Native American Awareness Working Group

Supporting a Federal Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding Schools 

The NAA Working Group and the CSJ Justice Commission publicly supports bi-partisan Congressional legislation to establish a Truth and Healing Commission in order to investigate and document the history of these schools, document the impacts and ongoing effects, hold culturally respectful and meaningful public hearings, and develop recommendations.  See the CSJ Justice Commission’s statement of Public Support for the “Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policy in the U.S. Act.”

A Journey and the Responsibilities of a Land Acknowledgement 

A special subcommittee of the Native American Awareness Working Group has been on a journey of truth and healing with community partners and our community members.  The CSJ Community Assembly affirmed a joint CSJ and St. Kates community Land Acknowledgement along with related actions.  This has been a journey of listening, learning, building relationships, advocating for and with our American Indian sisters and brothers. We will continue to share additional community education and actions, such as this simple recording of one CSJ informal educational session called “A CSJ Journey for Truth and Healing:  learning our history with the land.” 

Not Forgotten!

Members of the Native American Awareness Working Group continue to seek ways to support the critical work of the Minnesota State Task Force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, especially with supporting the work of MN Senator Mary Kunesh.  The MN State Task Force collected data and just released their 2020 report to better understand the impacts of violence on Native Women in Minnesota.  Check out the Task Force report.

 

Recommended Books

Please see the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition list of recommended books for children and young adults about boarding school experiences.

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Mission and Goals for 2021-22

The Native American Awareness (NAA) Working Group aims at raising consciousness and increasing knowledge about Native American culture, especially in Minnesota.  We study the history and special challenges experienced by Indians who remain marginalized in contemporary society. We share what we learn with each other, with other Sisters, Consociates, and interested others and take action when appropriate. 

To carry out this mission, the Native American Awareness (NAA) Working Group hopes to focus on:

• Education
  • Especially continue the process of looking more intentionally at our history and the complexity of historical and current issues impacting Native American communities.
• Support & Advocacy
  • Especially focus on advocacy and actions defined by the Native American Community. 
  • Continue to collaborate with the Archdiocesan Indian Ministry particularly with outreach efforts of the Church of Gichitwaa Kateri.
  • Continue our support of the mission and our involvement with Dream of Wild Health.  
• Communication
  • Including creating a community of a Talking Circle amongst members of this group.  

For more information contact Marty Roers at mroers@csjstpaul.org.