Photo from Humanizing Through Story via Facebook.

In these challenging times, we work to both remember and stand together in our actions and prayers. Because we know that while our prayers are strong, they also must be fortified by the actions we take. This is why even in our grief and remembrance, the work to build a more just and equitable world continues. 

At NDN Collective, we made time this month to grieve the loss faced by the community in Minnesota, because in order to reach the tomorrow we want, we have to honor what we are facing today. This past month we continued organizing to protect the He Sapa (Black Hills) from mining threats, specifically by gathering public comments to stop the uranium mining project “October Jinx,” which rests near Craven Canyon, a sacred site containing 8,000-year-old ceremonial petroglyphs carved into the rock wall.

The path towards collective liberation lies in our ability to honor the present while dreaming of a future together. We are thankful for powerful allies and comrades who help us hold both of these truths at once, and we had the honor of working alongside them to organize this memorial for the incredible community of Mni Sota Makoce. You show us all what incredible work can happen when communities come together to resist, build, grieve, and heal.

Jingle Dress Dancers circle the fire with the family for the roll call. Four people from each direction answer “here” or “presente” for their neighbors. When Renee Good’s name is called, silence answers. A ceremony song rises and carries our shared grief. Photo by Drew Arrieta.

Minnesota is teaching us about courage. Minnesota is showing us what fierce resistance looks like under an occupation by paramilitary forces. A memorial ceremony for Renee Good held in Powderhorn Park on February 7, 202,6 offered a space for the people of Minneapolis to grieve. Led by Indigenous leaders and elders, the memorial connected us to generations of resistance.

Photo by Willi White for NDN Collective.

NDN Collective is honored to announce the 2025–2026 Radical Imagination Artist cohort, a powerful group of Indigenous artists whose work amplifies community voice, challenges dominant narratives, and helps move our people toward collective liberation. The cohort includes Danielle SeeWalker, Rebecca Nagle, Antoine Edwards (AntoineX), Steph Viera, Linnea Kingbird-Martini, and Claudio “Cloud” Rodriguez!

Jason Sole and Nick Tilsen speaking on the LANDBACK For the People Podcast. Photo by Willi White.

Jason Sole is back on LANDBACK For The People. Nick and Jason catch up in the Southside of Minneapolis. We dig into Jason’s recent pardon, discuss what is happening on the ground in Minneapolis, and Black & Indigenous liberation in the Landback movement. Watch the full episode here!

Indigenous civic and spiritual leaders held a public memorial for Renée Macklin Good in Minneapolis on Saturday, exactly one month after a federal agent shot and killed her. The event was titled “Wokiksuye” — a Dakota and Lakota word meaning “to remember” or “to call someone back into presence,” according to an event handout.  …Continue reading

Civil Rights activist and activist for Indigenous people Jesse Jackson died on Feb. 17. He was remembered for his close relationship with Martin Luther King Jr. and a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement.  “Jesse Jackson was a strong and powerful ally between the Black community and the Indigenous people on this land. I thought that it was very helpful to us to have a powerful ally,” founder and CEO of NDN Collective Nick Tilsen said. …Continue reading

Chief Arvol Looking Horse leading the ceremony. He is the 19th keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe and Bundle and an international leader for peace and prayer. Photo by community member.

A memorial ceremony for Renée Good was held in Powderhorn Park on February 7, 2026. It was led by Indigenous leaders and elders, and the memorial connected us to generations of resistance. Watch a recap video of the event below.

Canadian mining company CNEC proposed a project called October Jinx, which seeks to extract uranium on Federal land. The project rests on the edge of Craven Canyon – a sacred site that contains 8,000-year-old ceremonial petroglyphs carved into the rock wall. Submit a comment to the US Forest Service letting them know you OPPOSE October Jinx. You do not need to reside in South Dakota to submit.

Graphic Art by JayCee Beyale.

For generations, Indigenous Peoples have been preparing for this moment. NDN Collective has built power through grantmaking, storytelling, frontline action, and sustainable investing.

The For The People Campaign is designed to provide critical resources directly to Indigenous communities through our existing grantmaking programs and organizing work to strengthen our movement, enhance the resiliency of frontline actions, and continue making transformative change under this authoritarian administration.