Victoria Dabney is breaking the negative narratives surrounding Native Americans

FRESNO, Calif – According to the U.S. Census, only about 16.8% of Native Americans aged 25 or older have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, which is significantly lower than the national average. In other words, only a small percentage of Native Americans graduate from college.

Fresno State senior and speech pathology major, Victoria Dabney, is proud to publicize her Native American heritage. She has been dancing in “Pow Wows” since she was a little girl.

But many people around the globe don’t understand this culture and are constantly creating stereotypes about Native men and women.

Dabney describes a “Pow Wow” as a gathering of nations, and these gatherings/celebrations are open and free to the public to come and enjoy.

“Having that ability to share my culture with people who aren’t Native American and see them so interactive with it makes me really happy to see,” Dabney said.

Just like many other cultures, Native Americans believe in having a strong rooted family to lean back on.

Dabney and her sister, Alicia, have grown closer over the years because they dance in the same “Pow Wows” and are able to have difficult conversations about their culture and the way people view them.

“The biggest stereotypes that we face have mainly been negative,” Dabney said. “One of them is that we’re uneducated, we’re alcoholics and I’ve heard the term ghetto a few times.”

Despite these stereotypes, Dabney believes in pushing the name of her culture out to people, especially to her friends. Nothing makes her more excited than friends or family coming to support her in her dances.

“I really enjoy their culture, and as a Mexican, it’s really cool to step outside of my culture and see other cultures and see how they live,” sophomore Alma Medina said.

Dabney is set to make her mark in Native American history in May, as she will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in speech language pathology and begin a master’s program in the fall.

She will be graduating at the age of 21 with a bachelor’s degree and when she finishes with her master’s, this will put her name in the 17% column of Native American women who graduate with this degree.

To find a “Pow Wow” near you, visit https://www.powwows.com/.