areas of focus
History & Education
The mission of the History & Education Committee (HEC) is to preserve and perpetuate the study of the Indigenous culture and history in the North Central Washington area, with hopes to grow it to a national scale. Our vision is to begin building a model of curriculum that can be duplicated to begin a more inclusive, respectful, and decolonized approach to the education of Indigenous history.
We seek to contribute to a more whole-person educational experience through liberationist pedagogy that focuses on the recognition of traditional culture, use of Indigenous language, and curriculum that places emphasis on spirituality, connections, and wisdom. Not just for Indigenous students but for all.
arts & culture
The Arts & Culture Committee’s (ACC) mission is to nurture and promote the creative and economic development of Indigenous arts and culture. Digital, traditional, culinary, therapeutic, and musical arts are all in focus.
From creating the first local, Indigenous-centered magazine in the area, k'Ê·Æ›'ap, to creating an at-risk youth art connection program, the Arts & Culture Committee plays a central role in tying everything together and seeks to work within our communities to create opportunities to build relationships and greater community wellness. Our vision is that with these programs and events that we will encourage younger generations to be interested in learning history and to be more involved in carrying on local traditions.
Land Stewardship
The Land Stewardship Committee (LSC) develops conservation projects and facilitates stewardship activities. The purpose is to protect and maintain the natural and cultural resources being preserved on these parcels, including wildlife habitat, water, and forest resources, scenic vistas, as well as historic structures and their related cultural values. Indigenous peoples and nations come from the land and it is their home, their mother, their caregiver and that relationship is what makes them Indigenous. We seek to strengthen the understanding within our communities about what land stewardship means and how people can actively participate in caring for Mother Earth.
LAND BACK- Non-Indigenous people need to understand that land back is about much more than land. It’s about fighting for the right to our relationship with the earth. It’s about coming back to ourselves, as sovereign Indigenous Nations.
Health & Wellness
The Health Committee understands that Indigenous communities are facing a crisis in health equity. Native American Indians continue to die at higher rates than other Americans in many categories of preventable illnesses. Rates of suicide in Native communities are higher than all other racial and ethnic groups in the US and is the second leading cause of death in native youth aged 10-24, with a rate 2.5 times higher than the national average.
The goal of the Health Committee is to connect our community to more culturally sensitive resources and to create stronger prevention programs that include trauma-informed mentorships, culturally sensitive substance abuse and suicide prevention, food sovereignty and nutritional education, and general whole-person health awareness.