Defend. Develop. Decolonize.

Six fierce Indigenous voices weigh in

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RAPID CITY, S.D., March 28, 2019–In conjunction with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the ACLU of South Dakota, four organizations and two individuals have filed suit against the State of South Dakota challenging a package of state laws that violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution. Senate Bill … Continued

“What scientists and environmentalists are just now realizing is what Indigenous people have been saying for a really long time about sustainability and Earth consciousness. We have to implement this knowledge into the crafting of the Green New Deal.”

Turning skinned knees into toughened bodies and deepened spirits.  Turning tragedy into unsuspecting beauty, blossoming over and over again. 

A poem by Mark Tilsen

I know what it’s like to grow up indigenous in a country and culture that does not embrace my features or skin-color. Coming of age in Michoacán and California, I was called names like ‘indita,’ ‘charilla’ and ‘oaxaquita’ – diminutive slurs meant to infantilize and demean indigenous people. As an anthropologist conducting fieldwork in Mexico, … Continued

Indigenous Nations today can transition our economies from colonial models to culturally responsive systems based on care, reciprocity and the regeneration of life.

We can’t erase the lasting effects of federal policy, but we can make a conscious choice to redefine our identity as Native people.

Reflecting on the many ways that we can better nourish our spirits and minds, heal our hearts, and strengthen ourselves and our families, these are more than just resolutions. These are also daily prayers.

"Indigenous communities are determining our own futures, powered by the Sun, Wind, and Water."