Latest news with #culturalvalues
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Cherokee Nation Shows How AI Governance Can Be Sovereign
When most enterprises and governments evaluate artificial intelligence, their primary lens is return on investment such as how many processes can be automated, how many jobs restructured, and how much efficiency squeezed from the system. At the Ai4 2025 conference in Las Vegas, Paula Starr, Chief Information Officer of the Cherokee Nation, offers a very different perspective. For sovereign tribal governments like the Cherokee, ROI isn't purely financial. It is cultural, legal, and existential. 'AI must serve the collective good and uphold Cherokee values,' Starr told the audience. 'If a tool compromises that, it doesn't belong in our Nation's systems.' This perspective positions the Cherokee Nation at the forefront of a movement redefining what artificial intelligence governance means. While big tech and large governments experiment with guardrails, the Cherokee Nation is constructing a model rooted in centuries of tradition and sovereignty. From Enterprise ROI To Sovereign ROI The Cherokee Nation, with nearly 480,000 citizens and a land base of 7,000 square miles in northeastern Oklahoma, has ambitions and obligations that extend far beyond typical government IT departments. The question of AI adoption is not simply 'how much faster can a form be processed' or 'what percentage of staff hours can be reduced.' It is about protecting Cherokee data sovereignty, ensuring cultural preservation, and reinforcing treaty rights in the digital era. That shift in framing, away from efficiency and toward sovereignty, has profound implications for how AI is selected, tested, and deployed. In most enterprises, procurement is measured in business outcomes. For the Cherokee Nation, the baseline metric is trust. Citizen data must be treated with the same protection as physical sovereignty, and outcomes must strengthen rather than erode the community's lifeways. The concept of ROI here stretches to include aspects of citizen trust, cultural preservation, and legal autonomy. The key questions to address with AI include are citizens more confident engaging with tribal services, does AI strengthen traditions, language, or practices, and does technology reinforce tribal governance authority? AI in Action: Use Cases Built on Values Starr's presentation outlined several initiatives now underway that showcase how AI can be deployed under this framework. The Gadugi Portal, named after the Cherokee value of working together, is built on Salesforce and augmented with AI to provide authenticated access to tribal services. Rather than reducing headcount, the platform allows more citizens to be served without expanding staffing, improving efficiency while broadening reach across geography. A Legal Agent developed in Microsoft Copilot Studio with assistance from MIT interns, consolidates treaty law, tribal codes, executive orders, and court rulings into a single AI-driven research system. For a sovereign government often required to defend its rights in state and federal courts, this capability accelerates legal decision-making and strengthens sovereignty. The AI Agent, as part of a website refresh launching this year, includes an AI assistant that helps citizens navigate services and applications. The expected result is higher completion rates, 24/7 accessibility, and a reduction in friction for rural citizens. In a unique blending of cultural continuity and conservation, the Nation is using AI-driven scanning to replicate turtle shells traditionally used in ceremonies, without harming wildlife by using 3D printed shells. These examples underscore a central point. AI is not replacing people, it is extending tradition and sovereignty into the digital domain. Governance: Policy Before Code Many enterprises are only now realizing the importance of governance after experimentation with generative AI has already run ahead of regulation. The Cherokee Nation has taken the opposite approach. In October 2024, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. issued an Executive Order on Data Sovereignty and Self-Governance, creating the AI, Data Sovereignty, and Cybersecurity Task Force. Starr, as CIO, chaired this group, which produced a comprehensive roadmap earlier this year. The report's key recommendations included adoption of the NIST AI Risk Management Framework to provide a baseline for ethics, transparency, and accountability. Also recommended is the creation of dedicated AI and Data Governance Committees with clear roles for policy development, legal review, and risk mitigation. Other recommendations include institution of an AI Questionnaire for evaluating any generative AI tools under consideration, covering oversight, data privacy, bias mitigation, and risk scenarios. The document also aims for standardization of the Cherokee Citizen ID across all data systems, strengthening both sovereignty and service delivery, expansion of data literacy programs for the workforce, ensuring adoption doesn't outpace understanding, and establishment of a Tribal Innovation Summit to generate citizen-driven use cases. Community Values as a Governance Lens The framework is not just technical. It is cultural. Starr shared how Cherokee Community Values are core to the implementation and usage of AI. Principles such as 'detsadasinasdi itsehesdi', translated as live skillfully and resourcefully aims to engage with new technologies to augment talents and skills. 'Detsadageyusesdi' which is to protect each other as a mother with child aims to protect the data of our citizens as we would protect their existence and 'detsadanvwidisgesdi', encourage and instruct one another in a gentle and thoughtful way is focused on meeting the challenges of the future and staying forever resilient. When surveyed, while only 74% of Cherokee citizens said they had limited AI understanding, 70% were open to AI adoption if it was aligned with cultural and ethical standards. That conditional openness is the key, AI is welcome if it is accountable to values. By embedding these cultural guardrails, the Nation ensures that AI outcomes are not only efficient but also consistent with the community's identity. In effect, the Cherokee are demonstrating that governance frameworks grounded in culture may be more effective than those grounded solely in regulation. Broader Context: A Global Movement The Cherokee Nation is not alone in rethinking digital sovereignty. Around the world, Indigenous communities are building frameworks to ensure emerging technologies serve their people rather than exploit them. In Canada, the Indigenous Digital Sovereignty Initiative seeks to give First Nations control over data infrastructure and governance. In New Zealand, the Māori Data Sovereignty Network asserts that data about Māori people should be subject to Māori governance. The Cherokee approach, integrating AI into service delivery while grounding deployments in cultural values, adds a North American model to this growing international movement. For governments worldwide struggling with questions of digital ethics, this experiment in sovereignty-driven AI governance may provide a reference point. Where corporations often prioritize shareholder returns, sovereign nations must prioritize the well-being of citizens and future generations. As Starr put it plainly, 'AI is a tool. But it's our people, our values, and our policy that give it direction.' That framing may turn out to be the most sustainable way to harness AI, because it ties innovation not just to speed and scale but to the long-term continuity of a people.
CNN
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Is this the most political fashion item ever?
Overlooked, familiar, homely… These are the words traditionally associated with the apron, a detachable, workaday garment that has historically functioned 'almost like an invisibility cloak.' So said Carol Tulloch, a professor of dress, diaspora and transnationalism at Chelsea College of Arts, in a telephone interview with CNN. Just don't tell that to Jeremy Allen White's character Carmy Berzatto in hit TV drama 'The Bear' whose tightly-tied blue Bragard apron (a replica of those worn in chic Napa Valley eatery The French Laundry) only enhances his main character energy as the show's fourth season premieres this week. Tulloch, alongside fellow London-based academic Judith Clark, a professor of fashion and museology at London College of Fashion, have recently come together for a three-month-long residency at the Chelsea Space gallery to reflect upon the apron's cultural and social values — its design and use, as well as role regarding issues of race, class, and gender identity. It's timely as the apron is enjoying something of a renaissance in popular culture — featuring, for example, in recent collections from Hermès, The Row, Dior, Phoebe Philo and Ganni and on Kaia Gerber who wore a chic pinafore-style dress while out in New York in April — and it's ability to encompass unheard stories and experiences is starting to be critically appraised. 'They've been an unconscious part of many of our lives and childhoods,' said Tulloch. 'While they only really have one function — to protect clothes — they come in many forms.' When Tulloch started critically examining aprons, they proved to be a fascinating insight into people across all strata of society, she said. 'Those I wouldn't expect to have a close relationship with aprons — academics, for example — become quite pensive when they start thinking about them.' Tulloch recalled a small show from some years ago, called 'Pinnies from Heaven' at the Makers Guild museum in Wales, exhibiting works created by artists based on their recollections of the apron. One artist talked about how, for them, the apron absorbed the detritus of all the things that happened in the home, not just the mess from cooking or cleaning, but emotional fallout too. 'That really stuck with me,' Tulloch said. For Clark, the apron is 'talismanic.' Speaking to CNN via a phone call, she observed that the residency created an immediate sense of nostalgia for some people. 'Within two minutes of coming in, people recount something of their family history,' she said. Tulloch has also looked at aprons as a tool of protection and activism for women through the lens of African Jamaican market women called 'Higglers'. 'The Higgler is still very much a part of Jamaican identity,' says Tulloch. 'She was visually defined by the apron, whether tied around the waist or as a full bib. Likewise they were worn by women who were pineapple or banana pickers, or domestic workers.' Tulloch references contemporary South African artist Mary Sibande who explores the intersection of race, gender and labor in the country with her sculptural depictions of the apron-wearing 'Sophie,' the artist's self-proclaimed 'alter ego who plays out the fantasies of the maternal women in her family.' 'Sibande's great grandmother all the way up to her mother were all maids,' said Tulloch. 'The apron has served as a visual code in movies too: African American women were often defined as maids by the wearing of aprons in films and cartoons. Separately, the suffragettes reclaimed aprons, using pinafores emblazoned with slogans as activist tools, often when they had come out of prison for their campaigning work…' But aprons weren't always a sign of domesticity, servitude or homeliness, or of being working class. Nor were they always worn predominantly by women. Research suggests that triangular apron-like garments were first worn by noblemen in Ancient Egypt, as evidenced in paintings from the time. In the Middle Ages, aprons made from leather and heavy canvas were worn by farriers, cobblers, butchers, blacksmiths and other tradesmen desiring heavy duty protection from the perils of their work. Then, during the Renaissance, European 'women of means' wore elaborate yet washable aprons adorned with lace and embroidery to keep their luxurious gowns clean. Aprons were a fixture of many employments during the industrial revolution, with strict codes delineating the styles to be worn by staff (plain, workaday) and the styles worn by the women holding the purse strings (elaborate, embroidered and made from more costly cloths). In the 1950s, the apron came to be a symbol of homemaking particularly in the United States — think Lucille Ball's Lucy Ricardo character in the 1950s sitcom 'I Love Lucy' or more recently January Jones' portrayal of Betty Draper in 'Mad Men.' Despite the garment being such a part of our collective consciousness, aprons have rarely been studied, said Clark.' Collections, such as the one held by the Fashion Museum (in Bath, England), are huge and of great cultural value and significance, but there hasn't really been sustained research done on them,' she explained. While displaying aprons comes with its own set of challenges — the style is tricky to mount due to its flat construction — Clark also suspects aprons have 'not been considered of cultural importance because of their relationship to traditionally women's domestic work.' But perhaps that's changing as the apron continues to be modernized, further cementing itself into popular culture. Thanks to Gen-Z's increasing interest in food and cooking, apron-wearing is finding a new genderless and more diverse audience. While alpha male chefs of old wouldn't often be seen in a pinafore (Gordon Ramsay aside, aprons were the preserve of a 'cook') Carmy's proud pinny-wearing is a case in point. Even Vogue magazine decreed the return of the garment (alongside the rise of what they termed 'gardening-core') in their June 2025 issue. 'There's some beautiful imagery of the late (fashion journalist and muse) Anna Piaggi with Karl Lagerfeld, using a Chanel cape as an apron,' said Clark. 'I love their shape, their mobility, that they're not fitted and so therefore are a truly inclusive garment… I love how easily the item can be subverted. It just refuses to be defined.'
CNN
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Is this the most political fashion item ever?
Overlooked, familiar, homely… These are the words traditionally associated with the apron, a detachable, workaday garment that has historically functioned 'almost like an invisibility cloak.' So said Carol Tulloch, a professor of dress, diaspora and transnationalism at Chelsea College of Arts, in a telephone interview with CNN. Just don't tell that to Jeremy Allen White's character Carmy Berzatto in hit TV drama 'The Bear' whose tightly-tied blue Bragard apron (a replica of those worn in chic Napa Valley eatery The French Laundry) only enhances his main character energy as the show's fourth season premieres this week. Tulloch, alongside fellow London-based academic Judith Clark, a professor of fashion and museology at London College of Fashion, have recently come together for a three-month-long residency at the Chelsea Space gallery to reflect upon the apron's cultural and social values — its design and use, as well as role regarding issues of race, class, and gender identity. It's timely as the apron is enjoying something of a renaissance in popular culture — featuring, for example, in recent collections from Hermès, The Row, Dior, Phoebe Philo and Ganni and on Kaia Gerber who wore a chic pinafore-style dress while out in New York in April — and it's ability to encompass unheard stories and experiences is starting to be critically appraised. 'They've been an unconscious part of many of our lives and childhoods,' said Tulloch. 'While they only really have one function — to protect clothes — they come in many forms.' When Tulloch started critically examining aprons, they proved to be a fascinating insight into people across all strata of society, she said. 'Those I wouldn't expect to have a close relationship with aprons — academics, for example — become quite pensive when they start thinking about them.' Tulloch recalled a small show from some years ago, called 'Pinnies from Heaven' at the Makers Guild museum in Wales, exhibiting works created by artists based on their recollections of the apron. One artist talked about how, for them, the apron absorbed the detritus of all the things that happened in the home, not just the mess from cooking or cleaning, but emotional fallout too. 'That really stuck with me,' Tulloch said. For Clark, the apron is 'talismanic.' Speaking to CNN via a phone call, she observed that the residency created an immediate sense of nostalgia for some people. 'Within two minutes of coming in, people recount something of their family history,' she said. Tulloch has also looked at aprons as a tool of protection and activism for women through the lens of African Jamaican market women called 'Higglers'. 'The Higgler is still very much a part of Jamaican identity,' says Tulloch. 'She was visually defined by the apron, whether tied around the waist or as a full bib. Likewise they were worn by women who were pineapple or banana pickers, or domestic workers.' Tulloch references contemporary South African artist Mary Sibande who explores the intersection of race, gender and labor in the country with her sculptural depictions of the apron-wearing 'Sophie,' the artist's self-proclaimed 'alter ego who plays out the fantasies of the maternal women in her family.' 'Sibande's great grandmother all the way up to her mother were all maids,' said Tulloch. 'The apron has served as a visual code in movies too: African American women were often defined as maids by the wearing of aprons in films and cartoons. Separately, the suffragettes reclaimed aprons, using pinafores emblazoned with slogans as activist tools, often when they had come out of prison for their campaigning work…' But aprons weren't always a sign of domesticity, servitude or homeliness, or of being working class. Nor were they always worn predominantly by women. Research suggests that triangular apron-like garments were first worn by noblemen in Ancient Egypt, as evidenced in paintings from the time. In the Middle Ages, aprons made from leather and heavy canvas were worn by farriers, cobblers, butchers, blacksmiths and other tradesmen desiring heavy duty protection from the perils of their work. Then, during the Renaissance, European 'women of means' wore elaborate yet washable aprons adorned with lace and embroidery to keep their luxurious gowns clean. Aprons were a fixture of many employments during the industrial revolution, with strict codes delineating the styles to be worn by staff (plain, workaday) and the styles worn by the women holding the purse strings (elaborate, embroidered and made from more costly cloths). In the 1950s, the apron came to be a symbol of homemaking particularly in the United States — think Lucille Ball's Lucy Ricardo character in the 1950s sitcom 'I Love Lucy' or more recently January Jones' portrayal of Betty Draper in 'Mad Men.' Despite the garment being such a part of our collective consciousness, aprons have rarely been studied, said Clark.' Collections, such as the one held by the Fashion Museum (in Bath, England), are huge and of great cultural value and significance, but there hasn't really been sustained research done on them,' she explained. While displaying aprons comes with its own set of challenges — the style is tricky to mount due to its flat construction — Clark also suspects aprons have 'not been considered of cultural importance because of their relationship to traditionally women's domestic work.' But perhaps that's changing as the apron continues to be modernized, further cementing itself into popular culture. Thanks to Gen-Z's increasing interest in food and cooking, apron-wearing is finding a new genderless and more diverse audience. While alpha male chefs of old wouldn't often be seen in a pinafore (Gordon Ramsay aside, aprons were the preserve of a 'cook') Carmy's proud pinny-wearing is a case in point. Even Vogue magazine decreed the return of the garment (alongside the rise of what they termed 'gardening-core') in their June 2025 issue. 'There's some beautiful imagery of the late (fashion journalist and muse) Anna Piaggi with Karl Lagerfeld, using a Chanel cape as an apron,' said Clark. 'I love their shape, their mobility, that they're not fitted and so therefore are a truly inclusive garment… I love how easily the item can be subverted. It just refuses to be defined.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Grandparents Who Make the Biggest Impact on Their Grandkids Usually Do These 10 Things, Psychologists Say
Grandmas and grandpas are far more than just people who come bearing Butterscotch candy and harrowing tales of walking to school in 40-foot-deep snow."Grandparents often hold a unique and powerful role in a child's life," shares Dr. Ernesto Lira de la Rosa, Ph.D., a psychologist and Hope for Depression Research Foundation media advisor. "Unlike parents, who are typically responsible for daily structure and discipline, grandparents can offer a steady, nurturing presence that feels less pressured and more emotionally available. Grandparents also help pass down cultural values, traditions and family history, and this gives children a deeper sense of identity and belonging."He adds that grandparents can be emotional anchors for kids, especially if they're stressed at home. If you are a grandparent, Dr. Lira de la Rosa's words may be equal parts heart-warming and pressure-filled. You (understandably) want to get a powerful role "right."Psychologists share that there are no perfect grandparents, but there are some pretty great ones who have long-lasting effects on their grandkids. Here, they share more about grandparents who make the biggest impact on their grandchildren—including the 10 things these individuals usually Rule No. 1: Remember that, at the end of the day, Mom and Dad will get the final decision (unless you have custody of the grandchild)."One of the most impactful things a grandparent can do is support their own children as parents," says the co-founder of Phoenix Health. "When grandparents respect the parents' boundaries and choices, it strengthens the entire family system."Another psychologist shares similar sentiments."Even if you disagree, modeling respect for the parents teaches the children respect and consistency," reports , a licensed psychologist with Thriveworks. As cheesy as it sounds, just being there can make all the difference to a child."One of the most impactful things a grandparent can do is spend quality time with their grandchild," Dr. Lira de la Rosa says. "This doesn't have to be anything elaborate—just being together, whether reading a book, gardening or chatting during a car ride, can help a child feel valued and loved. Time and attention show a child that they matter."Related: Dr. Lira de la Rosa says grandparents can significantly impact their grandchildren by listening openly and with patience."When a grandparent listens without immediately offering advice or judgment, the child feels heard and respected," he explains. "This builds emotional closeness and encourages the child to keep communicating." Dr. Lira de la Rosa loves it when grandmas and grandpas understand the power of words, which he says can make a lasting difference."Grandparents who notice and affirm a grandchild's efforts, whether in school, sports or just being kind, help build that child's self-confidence," he explains. "It shows the child that their hard work and who they are as a person are appreciated." You don't need a teaching degree to help a child develop into a lifelong learner."Grandparents can help encourage a child's love of learning and introduce them to new things that they otherwise may not have been exposed to," Dr. Guarnotta adds that reading together, doing crafts and connecting through other activities help promote curiosity and a desire to "Keep calm" isn't just a meme-friendly phrase. It's a trait to embody when you're with your grandkids—even the rowdy ones (especially the rowdy ones)."When life feels chaotic or stressful, having a grandparent who is consistently supportive and unshaken can be very reassuring," Dr. Lira de la Rosa says. "Children often remember the sense of comfort and safety they felt just being in their grandparents' presence." Children have numerous career and educational options these days. However, developing kind kids is more important than developing kids who can code or use AI."Modeling kindness and compassion in everyday life teaches children how to treat others," Dr. Lira de la Rosa says. "Whether it's showing respect to a store clerk, helping a neighbor or talking about others with empathy, these moments shape a grandchild's understanding of how to move through the world."Related: Dr. Guarnotta says grandparents serve as the keepers of family history, culture and traditions. Sharing this wisdom with grandkids can have a profound impact."It can give children a sense of identity and belonging," she stresses. "When grandparents tell stories about their own lives or teach cultural values, they give grandchildren an understanding of where they came from, which strengthens the family bonds and supports healthy development." Dr. Saidi says that grandparents continue to share family traditions with grandkids and create new ones. Think ice cream on Friday afternoons, after-school FaceTimes, or arts and crafts on Saturdays."These rituals can provide comfort, structure and a sense of identity," she explains. We can overcomplicate things as we try to raise the next generation of humans. However, the simple act of meeting a child where they are with love is perhaps the most important thing you can do."Love them for who they are," Dr. Saidi says. "This kind of unconditional love is the most powerful way to build self-esteem."Related: All three psychologists agree: Grandparents should not undermine the parents. "Grandparents should try to avoid disagreements in front of the children, to avoid creating any loyalty conflicts or confusion," Dr. Saidi stresses. "Respecting boundaries is best for the child's sense of security."Now, this tip goes against the cliche that grandparents are the ones who bring sugar to no-sugar households and let their grandkids stay up late. "While it may seem harmless to 'bend the rules' sometimes, this can be confusing for children and drive a wedge between grandparents and their own children," Dr. Guarnotta warns. "This behavior also models to grandchildren that withholding information from parents is OK, which can have a negative impact on the grandchild's relationship with their own parents."Speaking of negative, Dr. Lira de la Rosa shares that it's important to avoid criticizing a child's parents in front of them."Even small comments can make children feel caught in the middle or uncertain about who to trust," he points out. "It can also create tension in the family and send mixed messages about rules and expectations." Up Next:Dr. Ernesto Lira de la Rosa, Ph.D., a psychologist and Hope for Depression Research Foundation media advisor Dr. Emily Guarnotta, Psy.D., the co-founder of Phoenix Health Dr. Crystal Saidi, Psy.D., a licensed psychologist with Thriveworks Grandparents Who Make the Biggest Impact on Their Grandkids Usually Do These 10 Things, Psychologists Say first appeared on Parade on May 24, 2025
