" on "Indigenous" themes are limited to clichéd items like tomahawks and teepees, which do not accurately represent the most indigenous groups.

2. Lack of Access to Customizable Educational Tools: Providing tools like 3D printers and culturally relevant models can help democratize technology and education, allowing indigenous communities to tell their own stories.

3. Engagement with Emerging Technologies: There is a significant opportunity to engage indigenous youth with STEM through culturally relevant applications, helping to build a sense of pride and connection to their heritage while also equipping them with technological skills.

We are aiming to enhance representation and education about indigenous cultures through the creation and distribution of culturally inspired 3D models and accompanying educational materials. This approach provides authentic cultural representation and engages the community with the intersection of technology and history, empowering them with the skills and knowledge to thrive in a digital age.

My solution involves designing and 3D printing models inspired by indigenous cultures, along with creating educational booklets that accompany these models. The project aims to provide culturally relevant 3D models and educational materials to engage the community with technology through 3D printing.

What is it? The project consists of a series of 3D models that are inspired by different indigenous communities. These models include figures, objects, architecture, and scenes that are significant to their history and culture. Each model comes with an informational booklet or other guide that explains the cultural and historical significance of the model.

What does it do? The models serve as educational tools and cultural representations that can be used in various settings such as homes, schools, and community centers. They are designed to educate users about the background and history of the model and stimulate interest in 3D printing technology. The main idea is to help inspire indigenous communities to use technology to tell stories.

How does it work and what technology does it use?

1. Pre-Work: I first build relationships with local community and knowledge holders. At Community meetings or similar gatherings I ask for ideas on what is most appropriate to draw inspiration to design a model. Generally the inspiration needs a photo or some other visual reference for the digital sculptors.
   

2. 3D Modeling and Printing: I work with a number of digital sculptors to create the 3D models using computer-aided design (CAD) software. These designs are then printed using a 3D printer, which layers material (commonly a type of plastic or resin) to build up the final shape of the model. This step requires a bit of iteration to ensure the model is ready to print and a sufficient amount of detail is included.
   

3. Research and Collaboration: The designs are then brought back to the community for a review. This ensures cultural accuracy and relevance. Historical research and collaborations with local experts informs the content of the educational materials that accompany the model.

4. Distribution: The printed models and booklets are distributed to indigenous youth, particularly those in the foster care system through partnerships with organizations like Three Precious Miracles and other local non-profits. The main deliverable is a kit that includes painting supplies to make the activity more interactive and help the person receiving the model to instill a bit of themselves into the creation.

5. Educational Outreach: Besides distribution, the project also aims to spark interest in local schools and libraries, potentially using the models as educational resources to teach about both technology and indigenous culture.
   

This solution uses readily accessible technology like home 3D printers, which are affordable and increasingly common, to create tangible, engaging learning tools that foster a deeper connection to indigenous history and culture while promoting skills in STEM fields.

Who are they? Our primary focus has been the children, adolescents, and adults who are in or aged out of foster care. Many are at risk of losing touch with their cultural roots due to displacement and separation. But, we've found that our models serve a much larger group of folks interested in cultural and historical connection.

Most of our communities have a harder time finding accurate representation in mainstream culture. So, while we target much of our efforts on creating resources for folks connected in the foster system, we keep in mind all those that are disconnected or are in diaspora. These folks face unique challenges in maintaining connection with their cultural and historical heritage, especially when located in non-indigenous environments.

Understanding their needs:
To ensure that the project meets the actual needs of these communities, we engage in continuous dialogue during all phases of the model development. This involves:

1. Feedback from Community: Regular consultations with community members to help ensure that the content is culturally appropriate and educationally valuable.
   

2. Community Feedback: Gathering suggestions and feedback on which figures, stories, or objects to model allows the community to have a direct impact on the project's direction, ensuring relevance and engagement.

3. Collaboration with Local Knowledge Keepers: We engage local knowledge keepers to help with developing the companion resources to the model. To help ensure the resources are rooted in local knowledge.

Engaging the target population: Once the model is completed, we help facilitate painting events involving the 3D models. These events help engage the community and adds an element of personal connection and pride in the creation.

How the solution addresses their needs:

1. Cultural Education: The models and accompanying booklets serve as educational tools that foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of local culture, history, and traditions.

2. Skill Development: By exposing communities to 3D printing technology, the project also equips them with technological skills, which are valuable in the growing field of STEM.

3. Cultural Pride and Identity: Engaging with models that reflect their cultural heritage helps strengthen cultural identity and pride, which is particularly crucial for those who are disconnected or in diaspora and may not have resources that actively support cultural education.

4. Community Connection: The project helps maintain a sense of community and belonging by connecting youth with their culture and elders through shared histories and stories.

Ultimately, the project is designed to be a sustainable model of how indigenous communities can use emerging technology to preserve and celebrate their heritage.

Proximity and Representation:

• Leonard Bruce: As an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community, I bring personal experience and understanding of O'odham culture. Growing up in my community ingrained a deep connection with my heritage, which was supercharged when I had kids. Teaching my daughters about my community and our history is a deep passion that I want to share ith others. I have a deep passion for all intersections with technology. I believe that our communities should mold technology to meet our needs and 3D modeling is a great place to start!

• Elisia Manuel: Through creating Three Precious Miracles (TPM), Elisia has dedicated over a decade to supporting Arizona's indigenous children, especially those in the foster care system. Her work focuses on keeping children connected to their roots, addressing the unique challenges faced by indigenous children away from their community and traditional support systems.
  

Guidance by Community Input: Our project is not just inspired by the community; it is shaped by it. Here’s how we ensure that the community's input, ideas, and agendas guide the design and implementation of our solution:

1. Community Feedback: Regular discussions with community members form the backbone of our model designs. This ongoing dialogue ensures that each model reflects the cultural significance and historical accuracy that resonate with the community’s values.

2. Inclusion in the Design Process: By involving community suggestions in choosing which figures, objects, or stories to model, we ensure the project remains community-centric and responsive to its evolving needs and interests.

3. Review and Approval Processes: Drafts of our educational booklets and model designs are reviewed members of the local community. This step is crucial to adhere to the principle of "Nothing about us, without us."
   

4. Engagement and Participation: We actively engage the youth and community members through painting and assembling printed models. This hands-on involvement not only enhances learning and retention but also fosters a deeper personal connection to the models - allowing the community to envision themselves as the model taking part in the scene or history.
   

Reflective and Representative Team: Our team is reflective of the communities we serve, not only in our affiliations and cultural backgrounds but also in our shared experiences and commitment to the well-being of indigenous peoples.

We have completed an initial pilot of the idea with a collaboration with the Center for Cultural Power. So far, I have successfully designed and tested about 10 different O'odham-inspired 3D models. These models were selected in part from community feedback and were designed to reflect aspects of O'odham culture and history.

While we have an almost infinite amount of amazing model ideas from my local community, TPM's work intersects with children from around Arizona and often around the nation. We want to expand our line of models so that any child can find a model that has a connection and story to their tribe or indigenous group.

Accomplishments in Model Development:

• Design and Creation: Each of the models has been carefully crafted using 3D modeling software, ensuring that they not only represent cultural accuracy but also can be effectively produced using standard 3D printing technology.
• Educational Materials: Alongside the models, we have developed educational materials that provide a background on what each model represents, including historical context and significance within O'odham culture and history. These materials are designed to be accessible and informative.

Testing and Feedback:

• Community Involvement: Before finalizing the models, prototypes were shared with community members, including elders, for feedback to ensure authenticity and appropriateness. This process was crucial in refining the designs and booklets.
• Practical Implementation: The models and their accompanying materials have been used in small pilot sessions with local youth alongside Three Precious Miracles. These sessions were instrumental in testing the appeal and educational value of the models.

Impact and Reach:

• Number of Beneficiaries: To date, over 50 people have directly interacted with and learned from these models through organized workshops and distribution at community events. The feedback from these initial interactions has been overwhelmingly positive. There has been a strong engagement with the materials and an increased interest in both the cultural and historical story linked with the models and the 3D printing technology.

Community Response and Engagement:

• Community Feedback: The response from the community has been encouraging, with many expressing appreciation for the project’s effort to respect and revive O'odham heritage in a modern context.
• Engagement from Community: The hands-on aspect of painting and assembling the models has been particularly popular, providing not only an educational experience but also a creative outlet.

These accomplishments reflect the project’s initial success, but we know that the same system can work for other indigenous cultures and communities.

While our project has seen initial success and community engagement, there are several challenges we face that Solve could help us overcome. We are interested in leveraging Solve's network to enhance our project's reach, sustainability, and impact.

1. Expanding to Other Indigenous Communities:

• Challenge: Connecting with and understanding the unique cultural nuances of different indigenous communities both within the US and globally to ensure that new models are authentically represented and culturally appropriate.
• How Solve Can Help: Utilize Solve's extensive network to facilitate partnerships with indigenous communities worldwide, enabling us to expand our project with respect and authenticity. These connections can help us understand specific needs and cultural backgrounds, ensuring our models are both educational and representative.

2. Funding for Staff Time and Design Costs:

• Challenge: Securing sustainable funding to compensate our team for time and efforts in research, design, and community engagement, which are critical to the project's success.
• How Solve Can Help: Connect us with partners and funders who are interested in supporting educational and cultural preservation projects. While direct funding will be helpful, introductions to potential long-term partners can provide the resources to sustain and scale our project to other local and global communities.

3. Legal Support for Intellectual Property:

• Challenge: Developing appropriate legal frameworks, such as community common licenses, to ensure that the 3D models and their designs remain accessible and beneficial to the communities and individuals they represent while protecting them from commercial exploitation.
• How Solve Can Help: Provide access to legal experts and advisors who specialize in intellectual property, particularly in a way that respects and preserves indigenous knowledge. This support would be crucial in crafting agreements that align with community values and legal standards while maximizing the reach to community members that have been disconnected or that are in diaspora.

4. Developing Community-Based Programming:

• Challenge: Creating structured programs around the models that can be implemented in various community settings, such as schools, community centers, and through organizations working with indigenous populations.
• How Solve Can Help: Assistance from Solve in program development and educational outreach can help us create impactful, scalable programs. Solve’s expertise in educational initiatives and its network of educational professionals can provide valuable insights and frameworks for developing these programs effectively.

5. Technical Advancement and Accessibility:

• Challenge: Enhancing the technical aspects of 3D printing and modeling to ensure that they are accessible and usable by communities with varying levels of technological access and expertise.
• How Solve Can Help: Connections to technological experts and companies that could provide technical support or partnerships that improve the accessibility and usability of 3D technology in community settings. Making sure communities have local resources to print their models themselves!

Leonard Bruce has a deep and personal connection to the Gila River Indian Community. His connection is not just professional; it is rooted in his personal history, cultural identity, and ongoing involvement within his community. Here are some key aspects of how Leonard is connected to the community:

1. Personal Background: Leonard is an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community (District 4). He grew up in Stotonic playing in the canals and washes and grew up to spend nearly a decade working in tribal government. His undergraduate and graduate education were centered around community development and technology policy and indigenous data sovereignty.
   

2. Cultural Engagement: As a father of three, Leonard works to teach his daughters about their community has further deepened his commitment to learning and sharing the cultural heritage of the O'odham. This personal investment in cultural education shows his dedication to preserving and disseminating indigenous knowledge and history.
   

3. Community Interaction and Feedback: Leonard actively involves the community in his projects through regular discussions. He seeks feedback and input from elders and other community members, ensuring that projects he creates are meaningful to the community. This process of co-creation helps build trust and ensures that the project remains grounded in the community’s values and needs.
   

4. Professional and Volunteer Roles: Apart from his direct involvement with the project, Leonard engages in various roles that connect him with broader community initiatives, including educational and historical preservation projects. His interactions span across different groups within the community, from youth to elders.

5. Advocacy and Representation: Leonard also represents his community in broader discussions and forums related to indigenous rights, technology, and cultural heritage. His work in advocating for data sovereignty and technology policy that respects indigenous perspectives places him at the intersection of modern challenges and traditional values.

Through these connections, Leonard Bruce not only leads the project from a position of authority but also from a place of community trust and respect. His leadership is deeply informed by his life experiences and his active, ongoing engagement with his own community, making him uniquely suited to guide the project.

Our solution approaches the problem of cultural misrepresentation and underrepresentation in 3D modeling and educational resources by directly involving the indigenous community. This community-driven approach ensures that the cultural and historical elements depicted are authentic and that the process of creating these models educates and engages the community. Here’s how our solution is innovative and has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts:

Community-Centric Design Process: Unlike typical 3D models that might depict indigenous cultures through a non-indigenous lens, our models are developed based on direct input from the community members themselves. This approach seeks accuracy and respect in representation, which is a significant improvement over generalized or stereotypical cultural representations available in the market.

Educational Outreach and Engagement: By pairing each model with an educational resource that provides historical and cultural context, and by involving the community through painting and other activities, the project transforms passive cultural consumption into an active, engaging learning experience. This method enhances the educational impact and can be adopted by schools, libraries, and other educational programs, potentially changing how cultural education is approached in various settings.

Scalability to Other Indigenous Communities: While the project currently focuses on the O'odham community, the process is designed to be scalable and adaptable to other indigenous cultures. This adaptability can lead to a broader range of culturally accurate and engaging educational resources, tailored to different indigenous groups, thereby diversifying the educational and cultural representation in the 3D modeling space.

Impact on 3D Printing Market and Technology Use: Our project showcases how 3D printing can be used beyond its typical applications in engineering and manufacturing, highlighting its potential in cultural preservation and education. This can encourage more diverse uses of 3D technology, influence the types of models that are developed, and expand the market to include educational and cultural institutions as key consumers.

Catalyzing Broader Cultural Engagement: By demonstrating success in using technology to bridge the gap between traditional cultural heritage and modern educational tools, the project can inspire other communities to undertake similar initiatives. This will lead to a movement where more indigenous groups take control of their cultural narratives through technology, enhancing their representation across educational resources globally.

Legal and Ethical Framework Development: The project also explores engaging in legal frameworks like community common licenses to protect indigenous intellectual property. This approach can serve as a model for other communities and creators, ensuring that their cultural assets are used respectfully and that benefits flow back to the community.

In summary our project not only addresses the problem of cultural representation in a novel way but also has the potential to change the landscape of educational resources and the application of 3D printing technology. This could catalyze a broader movement towards more authentic and respectful cultural representation in educational technologies and resources.

Activities:

1. Designing and 3D Printing Accurate Models: Engage with community members to design and produce 3D models that reflect their culture authentically.

2. Developing Educational Resources: Create resources that provide cultural and historical context and incorporate storytelling to narrate the significance of each model in a compelling way

3. Narrative Workshops: Facilitate workshops where community members can share, listen, and engage with narratives that reflect their history and current experiences while painting or otherwise interacting with the models. These spaces allow for the passing down of knowledge and the creation of new stories that resonate with their lived experiences.

Immediate Outputs:

• Narrative-Rich Educational Materials: Resources and models that not only educate but also tell authentic stories, shifting the narrative from stereotypes to authentic representations.

• Public Exhibitions and Presentations: Opportunities for the broader public to engage with and understand indigenous communities, facilitated by exhibitions and community presentations.

Short-Term Outcomes:

• Reinforced Cultural Identity: As community members engage with and contribute to these narratives, there is a strengthening of cultural identity and pride.

• Empowerment Through Own Voices: By owning the process of narrative creation, the community feels empowered to challenge and redefine mainstream representations on their terms.

Long-Term Outcomes:

• Sustained Narrative Change: New, authentic narratives become the dominant stories associated with our communities, replacing outdated stereotypes and misconceptions.

• Cultural Renaissance: A revival, continuation, or evolution of cultural practices, traditions, and languages that may have been at risk of fading, fueled by a renewed pride and understanding of their historical and cultural significance.

• Self-Sustaining Narrative Ecosystem: The community develops a self-sustaining ecosystem of narrative creation, where new generations continue to learn, adapt, and tell their stories by engaging with emerging technologies. 

• Policy and Educational Reform: Influenced by changed narratives, educational policies and curricula evolve to include and emphasize indigenous histories and contributions more accurately and respectfully.

Evidence Supporting Links:

There have been multiple studies coming from the NIH, SAMHSA, and multiple other organizations that directly connect learning and engaging with culture, history, and identity as a main driver for wellness among indigenous people. Our project seeks to tap into that research and create an avenue for indigenous members to celebrate and engage in their history and culture to strengthen their identity, knowledge, and cultural connection.

Impact Goals:

1. Enhance Cultural Education and Awareness

   • Goal: Improve the understanding and appreciation of indigenous culture among indigenous members.
   • Why: By deepening their knowledge of their culture, peopleare better equipped to maintain and celebrate their heritage, fostering a stronger sense of identity and pride.

2. Increase Community Engagement and Cohesion

   • Goal: Foster greater community involvement and cohesion through shared cultural activities.
   • Why: Engaging the community in shared practices and stories helps to strengthen social bonds and supports a collective identity, crucial for community resilience and support systems.

3. Empower Narrative Control

   • Goal: Enable the indigenous community to reclaim and control their historical and cultural narratives.
   • Why: Taking charge of their own stories combats stereotypes and misinformation in broader society, promoting a more accurate and self-defined image of indigenous cultures.

Indicators for Measuring Progress:

For Enhancing Cultural Education and Awareness:

• Number of Educational Workshops Conducted: Tracking the number of workshops provides a quantitative measure of how actively we are promoting cultural education.
• Workshop Assessments: Conduct assessments among workshop participants to measure changes in their knowledge and understanding of model-related stories after the workshops.

For Increasing Community Engagement:

• Attendance at Painting Events and Workshops: Monitor attendance numbers as an indicator of community interest and engagement in model and painting activities.

For Empowering Narrative Control:

• Feedback from Community Members: Collect qualitative feedback on how well the community feels the models and narratives represent their culture and whether these efforts have influenced their perceptions of their own culture.

This project is most closely aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education): 

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Our project embodies a blend of emerging and ancestral technologies to address the challenge of cultural preservation and education within indigenous communities. By leveraging the capabilities of 3D printing technology—a modern, accessible tool—combined with the rich, traditional knowledge of indigenous communities, we are creating an innovative way to celebrate history and traditional knowledge.

3D Printing: We utilize 3D printing technology to create tangible models that represent important figures, objects, and scenes that have been selected by the Community. This modern manufacturing technique allows for the precise replication of intricate cultural symbols and artifacts which can be used in educational settings and at home, providing a hands-on learning experience.

Digital Design Software: The models are designed using computer-aided design (CAD) software, which enables the sculpting of any model with enough pictures. This software is essential for translating inspiration images and ideas into printable 3D models.

Educational Resources via Digital Publishing: Alongside physical models, we produce digital and print materials that provide historical context and stories related to each model. These materials are created using digital publishing tools, making it easy to update and distribute across various platforms.

Traditional Knowledge

Traditional Knowledge and Narratives: At the core of each 3D model and educational resource is the traditional knowledge and stories passed down through the community through community feedback and historical research. This knowledge informs the design of each model and the content of each booklet, ensuring that they are not only culturally accurate but also meaningful.

Combining Technologies for Broader Impact:

The project is an example of how combining modern and traditional technologies can lead to innovative solutions that address challenges while respecting and preserving historical and cultural integrity. By using 3D printing and digital design, we make indigenous culture more accessible. At the same time, by grounding the project in traditional stories and local history, we ensure that the technology serves as a bridge between the past and the present, rather than a replacement of traditional methods.

This dual approach enhances the educational impact within the community but also serves as a model for other indigenous and non-indigenous communities worldwide. It shows how technology can be used thoughtfully to enhance cultural education, promote community engagement, and foster storytelling opportunities!

Arizona

Two main staff

No part Time Staff or Contractors

~3-5 volunteers

2 years

Because our project is so intertwined with the indigenous community, we place a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), particularly concerning the representation and participation of indigenous people.

While we recognize the importance of a diverse set of voices, we feel that the most powerful voice should be from the local communities themselves. With that in mind, there are a few nuances that we want to highlight in our thought process as related to staffing, finding contractors, and working with folks to generate inspiration for model ideas:

Inclusive Definition of Indigenous Identity: We acknowledge the diversity within indigenous identities, including enrolled members of federally recognized tribes, descendants who may not be enrolled, members of state-recognized tribes, and urban indigenous individuals who might be geographically and culturally distant from their tribal communities. We plan to model our recruitment and community engagement strategies to be inclusive of this spectrum of identities.

Recruitment and Leadership: In our staffing, contracting, and community engagement with this project, we plan to make a concerted effort to include

individuals from various indigenous backgrounds. We want to ensure that
non-enrolled members, descendants, and urban indigenous individuals and other groups have opportunities for representation.

A business model is something we would love help with developing! We recognize the potential commercial applications of these models, but want to ensure that we design our agreements and process around keeping the models as open and free to community partners as we can. We don’t want cost to be a barrier for any indigenous member to access their history.

We’ve considered various business models, but our priority is to develop
a framework that prioritizes the creation of highly accurate models and
widely accessible narratives. It's essential that the communities whose
histories inspire these models face no barriers in accessing them.

Three Precious Miracles is a non-profit whose mission is centered around supporting the cultural connection of children in the foster care system or that have been separated or disconnected from their culture and traditional community. We are unsure how to structure our model to maintain the most impactful and sustainable system to continue to support indigenous community’s in developing their own 3D model projects. 

With that said - we have brainstormed some basic structures of our model to help guide the conversation:

To provide cultural value and educational benefits to indigenous communities while sustaining operations through a combination of product sales, partnerships, and grant funding.

Possible Products and Services:

1. 3D Printed Models and Model Files: These are model inspired by significant objects, figures, or stories from various indigenous communities. Each model is designed in consultation with community to ensure authenticity.

2. Educational Resources: Accompanying each model is resources that provide the historical and cultural context of the model, stories associated with it, and insights into the community’s traditions and practices.

3. Workshops and Training Sessions: We provide workshops for schools, community centers, and at other events that teach participants about 3D printing technology and the significance of the models.

Value Proposition:

For Indigenous Communities:

• Educational Engagement: The hands-on nature of the 3D models combined with the educational content encourages learning and engagement.

For Educational Institutions and Museums:

• Enhanced Cultural Curriculum: Our products and services provide these institutions with tools to offer more inclusive and accurate indigenous education, enhancing their value to students and visitors.

Possible Revenue Streams

1. Sales of 3D Models and Educational Kits: Direct sales to educational institutions, museums, and cultural centers could provide a revenue stream.
   

2. Grants and Funding: Securing grants from educational foundations, cultural preservation organizations, and government entities that support cultural education and technological innovation.

3. Partnerships: Collaborations with non-profits, NGOs, and educational institutions could include financial backing or shared funding for specific projects or programs.

4. Workshops and Educational Programs: We could charge fees for conducting workshops and training sessions that further support our mission while generating revenue.

Products can be primarily delivered physically (printed 3D models) and digitally (educational resources, digital 3D files), with workshops conducted either on-site for local beneficiaries or via online platforms to reach a broader audience.

This is something we would need help with. So far we have only finished out first line of models and haven't gotten into delivery beyond grants that help to offset costs of printing models to include in care packages and educational kits to children served by TPM.

We want to turn this into a sustainable model to keep the work going!