January 4, 2020
We are honored to welcome Sofia Locklear for our January Gathering on Sunday, January 12th from 1-4pm. Sofia is an Indigneous woman from the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, with a depth of knowledge and experience around the relationship of non-Native people doing work with Indigenous communities.
This is sure to be an engaging and transformative experience, with activities designed to help us unpack our own "settler colonialism privilege" and "white privilege".
This Gathering will be held at the Chalet Building at Panorama, 1650 Circle Lane SE, Lacey WA 98503. The Chalet is on the main entrance drive next to the first round-a-bout. We will be gathering on the ground level; once you enter the building, take an elevator down to bottom floor.
As usual, the presentation will be followed by a potluck. Please bring a healthy dish to share and $5-$20 suggested donation.
Please continue reading for other news and events of interest:
Missing and Murdered Indigneous Women Washington
Blanket Project
"Traditionally, Native Americans gift giving in a sacred manner has always been a part of our culture. Giving and receiving a blanket is one of the highest forms of respect in honoring someone. MMIWW would like to give away blankets with our logo on to survivors, families and community members.
"Helping to bless others by giving and honoring, will be a blessing for you, your families and your organizations."
-Earth-Feather Sovereign, Director/Founder, MMIWW
Click here to support MMIWW Blanket Project.
You can also support this project by spreading the word. Click here for a pdf of flyer. Please post and distribute in your neighborhoods and communities!
N. Scott Momaday: Words From a Bear
Saturday January 11th 6:30pm
Sunday January 12th 5:00pm
Saturday January 18th 4:00pm
Olympia Film Society
206 5th Ave SE, Olympia
Journey into the mind and soul of Native America's most celebrated author of poetry and prose, Pulitzer Prize winning author Navarro Scott Momaday. N. Scott Momaday: Words from a Bear visually captures the essence of Momaday's writings and storytelling, relating each written line to his unique Kiowa/American experience representing ancestry, place, and oral history.
Click here for OFS website with more details on screenings
IN THE NEWS:
Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chiefs representing all five clans of the Wet'suwet'en Nation reject British Columbia's Supreme Court decision to extend Coastal GasLink's injunction order, which has criminalized the practice of Anuk 'n'at'en (Wet'suwet'en law) and inflicted violence against Wet'suwet'en people on their own unceded lands. Click here to read article released by Unist'ot'en Camp: Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chiefs Reject the BC Supreme Court Decision to Criminalize Wet'suwet'en Law.
Click here to view the Wet'suwet'en Supporter Toolkit 2020.
RESOURCES:
The Catalyst Project recently developed a toolkit for aligning Environmental Justice work with Indigenous organizing and Indigenous sovereignty. Click here to explore this amazing offering: Indigenous justice for environmental movements: A tool for aligning environmental work with Indigenous organizing.
Quote from toolkit:
"...Indigenous nations have been the frontlines of protecting this land for centuries. They are the longest running, most experienced and most transformative arm of the environmental movement, skilled at working under conditions of repression and imminent collapse. Recognizing this and aligning with Indigenous nations offers environmental organizations the opportunity to align with the power, wisdom, strength and creativity of Indigenous environmental resistance--and win."
The Indigneous Solidarity Network - a project of SURJ, Catalyst and others, recently held a webinar exploring the topic of "Solidarity Funding for Indigneous Sovereignty", which focused on 3 projects which are inspiring examples of returning land to Native people, Native people reclaiming land, and supporting ongoing Native resistance to settler colonialism, including Real Rent Duwamish on Duwamish land, also known as Seattle. Click here to listen to or watch the recording of this webinar.
Click here to learn more about Real Rent Duwamish.
Thurston Conservation District Board of Supervisors VOTE
Tuesday, January 14th, 2020 10am - 8pm
Thurston Conservation District Offices
2918 Ferguson St SW, Suite A, Tumwater WA 98512
David Iyall of the Nisqually People is running in this upcoming election.
Eligible voters are registered voters who reside within the boundaries of the Conservation District. Ballot voting may also be accomplished via absentee ballot. The last day and time that voters can request absentee ballots to be mailed to their mailing address for this election is January 9th, 2020 at 4:30pm. Request may be made by phone to 360-754-3588 ext. 121 or via email to ballotrequest@thurstoncd.com. You can also request absentee ballots in person at the District offices through January 13th, 2020 at 4:30pm.
Please plan to exercise your right to vote in this critical election!