As we welcome the Winter Solstice, we take a moment to honor the natural rhythms of life, apart from the hustle and bustle of man-made stresses and technology. We remember we are all connected, and are just one small yet necessary part of the whole. In the transition of this season, we hope you can take a moment to rest and revel in the power and purpose of our movements, keeping a keen eye on a future that continues to uplift Indigenous brilliance, power and regeneration.

In this month’s Newsletter, we proudly announce the first round of NDN Collective’s Community Self-Determination and Community Action Fund Grantees. We celebrate the long awaited legal victory and the dismissal of charges for President & CEO Nick Tilsen, stemming from the #LANDBACK stance he and other Land Defenders took on July 3, 2020. We give pause and share sentiments on the tragic shooting at Club Q, calling for continued justice for our LGBTQ2S relatives. We also share new opportunities to join the NDN Collective team, offering both remote and location specific options to work alongside our staff at our Rapid City headquarters. All of this, and more.

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Earlier this month, NDN Collective announced recipients of the Community Self-Determination Grant, an unprecedented grant opportunity which will support and invest in the long-term visions, priorities, and power building of Indigenous Nations, communities, and Peoples.

“This cohort of grantee partners represents some of the most impactful work happening across Turtle Island—defending the air, land and water; developing Indigenous economies based on regenerative principles; and revitalizing our languages, cultures and ceremonies in ways that illuminate the path for the next generations,” said Tina Kuckkahn (Ojibwe), Director of Grantmaking for NDN Collective.

NDN Collective announced awardees of the 2022 Community Action Fund. The fund’s intention is to move money into the movement space to help further Indigenous Peoples’ agendas as it relates to the defense, development, and decolonization of our Peoples and Mother Earth.

This fund provides urgent response resources to frontline movements and community organizers working to defend their lands, including a focus on climate justice and racial equity. Grants of $15,000 to $30,000 are directed to those most impacted by local problems and ensuring that  resources and decision-making lies with those most affected by the results, and most  equipped to solve immediate challenges. 

Nick Tilsen, NDN Collective President and CEO. Photo By Willi White for NDN Collective.

NDN Collective recently announced that after nearly two and a half years of legal battles, all charges against NDN Collective president and CEO Nick Tilsen have been dismissed  by the state of South Dakota. Nick faced up to 17 years in prison after organizing a blockade and direct action #LANDBACK protest on July 3, 2020 in response to former President Donald Trump’s visit to Mount Rushmore.

“My case held a mirror up to the so-called legal system, where prosecutors – fueled by white fragility and fear of Indigenous power – wasted years of state resources to intimidate, criminalize, and violate me,” said Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of NDN Collective. “The fact that I’ve gone from facing 17 years in prison to all charges dismissed is not a coincidence or an act of justice – it’s evidence that the charges were bogus from the start. We only won because we had effective tools and a strong network to fight them, and did not back down until we had exhausted the system that was built to exhaust us.

In this Q & A interview, Nick shares some of his reflections and big picture takeaways from the past two and a half years. 

“There is such a range of emotions and right now it feels like some weight off my shoulders, because when you’re doing this work, it’s a lot of pressure. There was a certain point where I thought I was going to prison. I have four children, and am extensively involved in their lives. The weight of holding that responsibility of being a parent, in addition to witnessing my children’s fear and worry throughout this whole experience, was heavy.” 

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In response to recent news of the mass shooting that occurred on Saturday, November 19th at Club Q, an LGBTQIA+ nightclub in Colorado Springs – killing 5 people and injuring at least 25 others – NDN Collective released several statements.

“My heart is writhing in pain for the Queer relatives we lost in this senseless act of hatred. Our 2SLGBTQIA+ relatives deserve to exist and be in community, safely. Let this moment remind our allies that more work must be done for us to live whole and unapologetic lives,” said Steph Viera, NDN Collective Social Media Manager.

As the White House Tribal Nations Summit began on November 30th, NDN Collective and Rewiring America released The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022: Investments for Tribal and Indigenous Communities. 

The memo outlines how the over $722 million directed specifically to Tribal and Indigenous communities through the IRA, as well as the additional $46 billion that Tribal and Indigenous communities are eligible to apply for, could be implemented to have the greatest impact on Indigenous communities.

Image of NDN Collective Headquarters in Rapid City, South Dakota. Photo by NDN Collective.

Through the NDN Collective Community Self-Determination grant, significant, flexible multi-year funding strengthens resilient communities while building the collective power of Indigenous Peoples, communities, and nations throughout Turtle Island.

One current NDN Collective grantee partner in the Arctic is exemplifying the intent of the Community Self-Determination grant. Newtok, Alaska, a remote Yup’ik Alaska Native Village, has been battling erosion and flooding resulting from climate change for over twenty years. Due to rapidly increasing water levels in the Arctic, the entire village of Newtok was forced to relocate to Mertarvik.The village received a 2021 Community Self-Determination grant for Relocate Newtok which provides organizational resiliency to assist with the transition. Relocate Newtok conducted over 1,700 hours of training in the construction trades and will continue training sixteen additional crews in the current grant year.

In early November, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the Village of Newtok was one of three communities selected for a $25 million relocation grant provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. Relocation grants are provided to communities, such as Newtok, who are severely impacted by climate change and in a position to implement and manage relocation and retreat plans.

“The Village of Newtok used NDN funds to train up their own construction workforce, laying the groundwork for optimal use of the federal dollars that came later”, said Tina Kuckkahn (Ojibwe), NDN’s Director of Grantmaking. “This is community self-determination in action,” said Program Officer Janet Maylen (Muscogee Creek/Seminole). 

For the first half of November NDN Collective’s Climate Justice Team has had a delegation on the ground in Sharm El Sheikh for the pre-meetings and first week of the United Nations 27th Conference of the Parties, or COP27. 

The Climate Justice Team delegation has been participating in the Indigenous Peoples Caucus and the Local Communities Indigenous Peoples Platform, as well as tracking negotiations, meeting with government officials, and more.

NDN Collective – who sent a delegation to COP27 and partnered with the Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) to host the Indigenous Pavilion – released several statements on the initial outcomes of the two week long negotiation:

“Despite carving out this essential space for ourselves, the voices of Indigenous people continue to be silenced and overshadowed. At around 250 delegates, Indigenous peoples made up less than 1% of the 40,000 total delegates at COP27. Meanwhile, there were 636 oil and gas lobbyists present, making their numbers alone over double that of Indigenous peoples – not to mention the less quantifiable impact of their outsized wealth and influence.”

NDN Foundation Program Manager, PennElyz Droz recently authored a piece in Yes! Magazine titled, Stolen Lands: A Black and Indigenous History of Land Exploitation.

“Colonization, through genocide, land theft, and the imposition of private property, has dispossessed Indigenous and Black peoples of their homelands across the continents for generations.”

The second is titled, Indigenous and Black Communities Find Common Cause for Land Justice.

“…Black and Indigenous people have also supported one another over time, through offering refuge from violence, sharing knowledge, and becoming family.”

NDN Collective’s Climate Justice Organizer, Kailea Frederick, was recently quoted in a Grist article titled, Underfunded, Understaffed, Canada’s Indigenous Services Agency is Failing to Protect First Nations.

The piece examines the shortcomings of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), and elaborating on a recent reports from Canada’s auditor general which captures how these shortcomings in the department have led to underfunding and understaffing, ambiguity around jurisdictional responsibility, and a lack of disaster preparedness that puts First Nations communities at greater risk of harm from climate disasters.

NDN Collective’s Janene Yazzie, Southwest regional Director and Nick Tilsen, NDN Collective President & CEO were recently featured in an azcentral.com titled, Activists say Leonard Peltier is wrongly imprisoned for his role in a deadly protest. 

“The circumstances around the case were textbook for the type of injustices Indigenous people face, especially when they’re rebelling against what government actions are taking place in putting our people in danger.”

NDN Foundation Managing Director, Gaby Strong and NDN Collective President & CEO, Nick Tilsen, co-author Non-Profit Quarterly Article titled, Dismantling the Land Theft System: A Land Back Vision for Philanthropy.

“Community-driven solutions to persistent racial injustice, environmental degradation, and the lack of housing, food security, healthcare, and more can only happen when communities themselves are given the time, space, and resources needed to directly impact their people. A philanthropic model based on asset reallocation would make such a shift possible.”

Lorenzo Serna, NDN Collective Director of Tactical Media. Photo By Steph Viera for NDN Collective.

On November 13th Lorenzo Serna, NDN Collective Director of Tactical Media, attended the Leonard Peltier Walk to Freedom in Washington, D.C., providing live stream coverage of the event, which began at the Washington Monument and converged at the Lincoln Memorial for prayer and a rally.

Teresa Peterson (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota and Member of the Upper Sioux Community)- Program Manager for the Collective Abundance Fund, NDN Foundation
Nick Cottier (Oglala Lakota)  – Warehouse Manager
Janene Yazzie (Diné) – Southwest Regional Director
Tanaya Winder (Duckwater Shoshone Tribe) – Director of People, Culture, and Belonging
Crystal Standing Bear (Osage Nation) – Program Associate, NDN Foundation 
Kami-Rae James (Hopi) – Program Officer, NDN Foundation Team
Tom Swiftbird (Oglala Lakota) – NDN Collective Information Technology Director
Erica Pretty Eagle Moore Cozad (Enrolled Member of the Otoe Missiouria) – Graphic Designer, Communications + Narrative
Joselyn Borrero (Tlingit) – Website Content Manager, Communications + Narrative 
Kellian Staggers (Diné) – Advancement Coordinator, Advancement 
Angelica Solloa (Maya and Hopi) – Digital Organizer, NDN Actions 
Miguel Douglas (Puyallup Tribe of Indians) – Federal Grant Writer, Advancement 
Melissa Pacheco (San Carlos Apache) – Administrative Assistant
David Rubalcava (Chicano/Fronterizo) – Culture and Learning Coordinator
Tracey Zephier (Cheyenne River Sioux ) – NDN Collective’s General Counsel
Jaycee Beyale (Diné) – Graphic Designer, NDN Collective Communications + Narrative
Martell Heshketh (Mohawk/Plains Cree) – Research and Evaluation Manager
Biagio Arroba (Sicangu Lakota) – Business Development Manager

Art Build for the Free Leonard Peltier Campaign happening outside of NDN Collective HQ. Photo By NDN Collective.

On the evening of Saturday, November 19th a mass shooting occurred at Club Q, an LGBTQIA+ nightclub in Colorado Springs – killing 5 people and injuring at least 25 others.

“As 2 spirit and queer individuals we long for spaces that are safe,” said Cole Hunter, NDN Collective Office Manager. “We long for spaces that we can show up in and be our unapologetic queer selves without the fear of persecution. What happened to our relatives in Colorado is a violation of that sacred space and only triggers a more profound hyper vigilance of our spaces, our communities and of ourselves. Our hearts are with those affected by this senseless act of ignorance. We will carry you with us as we continue our fight.”

Currently the Colorado Healing Fund is accepting donations on behalf of victims and families of this tragedy,

Colorado Healing Fund’s mission is to assist local communities with the financial, emotional and physical needs of victims of mass tragedies that occur in the state of Colorado.

On November 9th Supreme Court Oral Arguments were heard in the federal lawsuit Brackeen v. Haaland. This case is challenging the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), an act passed in 1978 to ensure that Native American children are kept with Native families.

Although a decision in this matter will not be made until June 2023, action can still be taken to protect ICWA, Indigenous children and tribal sovereignty.

Video | NDN Collective Streams ICWA Rally on Steps of U.S. Supreme Court as Brackeen v. Haaland Oral Arguments are Heard

Blog | NDN Collective Hosts ICWA Conversation with Rebecca Nagle Ahead of Major Supreme Court Case That Threatens Tribal Sovereignty

Leonard Peltier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, activist, member of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and elder, has been locked up as a political prisoner for over 46 years following conviction for aiding and abetting the murder of two FBI agents in 1975. Now 78, Peltier continues to maintain his innocence, alongside individuals, Tribes and organizations who have tirelessly demanded that he be freed.

The Controller will oversee and manage the day-to-day and long-term financial and administrative operations of the agency and confirm that accounting records and financial statements are in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and ensure maintenance of effective internal controls. This role also supervises additional finance team staff, directing and reviewing their work.

The Accounts Receivable Coordinator is responsible for proper recordkeeping and reporting for all types of revenue (philanthropic and government grants, individual contributions, and earned) across the NDN ecosystem, corresponds with team members as necessary regarding revenue, and provides overall assistance in the Finance Department.

The Payroll Coordinator processes payroll across the NDN ecosystem, corresponds with team members as necessary regarding expenses, and provides overall assistance in the Finance Department.

The Executive Assistant to the President & CEO provides services essential to the mission of the organization and the day-to-day operations of the President’s Office. This position also provides support to the organization’s Board of Directors.

The Racial Equity Organizer engages and mobilizes the public and coalition partners on racial equity and other priority issues, coordinates volunteer events, builds community conversation and oversees outreach efforts.

The Lending Officer will be responsible for lending activities at NDN Fund.  Specifically, the Lending Officer will work with the Director of Lending and the NDN Fund Managing Director on business development and origination, lending, risk management and policy and power building.

The Vice President provides leadership and oversight for Operations, Advancement, Finance, Human Resources, Legal and Compliance, Communications, Fiscal Sponsorship and Research and Evaluation functions at NDN Collective.

The Media & Public Relations Officer acts as the primacy media contact for the NDN Collective ecosystem and the President & CEO, creating and managing communications and messaging that shape public opinion and increase awareness of the NDN brand.

The Director of Grantmaking will manage and implement NDN Collective grantmaking programs and processes, including harvesting insights and lessons learned through reporting and information sharing.

The Project Manager is directly responsible for organizing, supervising, scheduling & planning of multiple internal construction and development projects to maximize cost efficiency and motivate contractors to complete each project assigned on time and under budget.

The Director of Policy and Advocacy will provide leadership for our public policy and advocacy work, working collaboratively with our Political Director, NDN Collective ecosystem of organizations, board of directors, and contract lobbyists.

The Associate Director of NDN Action provides support to the Managing Director of NDN Action and the overall action team. They will support and expand NDN Action’s Indigenous rights and policy advocacy operations, programs, and services.

With special attention to media strategy, narrative and copy editing, the Deputy Director of Communications works across a host of disciplines and platforms, including email, social media, blogs, website, and management of internal and external communications systems.

The Executive Assistant to the President & CEO provides services essential to the mission of the organization and the day-to-day operations of the President’s Office. This position also provides support to the organization’s Board of Directors.

 The Program Officer will support the NDN Foundation Grants Programs which includes several specific funding streams. This includes supporting all grantmaking processes as part of a continuum from dissemination, application, review, selection, reporting and evaluation, as well as managing grantee-partner relationships, and sharing information and capacity building resources.

NDN Collective has (3) three Program Officer positions open to support the Collective Abundance Fund Program across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Each Program Officer will support the NDN Foundation Collective Abundance Fund Program. This includes supporting all grantmaking processes as part of a continuum from dissemination, application, review, selection, reporting and evaluation, as well as managing grantee-partner relationships, and sharing information and capacity building resources.

The Grants Associate supports and manages various administrative and financial functions to grants management within the Foundation. The Associate periodically interacts with other staff, grantees, auditors, vendors, and other external partners.

 The Power Building & Curriculum Coordinator will lead the development and offering of relevant curriculum, training, network and resource sharing for active and former grantee-partners and other allies across the NDN eco-system.