October 3, 2019 Newsletter
There is a lot happening in and around Olympia in the coming weeks related to supporting and learning about our Coast Salish native nations and neighbors, including a call to action for allies to show up at the Capital Building this Saturday, October 5th at 11am.
Please continue reading to find out more:
TONIGHT
Thursday, October 3rd 6:00 - 8:30pm
Screening and Discussion of documentary:
Promised Land
Marcus Pavilion/Norman Worthington Conference Center
5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey WA 98503
Promised Land is an award-winning social justice documentary that follows two tribes in the Pacific Northwest - the Duwamish and the Chinook, as they fight for the restoration of treaty rights they've long been denied. In following their story, the film examines a larger problem in the way that the government and society still looks at tribal sovereignty.
Click here for event website.
Declare Climate Emergency Jay Inslee
hosted by Native Daily Network, Protectors of the Salish Sea,
& allied organizations
Saturday October 5th at 11am
Olympia State Capital Building
416 Sid Snyder Avenue SW, Olympia
Local Indigenous leaders are calling upon Governor Jay Inslee to meet with them this Saturday, October 5th at noon on the Capital Building steps, and asking that supporters come in solidarity with their demands. They ask that Inslee declare a climate emergency and issue an executive order to halt all fossil fuel projects in the state, including the LNG facility in Tacoma, Methanol refinery in Kalama, Par Pacific Tar Sands Expansion Project, Puget Sound Pipeline Tar Sands Expansion and the North Seattle Lateral Upgrade Project.
These Water Protectors have been occupying the capital building steps 24/7 since Monday, September 23rd, and have declared that they will continue to do so until Governor Inslee meets with them and engages in sincere dialogue. Supporters and allies are encouraged to join in solidarity at any time.
Click here to view facebook event site.
Northwest JUUstice Summit
"Navigating Intersectionality"
Saturday, October 12th 7:30am - 5:15pm
Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation
2315 Division St NW, Olympia
Click here to visit event website & to register. Suggested contribution is $35.
"Intersectionality" refers to the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. In focusing on Intersectionality, we will explore moving beyond traditional frameworks that separate social problems into singular issues and/or distinct challenges faced by specific groups.
Breakout sessions during the afternoon will include a session devoted to issues related to American Indians.
Indigenous Peoples' Day 2019
Monday October 14th 4:30 - 7:00pm
More details and info to come!
There will be an event marking Indigneous Peoples' Day in Olympia; details are yet to be established. Please continue to watch this newsletter and our website at https://learningrightrelations.org/events for updates!
Click here for facebook event site.
Meaningful Movies presents:
Ancestral Waters
Thursday, October 17th 6:30pm
Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation
2315 Division St NW, Olympia
Come join us in watching Ancestral Waters, a documentary chronicling the Puyallup Tribe's fight for treaty rights, the water and their way of life. Evening will include panel discussion with filmmakers Benita and Darren Moore of Native Daily Network.
Click here for event flier. Please distribute as you are able!
Find out the latest news relating to federal legislation impacting Indian Country. Click here to view the Friends Committee on National Legislation's September 2019 Native American Legislative Update.
A CLOSER LOOK:
Have you heard of the term "Two-Spirit"? If not, a good place to start learning is this article from Indian Country Today: 8 Things You Should Know About Two Spirit People. As the article states, "The term Two Spirit has been present in Native communities for countless generations that predate LGBTQ terminology. For generations, Two Spirit Native culture went underground to avoid detection and persecution."
A recent collaboration between Western States Center and the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, the Center for Native American Youth, and Native Youth Leadership Alliance has produced the toolkit Indigenizing Love. This toolkit is designed to support Native youth, tribal communities, Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQIA+ collectives, community leaders and partners who intend to better understand and support our Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities.
"Indigenizing Love refers to the idea of understanding and reclaiming our Indigenous ways of life (including kinship systems, shared values, and expressions of love), and resisting centuries of imposed settler colonial practices, policies, and thoughts that devalue our rights to share Indigenous knowledge and thrive. To Indigenize Love, we are rebuilding connections, kinship and relationships, and strengthening our abilities to love and care for all of our relatives."
Click here to request your copy of Indigenizing Love now.