Link to Audio Podcast: https://www.bravevoices.fieldscenter.princeton.edu/native-indigenous-voices

Interview with Satori McCormick '28

Hosted by Myra Ridhuan ‘27

Myra Ridhuan '27 (00:05)

Okay. So first thing, please introduce your name, class year, and concentration. And then feel free to also share your tribal affiliation, nation, clan or the tribal community that you come from.

And if you want to share this in your own Native or Indigenous language, please do so.

Satori McCormick '28 (00:20)

My name is Satori McCormick, I’m class of 2028. I am planning on majoring in COS AB, and I am Ojibwe, my tribe is Red Lake Nation in northern Minnesota.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (00:33)

Perfect. So there are different sections to the interview. That’s community and environment, identity, campus life, administration. For each question, feel free to share as much as you would like. Feel free to elaborate on anything that you wish to, but also feel free to only share with what you are comfortable with.

Satori McCormick ‘28 (00:49)

Mmhmm, okay.

Myra Riddhuan ‘27 (00:50)

The first section being community and environment, with the first question being, what is your initial impression of Princeton University, and how does Princeton's environment compare to the environment you were raised or grew up in?

Satori McCormick '28 (01:01)

Yeah. So I remember coming to Princeton, like as a tour group. I was like, oh my gosh, this place is like so fancy, so like, prestigious and like really wanting to come here, I had it as like my dream school. And so, when I came here, first, I was in Bridge Year. So like, I came here, to do, like, the orientation for that. And right off the bat, I was like, kind of like, disoriented by, like, the kind of people that I encountered were, like, vastly different from, people, like, in my high school, for example. And, like, my friends and like, peers growing up where they were, like, so impressive. And I was like, man, these people are like the best of the best. They're like, so studious, so ambitious, so driven. I remember like one girl had like, we were talking about something, and she was like, well, maybe I shouldn't say this. So if, like if this could get back to future employers, like, it wasn't anything like, super bad. I was just thinking like, damn, you're already thinking about, like, career and like. Like having that kind of prestigious career where people like, would care, like what you said in, like, freshman year.

So I had like, a lot of, like, trouble, I guess at first, like, it was like intimidating. To come to like, a place where, like, so many people are like, valedictorians, star students, but not also like, academically, successful, but also, like, very outgoing, very confident, and very, like, talented at, like, a lot of different things, like music and whatever. So like, in freshman year, that, was a challenge for me to, like, find friends and find community where a lot of the people I met, I was like, I don't really, like connect with you was what I was thinking or like, I didn't connect with them because they were very like academics focused. And we were like talking about, like, social stuff or just like things outside of the class. I didn't, see a lot of, like, common interests or like, So that was like a big, like, culture shock, Not to say that I was like, I didn't like, understand them, they were like, for example, I would say like TikTok references and people would be like, just like stare at me, like what do you mean, like, I don't have TikTok. And I was like, oh my God, what, you mean you don't have TikTok, like, a lot of the references I made were lost and I guess like throughout the year I compared, I make a lot of comparisons to my high school friends. Like, oh, my high school friends had this sense of humor that they would have gotten that or my high school friends would have been like complaining about their classes and making me feel better, but like, not doing so well in some of them. And like, feeling like I'm behind the rest of the class. That was also a new thing. Like feeling academically, like not at the top of the class, like academically mediocre or like below average.

So I guess my first impression was that it's very impressive, but also it's intimidating and it's a lot of high stakes. And I didn't think there was a lot of room to, like, fail here. Academically and socially. But it was very like, they all like, knew what they were doing and they all had like, this perception of where they were going and like, had to do that. And I was kind of like feeling lost outside, like, how are you guys like figuring all of this stuff out?

Myra Riddhuan ‘27 (04:24)

Yeah, that was great. Yeah, I kind of get that, like, you know, Princeton is really impressive and you feel like lost in it sometimes, but I feel like, you know, at the end of the day, like, you're accepted here, you know?

There are probably people who likely have like that same impression of you, like, wow, she's so impressive. You know? Right. I feel like what goes around here, you know, people probably think of you in similar high standards as well. Going off of that, you kind of already touched on what your experience was like your first year at Princeton. Do you want to elaborate more on that or also discuss how you adjusted to that transition at Princeton?

Satori McCormick '28 (04:59)

Yeah, I, I wouldn’t say I adjusted. Adjusted is a strong, like, word. It was more through like trial and error of like going to different like groups of people. Figuring out like which people I meshed with, like also making mistakes and like the kind of person, I thought a lot about the kind of person I wanted to present to these people that were like, so that like impressed me. And I wanted to impress them. And like, be like humble. But not look like I'm like an academic bum or anything. Like, I'm like a good person to, like, make connections with. So I think, like, I had to like walk the line of, like fitting in with them, like, being also like, impressive and academic, but also like being like, easy to relate to, which was like a lot of trial and error because, I mean, so like a lot of different things to different people. And I also found that the people that I now like are more close to are, well they didn't really care about that stuff to begin with. So I didn't like, had to worry about it. Academically transitioning. I started off with really bad grades, and then I was like, oh my gosh, I'm going to flunk out like, this is like a lot harder than I anticipated. I thought like, I could just like, do the work and get like an okay grade, but it turns out like I was doing the work, studying, and getting like, bad grades. And I had to, like, put in a lot more effort than I was, like, used to. Just to like, be on par with the rest of the class. So I had to, like, adjust to seeking out a lot more help and overcoming a lot of, like, worries about, like, keeping up with the class and, like, worrying about, like, what other people are doing.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (06:39)

Thank you for sharing that. Yeah. I feel like academically, it can be really rough here, but you're only in your first year. And I’m sure the adjustment will just get better with time.

Satori McCormick '28 (06:49)

Yeah.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (06:50)

And then moving on to the next question, what was your relationship like with your family and your tribal or Indigenous community since leaving home, and has being at Princeton changed that?

Satori McCormick '28 (07:00)

I think a big thing in admissions, for me at least, was to like, highlight, you're part of an underrepresented community. This could help you get into like diverse equity admissions. And so to like, people's advice for it to be like, really highlight that you're Native American and you want to give back to the Native American community. So I would like, follow their advice and try to like, I guess, commodify that identity and make promises like, oh, at Princeton, I'm going to make this whole project about Indigenous health or something. Just to, like, get in and, that was a lot of, like, admissions. I hadn't really thought about, like, my identity and community before, but during admissions, I was like thinking, how can I use this, I guess, which isn’t, like a good feeling of how I want to use, like, my identity and like where I come from.

So once I got in, I kind of like realized I don't want to do that anymore. I don't want to, like, make it into, like something that it’s not or like represent myself as this one thing. And I'm actually like, not just that, like, all of these other things and also like, playing into, like a stereotype of, like, this poor, Native American student from, like, an underprivileged community. Like, that wasn't exactly my background, but I felt like if I like, played into that stereotype, like, people wouldn't just make assumptions just based on, like saying I'm Native American. Then that would like, implicitly tell them, you can do like good to like help the diversity in this community. With my family, my family is very important to me. And leaving them, I'm always like homesick when I leave them and go away for a long time. Like, family is something that I'm going to be very close with, like, after graduation. Like I'm, I want to, like, support my family after with my job that I get after graduation and like, give back to my parents with this degree.

And, with my communities, I come from like unique Indigenous identity where I didn't, like, grow up, like, in a reservation or like, like, very connected to my Indigenous community because my mother was adopted. So, I found Natives at Princeton. I joined and they had like a lot of cool like events like eating fry bread and like just chilling. But I also realize that there were only two freshmen in the club, and the other freshmen wouldn't show up a lot. So, I would feel very awkwardly like being the only freshman at these events. And I guess I like, stopped going as much. I think I haven't done a lot to, like, connect myself to my community here. Or like pursue like Indigenous research or study. Also like the opportunities haven't come up yet because I can only, like, take so many classes and like pursue so many things. So I think, my like, connection is a bit less because I'm not like, always like trying to, like, show people that I am Native American.

But on the other hand, I met some other Native American people here. And for them, their culture is like they like, grew up really connected to their culture. And so it's like really important for them. And I really respect that. And I look up to them and like how they, are so like, passionate about the Native community. They like, do the little things, like every day like wearing clothing articles or accessories that like connect them to their culture. They wear that identity very proudly. I feel a lot of the time like, because I come from like a Native adoptee like perspective, I don't have as much to show for that. Besides, like the earrings that like, my mom's birth mom gave her when they met, and like, the scraps of stories that have like, still, like trickled down. And I think a lot of the ways that I express my Indigenous identity is, or not express it, acknowledge it, is just like acknowledging, like where my family story came from and, the cultural trauma that, like, they endured and that, like, led to, like, the places that they ended up and like, the adoption itself. And why I don't have a connection is like part of the history that we experienced. Yeah, I found like some community. But I also like personally did not feel like expressing that or like connecting to that was as important anymore.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (11:25)

So I think we already started, talking about question B, there. Do you feel you have found a community and when is the first time you felt this way? So, just to elaborate further, kind of like on the same topic, are there any moments when being Native or Indigenous made you feel marginalized from the greater Princeton community? If so, could you describe this moment or if there isn’t, are there any moments when you feel a sense of community or connection because of your Native or Indigenous identity?

Satori McCormick '28 (11:48)

So there have been a couple of events that Natives at Princeton has like put on or told us about. I think one of the like coolest things and one of the like coolest experience at Princeton that I've had to date was a meeting with Joy Harjo, the prize winning poet, who's Indigenous. And so I got to meet her. And that was really cool. Like, like that was like moment where I was like, oh my gosh, this would never have been possible if I didn't go to Princeton. And here I am sitting across from like a woman who, like, greatly inspires me. And like she sees me and I'm, like existing in this room with her. And it was just very like, not a wake up call, but like a, a like, a moment of like, wow, things are happening. This is so cool. I asked her like a really dumb question, and she, like, kind of like...what was the question? I have no idea what you're talking about. But I was like, so, like, in awe of her. So that was like a moment when I felt like a really good sense of community and connection because like they brought someone who's like, very famous and well-respected here, and they made a space for us to, like meet her. I don't think I have, like, any specific moments of feeling marginalized. I guess I don't see, like, space for Native and Indigenous like, narratives, in general here. In Colorado, like, we would have, like, the Denver powwow, the DU powwow, and I could see like everybody like from like even like states over like coming to celebrating Native identity. Here we don't have, like, a big community. So it makes sense that we don't have, like, a powwow or, a lot of events connected to Native and Indigenous celebrations. But, I guess, and like, randomly in Spanish class, we will like, talk about like, Indigenous Central American things. And that's like, cool for me. Like, I would like to pursue more classes about Latin American and Indigenous studies to like, research more and study more about that.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (13:48)

Yeah. That's cool that it was just brought up in your Spanish class.

Satori McCormick '28 (13:51)

Oh, yeah. Well, we do a lot of history, so it just, like, naturally, goes into the curriculum.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (13:56)

It's very cool. So that concludes our community and environment section. And it brings us over to our identity section. The one question being, has being at Princeton changed the way you perceive yourself as Native or Indigenous?

Satori McCormick '28 (14:08)

I think I talked a little bit about this. I've only been here like a year, but…Yeah, I don't think so. Because I have not really engaged with it here. So I don't have to like think about it. And so like nothing has changed for me. But. Perhaps if I like took one of the..but, oh, they don't have, like, the Native American history or literature next semester by chance that, they only have like one class that's like, kind of like centering around Native American history, which, I'll try to take. But I think if I were like to encounter it, more frequently, I would have to, like, think more critically about it. But right now, I just like think about classes and social life and everything connected with that. And I don't think about my identity. I guess, I'm also like mixed. Like I'm also like Filipino. So I did like join the Filipino group. And then I realized, well, that was like another, so my mom was Native American/Filipino, so she was adopted from that. So she, we don't have like, connections to either, and I was like, wow, these people are so Filipino. And that was also like showing me, I don't feel very Filipino or connected to Filipino culture. So perhaps like the only thing that I feel like connected to, because I know, like the lack of that connection is due to like, history and like, like a, a shared but unique experience if that makes sense. I feel like more, more reliant on my Native identity to like, express myself as I am Native American first and then like other races, like second, because that's the one that I feel like most connected to, I guess.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (15:50)

They're not offering Native American history next semester?

Satori McCormick '28 (15:53)

I didn't see it, no.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (15:54)

Oh, no. Maybe...it's taught by, do you know, Liz? It's taught by Liz. Doctor Ellis.

Satori McCormick '28 (16:03)

Okay.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (16:03)

Yeah. I don't know. I think she's teaching something else. So that concludes our identity section.

Which brings us to our campus life section with the first question being, do you believe that your Native/Indigenous identity and culture are represented at Princeton, and if so, in what ways?

Satori McCormick '28 (16:19)

I don't see...Well, we did have, I think, a guest speaker come for like Native American Heritage Month. And some dining hall food. And like, put out this is like Native American Heritage Month food, whatever that means. Besides, like those two things this year, I don't think it's really represented. I don't see like, like Princeton is built on Lenape land. I don’t see a lot of like, acknowledgment to that and like the Lenape history. I don't see, well, my specific, like Native identity is Ojibwe, which is, Northern. Like north and northeast. I guess if you're like a lot of the times, Native identity is expressed or as manifested in, like Navajo Nation. Because that's like the biggest one. but I haven't even seen like a lot of, like references to that. And just like the spaces and events that take place here, I, I don't see a lot of like Indigenous people speaking, I don't know of any, like, Indigenous alum who do you know where in like the [Gender and Sexuality Resource Center] there's like a lot of famous alumni on the wall, like Michelle Obama, Michelle Robinson and other famous alumni. I could think of like an, an alumni from all of the other, like, ethnicities and identities, except for, like, Native American and Pacific Islander, maybe.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (17:40)

In Native American history, we did learn that Princeton is built on Lenape lands. Yeah, I didn't even know that. So I guess it's acknowledged in that class, but it's not being taught right now. So that was our only question for campus life. And so now for administration, if there is one change that the Princeton leadership could make to improve experiences for Native and Indigenous students on campus, what would that be?

Satori McCormick '28 (18:00)

Yeah, I think they did a good job. I think they hired a new, I believe Pacific Islander like professor here who they're really excited about. There should be a Native American studies here. That's separate from, like, American studies and Latin American / Latino studies. When I was asking about that, people were like, well, there's classes every semester. There's this new professor. But I would just like to see more of that, like more Indigenous staff, professors, classes. Yeah.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (18:32)

I mean, considering this is like a university, like, focused on education, I think having like a Native or like Indigenous studies would be beneficial for like, actual representation since it's literally, you know, a university centered around education. So.

Satori McCormick '28 (18:47)

Yeah. Also guest speakers.

Myra Riddhuan '27 (18:48)

Yeah. That's true. Like maybe like at the graduations and such, especially since I feel like those are the most like, most anticipated guest speakers, I suppose.

So then that brings us to our final question, which is what is your hope for future Native and Indigenous students on Princeton's campus?

Satori McCormick '28 (19:03)

I think they should admit more Native people if they can, because like, right now it’s a very small community. Like single or like double digit I think not more than, like 30 people or 20 people. In the entire like, undergraduate and graduate that I've met. So. That's okay, if it's like still like a small community. But I would hope that, like, people like, find community and, feel compelled and inspired to, like pursue research study, Indigenous studies and, make their own like, space here and perhaps, like, even do, like their own projects, like research projects or or something that just like, connects Princeton to Indigenous communities elsewhere. Yeah. I hope that they feel like they are able to make that connection and like, feel empowered.