Profiled: Janet Robideau.

HOMETOWN: Missoula, Montana 

TRACK RECORD: member of American Indian Movement, founder of Indian People's Action in 1997, director of Montana People's Action in 2001. Robideau's work helped push Montana's largest progressive organization, which had defined itself mainly around poverty issues, to lead with race in their campaigns. Meanwhile, PA continues to be one of the only organizations building power and voice for urban Indians' issues.

What did you learn in the American Indian Movement?

AIM came to my reservation and that sparked my interest--finding a group of people who were fighting back and not just settling for anything. They pointed out to me that we could win by standing together, making a show of power. The best lesson I got that I've never lost was that we don't have to take anything lying down. That was my first real vision of power.

The occupation at Wounded Knee offered us an example of the power of the press. The National Guard was called, it was clear that they were willing to kill anyone who had the audacity to voice dissension. There was one reporter who told the powers that be that if the guard obliterated everyone at Wounded Knee, she would make sure that the story got told. The mood there was extremely hostile. it was just history repeating itself, because the history of this country is that if you don't do what "they" want, the answer is to obliterate you.

My AIM experience shaped my attitude forever toward fighting for change, standing up for what you believe in, and especially about power--who has it, what they do with it, and how it's abused. I'm willing to do whatever is necessary, because I'll be damned if you're gonna walk all over people. I'll be damned if I'll let you.

Describe the racial dynamics of organizing in Montana.

Montana is a funny state because people here don't think there's any racism--at all! But these same people, who ordinarily would never make any disparaging remark about any person of color, will unabashedly make the same remark about Indians. When I was growing up, there were signs in store windows that said, "No Dogs or Indians Allowed." The only thing that's different today is the signs aren't there anymore. But there's still a real level of hatred toward Indians.

What does it mean to be an urban Indian?

There are 2.5 million Indians nationwide, and 60 to 67 percent live in urban areas all across the U.S. One of the things people fail to realize is that when Indians are away from the reservation for 180 consecutive days, we lose access to all services on our reservations. People have myths that all Indians get free health care, free schooling, free housing, free this and that. So, because someone thinks Indians are getting a bigger piece of the pie, they'll come up to us and say, "Why don't you go back to the reservation?" Especially now that we have Indian People's Action and we are fighting the structural racism embedded in the system, some folks are especially adamant that we should "go back where we came from."

There aren't enough groups organizing urban Indians. When I was looking for models of how to do this, I couldn't find any for urban Indians' issues. People assume that we only care about sovereignty, water rights, mining, and other issues at home--which we do, but we also deal with issues in the public school system, why our prison system has a population of over 50 percent Native American, or why cops are more likely to stop us.

How did you get the nickname "She Who Must Be Obeyed"?

It was a nickname given to me by my peers--at my suggestion. So that explains itself... And when people get to know me better, they may call me "She."

What I'd really like to do next: I'd like to take time to write down some of my own memories. I'm not talking about writing a book, but my own accounting of what happened. I also have this dream of building a regional Indian People's Action, so that we're not forgetting the people who live in the cities and that we have a nationwide urban Indian voice! I want to spend a little more time on my life and a little less on my work-but I don't see that happening any time soon!