Disability Decolonized: Indigenous Peoples Enacting Self-determination

The phrase “nothing about us without us” is a saying used by people who demand to be part of things instead of only end users. This paper is about groups of people that often have things like policies and programs made for them but not by them- Indigenous peoples and people with disabilities. They have similar experiences being taken advantage of by dominant culture. We also write about the idea of self-determination. Self-determination is the ability for a person or a nation to set goals themselves and have the proper information and tools to reach those goals. We hope to show that true diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is possible for these communities, and we give examples of programs that help individuals reach their goals.