Indigenous model and content creator Nikki Apostolou has been making a series on Instagram lately to talk about places where the NYPD needs reform. In a recent Instagram post, the New York resident described a baffling experience from 2018, when she realized that law enforcement officers weren’t properly trained to recognize anything outside the norm. She then framed it as a petition directly to Mayor Mamdani.
Apostolou started her video with context. She claimed, “The NYPD gave me a ticket for driving without a license because I’m Native American. I’m a federally recognized First Nations person from Canada. And because of that, I have a status card. And that status card is also my passport. And it allows me to live, work, retire, own a business, and all rights of a United States citizen in America. Because I fall under the Jay Treaty. Also, both of my parents are American. And yes, I am an American citizen.”
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