Collective Resistance and Community Care: Preparing Ourselves to Face Authoritarianism Head On

To Our Relatives,

To say we are in challenging times is an understatement. Just months ago, we began to brace ourselves for what was ahead. As we processed the election results, we shared a statement speaking to our community. What we said back then is still relevant today:

“Our cultural teachings and stories speak of challenging days ahead where we have to gather strength to move forward together and ensure the future of our People, our lands, and our cherished lifeways.” – This is where many of us find ourselves today.

Indigenous Peoples Day: Investing in Community March. October 14, 2024. Photo by Angel White Eyes for NDN Collective.

Just a week into the new administration, we are seeing a wave of authoritarianism that many of us have only read or heard about from what seems like a distant past. While we were certain of the incoming President’s tyrannical character long before he took office, nothing could have fully prepared us for this rapid onslaught of fascist executive orders, attacks on climate, Mother Earth, gender and racial equity, migrant rights, and Tribal sovereignty, among many other things.

We are absolutely in hostile times. Immigration Customs Enforcement (I.C.E) has escalated with orders to raid homes and even our children’s schools. These interactions with I.C.E have not been limited to our Immigrant relatives. Indigenous people are being targeted for simply being Brown. It is imperative that we ALL learn and get comfortable with exercising our rights.

This administration will continue to use tactics of fear-mongering while creating chaos and spreading disinformation and misinformation. There will be more violence. Amidst all of this, we must resist the centuries-old strategy of “divide and conquer,” which has been effectively used against Indigenous Peoples around the globe.

NDN Collective Morning Circle for Indigenous Peoples Day. October 14, 2024. Photo by Angel White Eyes for NDN Collective.

We must ground ourselves, Relatives. We must stay focused, and remember our values. It is critical that we are proactive, strategic, and planful.

We must find our comrades, and build and nurture communities of support and solidarity. We must plan for different scenarios, create safety plans and consider what community defense can look like in our communities. We must use our medicines, and call on our helpers.

We find our greatest strength in turbulent moments when we lean into our collective resistance and community care, while holding fast to our shared vision for a just and equitable future.

Family & children gathered around the Wičaktepi Remembrance Garden in Rapid City, SD. May 24, 2024. Photo by Angel White Eyes for NDN Collective.

We have been here before. Our Ancestors have been here before. And time and time again, they have resisted. It is now our turn to fight for our people, Mother Earth, and future generations. We must also fortify our spirits along the way with prayer, ceremony, and community.

In the first words of our NDN Collective mission, we state that we aim to build “collective power,” — collective, because we know, just as our ancestors knew, that we can get through anything together. Today and every day, our future depends on our ability to collectively stand up for justice and equity for all people and Mother Earth.

Students of the Oceti Sakowin Community Academy. May 15, 2024. Photo by Angel White Eyes for NDN Collective.

Remember that everything we stand for, and all of the values of our Ancestors, have prepared us for moments just like this. We are so strong together, Relatives. Our ability to embody collective power in these times means that everyone is cared for, everyone stands in their power, and everyone is part of the solution.

We are the solution. Stay vigilant, and keep pressing forward. Take courage, and remember that we all come from a lineage of strength, intelligence, and spiritual power.