To really get why this matters, we need to understand what happened in the past. Estimates suggest that between the 15th and 19th centuries, the population of Native Americans was reduced by about 90% due to violence, disease, and forced relocation. This is like losing almost everyone you know and love, and it's hard to even imagine.
Imagine you're at a family reunion, and there are normally 100 people there, but this year, there are only 10. That's kind of what happened to Native American communities, but instead of just one year, this was over centuries. The loss of life and the impact on communities was staggering, and it's something that still affects people today.
