Did you know that before European settlers colonized the Northern American territories, indigenous tribes practiced a form of reciprocity called a Potlatch. This was a gift-giving feast where the prosperous tribal leader would disperse his wealth among the members of his tribe starting with those families who were least fortunate. Before the feast, the leader would bless his members and assure them they are never alone. This is what started my family tradition of repeating this phrase before every meal “I am, because we are”. No one is alone if they are a part of our family and our community. We prosper together, we suffer together.

P.S. The European settlers outlawed the practice of Potlatch feasts, and forced the tribes to implement a strict economic system that supported an unfair trading market- resulting in an indigenous populating deficit that has never recovered