Comforting Indigenous Students

How would you comfort a student in your class who has no connection to their roots when discussing Indigenous topics? I feel like we assume that students who are Indigenous have connections to their roots, but they may feel very uncomfortable when discussing Indigenous topics because they do not know where they came from.

Hi Madison,
I feel like it is important to not think less of them as an Indigneous person, because it may be likely that they have encountered many of the injustices experienced by Indigenous peoples. Without knowing their culture or traditions, they may feel a loss of identity or belonging. So when discussing Indigenous topics in class, maybe it would be beneficial to talk to these students prior to the lesson so you can get a feel of their comfort level on a topic that may be triggering. It is also important to not call out on these students, as they will speak up if or when they are comfortable sharing.