Indigenous people across North America have battled with erasure for centuries. Perhaps the biggest obstacle faced currently is against individuals of non-native descent, falsely claiming Native identity for personal gain. Professor Alicia Carroll of University of California, Irvine is such an example. Carroll has publicly admitted that they don't have documented connections to Cherokee Nation, however they continue to make claims of ancestry based on family stories. They have used these false claims personal growth and privilege, trivializing the struggles of real indigenous people.

We demand a public apology from Professor Carroll for having benefitted from claiming indigenous ancestry without documentation. In addition, we demand an apology for the way they have unabashedly made claims of what it means to be Cherokee, without being Cherokee themselves. 

We also demand a public apology from UC Irvine for having promoted an individual who misrepresents the Indigenous peoples of North America so egregiously. 

Let us respect and uphold the rights and beliefs of Indigenous peoples. Please, sign this petition to make our voices heard.