The story of the prevalence of diabetes in Native American communities is a personal one for Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians tribal member and documentary filmmaker, Ruth-Ann Thorn. “My dad is a diabetic. He almost died during COVID. He’s a pretty strong guy. … He nearly lost his life and he has not recovered 100 percent,” she says. “We lost many of our elders during COVID because they were diabetic. They were compromised.
Q: What are some of the ways in which the impact of diabetes is worse for Native American communities than other groups? A: It’s mainly because it’s controlled by diet and we have been poverty stricken up until when there’s been some form of economic development in the tribes, in various ways. The commods are alive and well in most communities, although they’ve tried to change them. You can change and reverse this horrible disease, but it has to be changed through food choices.