Stories to inspire, challenge and educate.
To find stories related to FSW’s four priorities, click on the category below.
Biden apologizes to Native community for boarding schools… but why now?
President Biden visited Gila Crossing Community School in Laveen Village, Arizona, on October 25 to make a formal acknowledgement and apology for the Federal Indian Boarding Schools. As “one of the most horrific chapters in American history,” the boarding school system was a government and Christian church collaboration to take on the “Indian problem,” called the Civilization Fund Act.
Fair Day (a post for Indigenous Peoples’ Day)
Since Indigenous Peoples’ Day is next week, I asked Mariah Humphries, our Native Justice Consultant, for advice about what we should do or say to mark the occasion. She sent me what she wrote last year (which I’ll share with you), and then said something to the effect of, “If it’s important to you, why don’t you write something about it.” The subtext being, we keep asking people from the marginalized communities to do the work for us, and it’s time that the rest of us speak up. So here’s what I have to say about the upcoming holiday.
Native history moment - 100 years of "citizenship"
100 years ago, June 2, The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 granted dual citizenship for Native Americans.
Oak Flat update
Hesci (Hello)!
Native existence has been through so much removal from land, culture and language over the centuries and we are still working for justice to be served to Native communities. One area, here at Fellowship Southwest, we have been staying updated on the process with San Carlos Apache Tribe’s Chí’chil Biłdagoteel, "the place where the Emory oak grows” — today known as Oak Flat.
Behind the scenes at a board meeting, learning about Native history
Fellowship Southwest is committed to compassion and justice around four priorities: immigration, racial justice, hunger and Native American topics. To help us navigate our work with Native compassion and justice, we are currently working with Mariah Humphries, a Mvskoke citizen. She is guiding us in a process of discernment toward our place in this conversation.
Kaitlin Curtice's Recommendations
Kaitlin Curtice spoke at the Fellowship Southwest Compassion & Justice Conference. As a citizen of the Potawatomi nation, she is a strong leader for Indigenous rights. She gave the audience a handful of easy ways we can learn, understand, and support organizations that advocate for Indigenous peoples and their rights.