Susan Harness is guest speaker for many organizations and educational institutions around the US. In making sense of her own family, she addresses the complex issues of the

American Indian history of assimilation, and the very real—but culturally constructed—concept of race. It helped Harness answer the often puzzling questions of stereotypes, a sense of nonbelonging, the meaning of family, and the importance of forgiveness and self-acceptance. In the process, Bitterroot also provides a deep and rich context in which to experience life.