Blog

January has seen major progress toward protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge , thanks to the organizing power of three distinct communities—Indigenous activists, TikTok creators, and the makers of an unfinished documentary film—that came together toward a common goal. “To be honest, it’s not easy going into places, talking to people that will never understand how spiritually and culturally connected we are to our land, to our water, and to our animals,” says Bernadette Demientieff,...

As part of his racial and equality initiative, President Joe Biden on Monday signed a Presidential Memorandum that reaffirms tribal sovereignty through tribal consultation. Speaking in more general terms about the racial divide that exists in the country, Biden said the nation faces deep racial inequities in America. “In my campaign for President, I made it very clear that the moment had arrived as a nation where we face deep racial inequities in America and system — systemic racism that has...

We were really excited to stumble on the Towards Braiding project. The project looks at the troubled terrain of non-Indigenous people or organizations trying to develop relationships with Indigenous people. Questions for Non-Indigenous Organizations They have a worksheet for non-Indigenous organizations that includes reflections on a series of questions: What do you expect the Indigenous perspective to do for you? What kind of learning are you willing to do? What are the hidden costs and...

Organizational Change Process “There is no formula for how to align an organization’s commitment to racial justice with its policies, practices, culture, and ethos. Doing this work organizationally is also about building internal will. … It is about taking risks in word and deed. It is about working with integrity and being accountable to people and communities most impacted by structural racism” ( Operationalizing Racial Justice in Non-Profit Organizations ). Internal operations need to be...

The Dawes Act, while not a household name, was perhaps the single most devastating government policy of them all. Also known as the General Allotment Act of 1887, the Dawes Act resulted in the loss of 90 million acres (36 million hectares) of Native lands from 1887 to 1934 — the equivalent of two-thirds of all tribal landholdings at the time. Mark Hirsch is a historian at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. He explains that many...

"In my campaign for president, I made it very clear that the moment had arrived as a nation, as we face deep racial inequities in America and systemic racism that has plagued our nation for far, far too long. I said that over the course of the past year that the blinders had been taken off the nation, the American people. What many Americans didn't see or had simply refused to see couldn't be ignored any longer." Today, President Biden spoke to these issues in straightforward language before...

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez announced that work will begin the week of Jan. 25 to install engraved murals on the Northway Exit 3 flyover northbound and southbound ramps that honor the Capital Region’s rich Native American history. As part of the environmental review process for the Albany Airport Transportation Corridor project, the State Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) identified artifacts within...

Healing the Heart Through the Creative Arts, Education & Advocacy Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health “ Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars”. Kahlil Gibran The Surviving Spirit Newsletter January 2021 “ May 2021 bring everyone Joy - Peace - Hope - Love - Good Health - Renewed Faith - Inclusiveness - Empathy - Understanding - Kindness - Acceptance - in a Safer World. May we spend more time &...

Wednesday’s virtual “Parade Across America” honoring President Joe Biden’s inauguration had an Indigenous touch. The event featured short, taped segments from every state and U.S. territory. It was streamed on various social sites. Among those featured were members of the Native American Women Warriors Association, the nation’s first all-female Native American color guard. “Our mission is to recognize women veterans that have served in America’s armed forces, especially those like us of...

AN INTERVIEW WITH NATIVE FILMMAKER ISAAC TRIMBL “YOU KNOW THAT TATTOO IS RACIST.” It was one of the first sentences Isaac Trimble ( Apache) spoke to the big burly man covered in tattoos next to him—a man who would eventually become his long-time film partner. Isaac was working on a film in Portland, Oregon when he was asked to pick up another crew member, LaRonn Katchia (Warm Springs/Wasco/Paiute). It was the beginning of a 9-year-long friendship. Isaac Trimble and LaRonn Katchia are a...

The loss of tribal elders has swelled into a cultural crisis as the pandemic has killed American Indians and Alaska Natives at nearly twice the rate of white people, deepening what critics call the deadly toll of a tattered health system and generations of harm and broken promises by the U.S. government. Tribal nations and volunteer groups are now trying to protect their elders as a mission of cultural survival. Navajo women started a campaign to deliver meals and sanitizer to high-desert...

The “last wild Indian,” Ishi, spent nearly 45 years in hiding with his mom, uncle, and sister as the rest of the Yahi People were killed in the Three Knolls Massacre. After their camp was ransacked, Ishi was the last survivor. He spent 3 years surviving on his own in the wilderness until he was captured by the local Sheriff. He stayed at the University of California, Berkeley and taught the anthropologists his peoples tradition, culture and language as best as he could remember. His brain...