Set in the 1940s American Southwest, Michael Orona’s novel “The Brave Ones” shines a light on an important but lesser-known chapter of American history. Through the shared struggles of Indigenous Yaqui miners and African Americans, this story explores the untold partnerships of resilience, unity, and solidarity in the pursuit of racial equality and justice. 

As Abdu’l-Baha, one of the central figures of the Baha’i Faith, said at a talk in Colorado in 1912:

The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity amongst men, the greater will be the power of constructiveness and accomplishment in all the planes of human activity.

Drawing from his Apache and Yaqui heritage, an extensive career in foreign policy and advocacy for the rights of Indigenous people, and the Baha’i teachings, Michael Orona’s insights highlight the relevance of these stories for today. 

Radiance Talley: Hi, Michael! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions with such detail and depth. What inspired you to set “The Brave Ones” in the 1940s American Southwest? How does this time and place shape the story’s themes of collaboration and resistance? 

Michael Orona: Set in the American Southwest during the 1940s, “The Brave Ones” offers a unique Native American perspective on the struggle for equality and social justice. Rampant social and racial discrimination offered little opportunity for a recently arrived community of Indigenous Yaqui miners from Sonora, Mexico. However, members of this community had the courage to challenge the status quo and forge a new way of life through an unintentional partnership with African Americans. The story offers a unique Indigenous perspective in the struggle for equity, social justice, and racial integration that has long been forgotten or ignored.   

The setting was chosen because of the critical period that represented a complex intersection of Native American, Latino, and Anglo cultures, with deep-rooted systems of profound racial tension and discrimination, particularly for Indigenous peoples. This era provided a powerful backdrop to explore the themes of a shared humanity, resistance, and collaborative struggles that are central to the book. 

Stories about Indigenous peoples are often confined to the 1800s due to longstanding stereotypes, historical biases, and the way history has traditionally been taught and represented in popular culture. The “vanishing Indian” stereotype ignores the survival, resilience, and adaption of Native peoples, perpetuating the idea that we belong only to the past. The setting was also chosen to educate readers of the important contributions made by Indigenous peoples prior to the civil rights movement. 

RELATED: From Media to Movies: Addressing Native American Stereotypes

This period in American history represented a crucible of racial dynamics — a place where discrimination was explicit and brutal, but also where the seeds of resistance and mutual understanding could take root. The Indigenous community of Yaqui miners that is central to the book, fled from Sonora, Mexico to the United States to escape extreme social and racial barriers. However, in the United States, they were essentially trapped in a system that offered little opportunity beyond dangerous labor in the copper mines and a lack of educational opportunities for their children.  By setting the story in this specific time and place, I wanted to illuminate a powerful, often-forgotten chapter of American history where marginalized communities found strength in unity.

Also, the 1940s represented a pivotal moment in our nation’s history as that era served as a crucial precursor to the Civil Rights Movement, making the setting an ideal lens to examine these themes. During World War II, large numbers of Native Americans and African Americans volunteered to serve their country in the fight against tyranny abroad, yet systemic racism and segregation at home persisted. This contradiction is a theme also explored in the book.  

I am a product of a long line of Native American storytellers and artists. The book draws directly from personal and family experiences, particularly stories shared by my Yaqui grandfather and elders about the challenges they faced during that era. The book is based on the struggle for dignity and respect shared with me by my elders and others of that generation. 

RELATED: Finding Strength and Unity: Native American Proverbs About Life

Moreover, this period resonates deeply with universal principles of the oneness of humanity and justice that have guided my work. The story becomes not just a historical account, but a testament to the transformative power of recognizing our shared humanity, even, or especially, in the most challenging circumstances. 

Radiance: Can you share more about the historical relationship between Indigenous Yaqui miners and African Americans? How did their experiences of discrimination intersect?

Michael: The experiences of Indigenous peoples and African Americans not only in the 1940s, but throughout history, are deeply interconnected through shared experiences of systemic discrimination and oppression. Both communities faced brutal marginalization yet found strength in solidarity — a theme explored in the book and a passion of mine that I find time to underscore in public talks and presentations.  

For the Indigenous Yaqui community portrayed in the book, life in the American Southwest was defined by limited opportunities. They were essentially trapped due to limitations imposed upon them by a racist system. However, they had the courage to challenge the status quo and forge a new way of life. This mirrors the experiences of African Americans during the same period — albeit that took place largely in another region of the country — constrained by racist systems that limited economic mobility and freedom. 

What fascinated me was the potential for unexpected solidarity. The book explores how Indigenous and African American communities, both experiencing systemic oppression, could forge an unintentional partnership to challenge the status quo. This wasn’t theoretical solidarity. It was practical, lived cooperation in the face of systemic racism. Both groups understood intimately how discriminatory systems worked to suppress their potential, and they recognized that collaboration offered the best path forward.  They recognized their shared humanity. A lived reality that has been largely overlooked in American historical narratives but is central to the history of this country.

The book, “The Brave Ones,” isn’t just a historical account. It’s a testament to human resilience, to the power of recognizing our shared humanity even, and especially, when systems are designed to divide us.

Radiance: As you know, the Baha’i Faith emphasizes the unity of humanity, the elimination of racial prejudice, and the spiritual roles of the standard bearers and the pupil of the eye. How did these teachings influence your depiction of the partnership between Indigenous people and African Americans in “The Brave Ones”? Are there specific Baha’i quotes or principles that guided your writing?

Michael: The Baha’i teachings and its universal principles were fundamental to me writing “The Brave Ones.” The principles of the Faith weren’t just background — they were the heartbeat of the narrative.

One of the most powerful guiding principles came from Abdu’l-Baha’s profound statement:

Attach great importance to the Indigenous population of America…should they be educated and guided, there can be no doubt that they will become so illumined as to enlighten the whole world.

This quote deeply influenced how I approached the creation of the Indigenous characters in the book — not as victims, but as resilient sources of profound wisdom and transformation.

The “pupil of the eye” metaphor was particularly transformative in my development of the African American characters. The pupil is the source of light — not just for the eye, but for humanity. Both powerful quotes recognize the unique historical witness of the members of these two powerful communities. Indigenous peoples and African Americans have endured tremendous suffering, which has cultivated an extraordinary sensitivity to oppression and a deep capacity for empathy and social justice.

RELATED: The Pupil of the Eye: A Cosmic Hole to Unleash Black Girl Magic

The 2020 letter from the Universal House of Justice was another crucial inspiration. The letter underscores that racism “deprives a portion of humanity of the opportunity to cultivate and express the full range of their capability and to live a meaningful and flourishing life.” This guided my narrative approach, showing how systemic racism constrains human potential, but also how solidarity can break those constraints.

Another pivotal Baha’i principle I wove throughout the book is the concept of the “two wings” — that humanity can only truly progress when women and men are equal. I use this as an analogy for racial unity as well. Just as a bird cannot fly with one weak wing, society cannot advance while entire communities are marginalized. 

Shoghi Effendi’s powerful directive from “The Advent of Divine Justice” was always in my mind: Every Baha’i community should feel it their “first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority.” This isn’t a theoretical principle for me, but a lived commitment to amplifying voices that have been historically silenced.

The Faith’s approach of “constructive resistance” was crucial. This isn’t about opposing or fighting, but about transforming through unity, dialogue, education, collaboration, and mutual understanding. My characters don’t just resist — they create alternative possibilities through cooperation and a shared vision.

Baha’u’llah’s revolutionary message was about more than reform — it was about radical reimagining. His teachings didn’t just challenge racial superiority — they disintegrated those notions entirely. My book attempts to show not just the pain of discrimination, but the transformative power of recognizing our shared humanity.

Ultimately, “The Brave Ones” is my humble attempt to put these Baha’i principles into narrative form — to show how all communities around the world can transcend historical divisions and create something miraculous together.

Radiance: How did you develop the characters in “The Brave Ones” to authentically reflect the struggles and triumphs of Indigenous peoples and African Americans during that time?

Michael: Developing the characters for “The Brave Ones” was intensely personal and deeply rooted in research, investigation, and conversations with individuals and living family members that witnessed this period of history. My approach was rooted in honoring the lived experiences of my ancestors, my grandparents, my elders, and members of the broader Indigenous and African American community.

First and foremost, I drew from family stories, historical narratives, and my own lived experience growing up in the Southwest. Being from a long line of Native American storytellers — my late father, Dr. Joel Orona, was an Apache author and poet, and my mother, Esther Orona, is of Yaqui heritage who both went through their own trials and tribulations — I had a wealth of generational narratives to draw upon. The characters aren’t fictional constructs, but composites of real people, even family members, who lived through extraordinary times.

I was intentional about avoiding stereotypical representations. Too often, Indigenous and African American characters are relegated to supporting roles or simplified narratives. I wanted to put Indigenous peoples at the forefront of telling our own stories. This meant creating multidimensional characters with agency, complexity, and inner lives.

More importantly, I wasn’t interested in creating a narrative of pure victimhood. I wanted the Indigenous and African American characters to demonstrate incredible courage, creativity, and resilience. They challenge the status quo not through grand, Hollywood-style moments, but through daily acts of dignity, solidarity, and hope. 

I also felt it was important to underscore the internal struggles of characters navigating multiple identities. Life in the Southwestern United States during the 1940s was a complex landscape of racial discrimination, and my characters reflect the nuanced ways people survived and resisted. They’re not just fighting external oppression, but also wrestling with questions of identity, belonging, and possibility. I must say, I appreciate the positive response I have received from members of these communities on how the characters are portrayed in the book.  

Every character carries the weight of historical trauma, but also the potential for transformation. They embody what Abdul-Baha spoke about — the possibility of being “illumined” and potentially “enlightening the whole world.”

Ultimately, developing these characters was an act of love — love for my ancestors, for the communities that have been marginalized, and for the potential of human beings to transcend the systems that seek to divide us.  

Radiance: Why do you think the partnership between Indigenous peoples and African Americans has been largely overlooked in American history, and what do you hope your novel achieves in addressing this gap?

Michael: This is a question that’s deeply personal and critically important to me.

Indigenous peoples and African Americans have been forged by historical hardships in this country. Members of both communities have had to transcend unspeakable tragedy and indescribable suffering. This includes the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, forced displacement, assimilation, and genocide.  

Consider the historical context. From the 1830s to 1850s, when Native Americans were being forcibly removed from their traditional lands through the Indian Removal Act, African Americans were simultaneously being enslaved to produce the cotton on the same Indigenous land that fueled America’s economic rise. These weren’t separate histories — they were interconnected systems of oppression. 

But there is also a powerful shared humanity — a historical intersection that I have shared in previous presentations. There are numerous historical intersections between Black and Native peoples that have led to groundbreaking collaboration, innovation, and new perspectives that have been ignored, forgotten, or erased to our own detriment. Keeping these communities from recognizing their shared humanity was a deliberate strategy of colonial and post-colonial power structures.

If humanity is to achieve its full potential, then every individual and support from all members of society are needed to overcome this vital and challenging issue. It’s important to underscore that preventing a segment of humanity from expressing or achieving its full capability is detrimental to the rest of society.

My novel aims to do several critical things: First, it makes visible a history that has been intentionally obscured. By putting Indigenous peoples at the center of the narrative, I’m challenging the typical marginalization of these communities in American storytelling. Second, I want to demonstrate the power of collective resistance and collaboration between two important communities — Indigenous peoples and African Americans. The characters in “The Brave Ones” don’t just suffer; they create alternative possibilities through cooperation and a shared vision. Third, I hope to inspire contemporary conversations about collaboration and the oneness of humanity. As James Baldwin powerfully said, “You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read.” 

The Baha’i principle of unity deeply informs this approach. We are not separate — we are interconnected. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “A person is a person because they recognize others as persons.”

My goal is not just to tell a historical story, but to create a bridge of understanding. By revealing these hidden histories of collaboration, I hope to inspire current and future generations to recognize our shared humanity and work together for justice and equality.

This isn’t just a book — it’s an invitation to see our history, and ourselves, differently.

Radiance: Thank you for sharing your inspiration behind “The Brave Ones” and the historical importance of unearthing this shared journey of Indigenous and African Americans. If you all enjoyed this interview, be sure to check out part two where we’ll explore how the characters embody this transformative courage and challenge systemic oppression while holding onto their dignity and hope!