For the month of March, we take special pause to honor Women, Femmes, and our ancestral Matriarchs for Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day. While colonization and colonial patriarchy have violently harmed, dishonored and virtually erased the contributions of all Women and Femmes throughout history, we know and our Ancestors have always known the power, strength and necessity of Women as leaders and culture-bearers among our Indigenous societies.

In our March newsletter, we pay homage to the Women and Femmes of our past and present, and also the foundational leaders of American Indian Movement with the 50th Anniversary of the Occupation of Wounded Knee. We lift up new stories, updates from the ecosystem, and we continue to bear witness to the movement medicine of today that presents itself in the grassroots efforts to combat the MMIR Epidemic, through the necessary protection of our Indigenous youth with disabilities, and local and national efforts to stop Atlanta’s Cop City. We share all of this, and much more.

Thank you for being in community with us.

Indigenous relatives and allies gather during Four Directions March for the 50th commemoration of Liberation Day. Photo By Willi White (Oglala Lakota), NDN Collective Head of Content and Production.

On Monday, February 27, NDN Collective joined hundreds of Indigenous Relatives and allies on Oglala Lakota lands for the 50th commemoration of Liberation Day and the 1973 Occupation of Wounded Knee. With songs that traveled in all directions, the group marched alongside members of the community and the American Indian Movement (AIM) in honor of those who rose up during the Wounded Knee occupation.

“There are profound lessons learned from Wounded Knee, ones we can hand down to the generations that come after us: When the people stand together, we can win. Our resistance inspires others. Even going to war can be a prayer,” said Mark Tilsen (Oglala Lakota), NDN Action Organizer.

2019 Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, DC. Photo by Sarah Manning, NDN Collective Director of Communications.

Challenging the commercialization of February 14, NDN Collective’s Southwest Regional Director Janene Yazzie calls attention to the MMIR (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives) Day of Awareness, National Day of Action, and grassroots efforts to fight the MMIR epidemic. Yazzie also shares future MMIR programming from NDN Collective coming soon.

“We know that it’s our relatives on the frontlines that have been, and will continue to be, medicine in a world grappling with heteronormative and patriarchal systems rooted in a culture of violence,” said Janene Yazzie (Diné), NDN Collective Southwest Regional Director.

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In February, in honor of Black History Month, NDN Collective curated a list of books by Black and Afro-Indigenous authors that speaks to Black history, Black liberation and Black futurism. Compiled by Afro-Indigenous staff at NDN Collective, the list captures a glimpse of the experiences of our Black Relatives, prompting us to continue listening, learning and leaning into kinship efforts that uplift our joint struggles toward liberation and sovereignty.

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On December 3rd, 2022, on-site security staff and a Rapid City Police Department School Resource Officer at Central High School physically assaulted an Indigenous student with Autism, leaving him with a concussion, contusions, and lasting trauma.

Cases of violence inflicted on Indigenous children with disabilities have surfaced in Rapid City.

“We must prioritize resources and solutions that promote restorative justice, mental health services, and other interventions that address the root causes of conflict, rather than relying on punitive measures that perpetuate the cycle of violence and harm,’ said Sunny Red Bear (Lakota), NDN Action Organizer.

Photo from the village of Nuiqsut, Alaska, and the Colville River, which is surrounded by oil and gas developments with the largest to date, the Willow Project, moving forward. Nuiqsut is the most impacted village being surrounded by oil and gas development. Photo by Keri Oberly.

On March 4th NDN Collective shared a letter from the Nuiqsut Community addressed to the leaders of the Department of Interior regarding the Willow Master Development Project (Willow) – speaking to both the Willow final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and issues with the consultation and mitigation processes.

“It seems that despite its nod to traditional ecological knowledge, BLM does not consider relevant the extensive knowledge and expertise we have gained over millennia, living in a way that is so deeply connected to our environment.”

The words “STOP COP CITY,” spray painted on a path near the Weelaunee Forest. Photo taken by Sherrie Hart, NDN Collective Tactical Media Researcher.

For over two years, residents in Atlanta, Georgia, forest defenders, and local organizations such as Community Movement Builders, have been actively raising awareness surrounding the detrimental impacts that the Atlanta Public Safety and Training Center (“Cop City”) will have on the environment and the increased violence that nearby BIPOC communities would be subjected to.

In response to the resistance, local police and other agencies began raiding camps targeting defenders with pepper balls, teargas, and inflicting other forms of brutality and on January 18, 2023, Georgia State Police killed Indigenous forest defender Manuel Esteban Páez Terán, known to many as “Tortuguita,” during a raid.

“The impacts of Cop City will be devastating for Black, working class, and poor Atlanta residents. Make no mistake, APD will use this site to practice bomb detonations, shooting drills, high-speed chases, and other urban warfare tactics against our communities…” said Jasmine Burnett, Organizing Director, Community Movement Builders.

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On February 23rd NDN Collective announced its fourth annual Radical Imagination open application period. Radical Imagination Grants are intended to support Indigenous artists, artist partnerships/cooperatives and small nonprofits to imagine, design and create projects that propose solutions to our most intractable societal problems.

“We are excited to announce important changes to the program this year. For the first time, individual artists, artist collectives, artist businesses and small Indigenous arts nonprofits may apply. Grant support in the amount of $100,000 over two years will provide a longer-term investment into the creative initiatives that artists propose,” said Tina Kuckkahn (Ojibwe), NDN Collective Associate Director.

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

On February 14th, Lorenzo Serna, NDN Collective’s Director of Tactical Media, was on the ground at East Phillips Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Dakota Territory) connecting with attendees of the Annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives March.

This year’s event was the collaborative effort of Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition, Minneapolis American Indian Center, Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, Native American, Community Development Institute – NACDI, Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, East Phillips Improvement Coalition, and Little Earth Residents Association.

On February 16th NDN Collective was in attendance at a public hearing in Custer, SD where Community members were present in large numbers to voice their opposition to the Newark Gold Exploration Project proposed by F3 that will impact the French Creek and area upstream from Custer.

On February 21st Lorenzo Serna, NDN Collective’s Director of Tactical Media, was present alongside East Phillips residents, Indigenous relatives and allies who gathered in ceremony and began setting up a camp to hold space at Roof Depot in East Phillips Neighborhood Minneapolis, MN. 

The action taken that day was to demand the city to halt the impending demolition and construction of a plot of land originally slated for community use and now set to become a gravel pit. Demolition is scheduled to take place in (1) week and would unearth toxins like arsenic, putting a predominately BIPOC community already impacted by environmental racism at further risk.

On the evening of February 21st, Minnesota Police would evict the camp, blocking roads within the East Phillips Neighborhood.

On February 22nd, NDN Collective was present at a press conference following the raid of the Nenoocaasi Camp in the East Phillips neighborhood. The prior night, Minnesota Police Department charged two people with trespass and forced the removal of East Phillips and Little Earth community members and accomplices from the Nenoocassi Camp. 

The camp, collectively built earlier in the day to hold space on the Roof Depot property to raise awareness of an impending demolition. 

Situated within a BIPOC neighborhood already deeply impacted by environmental racism, the City’s plans further harm residents by allowing the release of arsenic and other unknown toxins into the air. Listen in as community leaders and organizers share their community-centered plans for the land, information about the campaign, next moves, and how to support #DefendTheDepot.

On February 23rd, a caravan of vehicles filled with East Philips residents, members of American Indian Movement and Little Earth Protectors, and allies traveled from Little Earth to the Minneapolis City Council meeting held at City Hall, Room 317. The caravan confronted the city council with their list of demands shared previously during the launch of their encampment at the Roof Depot site.

NDN Collective was live on February 24th in Pine Ridge, SD, to celebrate KILI Radio’s 40th Anniversary – four long decades of being the Voice of the Lakota Nation.

KILI Radio was the first Community Controlled Native Radio Station in Indian Country.

On February 25th NDN Collective was live at the Club for Boys gym in Mni Luzahan (Rapid City, SD) for a wacipi honoring Wounded Knee veterans sponsored by Wambli Ska Okolakciye, International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, and Grassroots American Indian Movement.

On February 25th NDN Collective was live, capturing stories from matriarchs of Wounded Knee and experiencing a oral history exhibit of never-before-seen historical documentation and interviews. This community event held by Warrior Women Film was held from 11am to 5pm, at the Porcupine Cafeteria & Gymnasium at Pahin Sinte Owayawa School in Porcupine, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Lakota Nation.

On the morning of February 27th, Relatives gathered in 4 locations – Manderson Post Office (West), Porcupine Post Office (North), Wounded Knee Junction (South), and East Hill (East) for the 50th Anniversary Wounded Knee Liberation 4 Directions March. They will end at Wounded Knee District School in Manderson, SD for a supper provided by the Agnes and Buddy Lamont families and Olowan Martinez family followed by an honoring, and giveaways.

On March 5th NDN Collective was live at “No Silence – No Hiawatha Expansion – No Demolition,” a Protest organized by the “Climate Justice Committee, a grassroots group that connects climate to issues of sovereignty & self-determination.”

The march hopes to celebrate the recent victory that paused demolition of the Roof Depot, and continue to raise awareness of the ongoing wish of the community to not destroy the Roof Depot building, but use the building to help create a  Community run farm.

The Indigenous led protest hope to push the city to make a decision that would protect residents of the Phillips community, which is the most diverse community in Minnesota, and includes “Little Earth,” the heart of Minneapolis Urban Indian community.

NDN Collective was live on Monday, March 6 on at Atlanta City Hall to capture a press conference hosted by Faith leaders throughout Atlanta and the country voicing their opposition to Cop City. The Faith Coalition attended the Atlanta City Council Meeting and hand delivered upwards of 200 signed letters from Faith leaders across the country adamantly against the destructive project.

Community members stand at the Wounded Knee site, offering prayer and respects to the countless Relatives who lost their lives in an effort to protect the inherent and sovereign rights of Indigenous Peoples. Photo by Willi White (Oglala Lakota), NDN Collective Head of Content and Production.

Atlanta’s Cop City is an Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, whose plans include “military-grade training facilities, a mock city to practice urban warfare, explosives testing areas, dozens of shooting ranges, and a Black Hawk helicopter landing pad.” Construction of this project requires the destruction of 381 acres of the South River Forest or Weelaunee Forest — the traditional homelands of the Mvskoke Nation in a predominantly Black community.

5 Ways That You Can Take Action with NDN Collective, Mvskoke and Seminole Relatives, and Atlanta Organizers to #StopCopCity

1. Sign this Petition created by Community Movement Builders and Color of Change to demand all corporations divest from COP CITY

2. Sign this Petition to demand Mayor Andre Dickens resigns his post in Atlanta, GA

3. Week of Solidarity – Join From Anywhere (February 19-26th) – Find a Target and Take Action Anywhere. Email dtfweekofaction@riseup.net to submit your events

4. Week of Action – Mass mobilization in Atlanta (March 4-11th) – Scheduled Events

5. Call or email stakeholders involved to #StopCopCity

Demolition of the Roof Depot would unearth toxins like arsenic, putting a predominately BIPOC community already impacted by environmental racism at further risk. The plot of land originally slated for community use and now set to become a gravel pit. 

Originally slated to be demolished on February 28th, a two-week injunction was issued on February 24th.

Follow them on:

fb: @eastphillipsneighborhoodinstitute

tw: @epni_urbanfarm

ig: @eastphillipsurbanfarm

On November 9, 2022 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 of this year, action can still be taken to protect ICWA, Indigenous children and 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.

You can take action now to help free him!

Call the White House and demand Leonard Peltier be freed: (202)-456-1111

Reporting to the President & CEO and will be responsible for providing leadership and oversight of the ecosystem’s shared services entities including Advancement, Communications, Finance, Operations, Legal & Compliance, Research & Evaluation, and People, Culture & Belonging.

The Administrative Associate duties and responsibilities will include providing administrative support to the Director of Operations and the Operations Team, as well as providing assistance with and at the NDN Collective Headquarters building.

The Lending Associate provides administrative and programmatic support to the NDN Fund and assists the Managing Director in planning, organizing and implementing activities and duties of the Fund as part of the NDN Ecosystem, internally and externally.

The Portfolio Manager will be responsible for supporting loan closings and funding, corresponding with borrowers, monitoring loan repayments, and coordinating quarterly borrower reporting, analysis and evaluation.

The Director of Organizing will be responsible for providing support to the Managing Director of NDN Action and will directly manage the local NDN organizing core made up of 8 local organizers in the Rapid City Community.

The Program Associate will provide administrative and programmatic support to the NDN Action Managing Director in planning, organizing, and implementing NDN Action’s Indigenous rights and policy advocacy operations, programs and services, and activities and duties as part of the NDN Ecosystem, both internally and externally.

The Compliance Coordinator assists the NDN ecosystem in maintaining compliance with various laws, regulations, and policies that apply to non-profits and provides overall assistance to the Legal and Compliance Team.

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 Accounts Receivable Coordinator is responsible for proper record keeping 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 Director of Communications and Communications and Narrative team, supporting all aspects of content production and targeted outreach. 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 Warehouse Manager will oversee NDN Collective’s Warehouse systems and policies.

The Media & Public Relations Officer acts as the primary 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 Advancement will spearhead advancement efforts as NDN Collective launches and grows to become the most ambitious, systemic effort to empower Indigenous communities in the history of philanthropy.

the Advancement Officer will lead the department’s grant and report writing and management. They will also support the Director of Advancement on all donor management and donor-related projects and develop grants management tools and processes that will be deployed across the organization.