The unknown is a realm of uncertainty and fear that presents itself with change, forcing those in my community to abhor the idea. But the biggest shortcoming of my community is not the fear of negative change that is present in the people, rather it is the lack of faith these people have in their ability to adapt to change. The people who have had their land stolen, their history rewritten, and their culture poached are the ones who adapt to change at the greatest scale. We are a people who are forced to persevere; we had no other choice.

As time has gone on, my community has segmented into smaller groups with various perspectives on shared beliefs. Each of these smaller groups still adopts one indisputable value, and that is the importance of family and loved ones. Every action to adapt to change present in my community revolves around the wellbeing of not one person, but of entire families, and the need to take care of those around them is what primes my community to adapt to change. Whether it be weathering the COVID epidemic, surviving the many natural disasters of our tempestuous environment, or struggling against the ever-pressing burden of poverty spreading like a disease, my community takes every unfavorable change in their life as provocation to persist.

However, adapting to change is not only about how people within the community respond to it, but also how the community cooperates as a whole. During the spread of COVID-19, my community was exemplary in the way it acted. Not only did people adhere to the precautions against the virus, but the resources that were dedicated to helping those with the virus were innumerable: treatment taking place in homes to prevent separation from families, special rooms in the ICU that allowed visitation, and the widespread vaccination that took place, accommodating those that were struggling to afford proper healthcare.

Due to this engrained ability to adapt to change in my community, we do not hesitate to comment and question change headed our way. Vocalizing opinions, questioning those in charge, and demanding justice are ways my community forces adaptation to change. We may not have faith in our own ample ability to adapt, yet we always call on those who have the resources to rise to the challenge, bringing us with them.

By following the core principles we value so much, my community primes itself for adaptation to change. And by accommodating those who need it, as well as demanding action as answers to our questions, we aid ourselves and others to survive against change. After all, for my community, adaptation is survival, and survival is always with family.