Resilience In Ledesma By David Treuer

According to Ledesma, Resilience is the ability to adapt well over time to life-changing situations and stressful conditions” (Ledesma, 2015). David Treuer examines and identifies the concept of resilience in the text by humanizing the harsh realities of life on the reservation, by showing that through it all, despite the issue within these communities, these communities are homes. While he tells stories of immense poverty, crime, and social toxins, Treuer also tells stories of resilience, dignity, and hope. It’s like how Shaye Tibbett’s, one of the women in the book, says: “Don’t pity me. We got it good. We got it good. We got it better than most people. Don’t feel bad for me. Feel bad for somebody else because, well, I don’t need pity” (Treuer,
Pg.175). His argument is that Indians don’t need pity, but rather, they need to the freedom to exercise their multiple sovereignties so that they can reclaim and practice their inherent tribal rights and create more stories of hope and resilience within the reservations. Therefore, resilience is an important concept for the AIAN community because while many things contribute to resilience, “studies show that caring a supportive relationship can help enhance resilience’s such as the ability to make and implement realistic plans, have a positive and confident outlook, and have the ability to communicate and solve problems”(Ledesma, 2015).