This qualitative interdisciplinary study explored the responses of Native American academics to selected contingencies of their tribal identities. Negative stereotypes emerged as an important topic from the narratives of 20 male and 20 female tribal academics in a variety of disciplines whom the author interviewed at 28 universities across the United States. Within the subjective experiences of their mainstream professional engagements, participants used their culturally specific worldviews and the corresponding understandings of adverse circumstances to deconstruct and ultimately transform negative stereotypes into sources of empowerment. Culturally specific master narratives facilitated resilience in persons who consciously engaged, instead of avoided, circumstances that enabled them to feel they are disproving negative stereotypes by their personal examples, representing and working toward their groups' better future. This knowledge can assist in the use of approaches by marginalized individuals to both foster their life satisfaction and enable them to become effective role models.