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Resurgence Gathering: A Community of Practice to Restructure Urban American Indian Education

American Indian OIC (AIOIC) convened the Resurgence Gathering at Anahuacalmecac University Preparatory School in Los Angeles, California last week. Indigenous educators from six metropolitan centers from throughout the US gathered to follow up on the National Urban Indian Family Coalition’s 2017 report Resurgence: Restructuring Urban American Indian Education. As the lead researcher for Resurgence, AIOIC’s president, Dr. Joe Hobot, visited Indigenized schools in Denver, Seattle, Albuquerque, Portland, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles where he learned about the pedagogical strategies being employed at the schools. What emerged was an innovative, and highly Indigenized set of alternative methodologies seldom reflected in the mainstream school system. The prevailing sentiment shared by all who participated in the research was a sense of working in isolation, coupled with a desire to both share and learn from other educators operating similar programs. As such, American Indian OIC, in partnership with the National Urban Indian Family Coalition, brought the schools together to establish a community of practice.

Over the course of three days, Indigenous educators shared pedagogical strategies, curriculum ideas, and reflected on education policy. The gathering was significant because it demonstrated the continued need for innovation in the arena of public education for American Indian students. Many of the programs find themselves in an adversarial relationship with their local education system for reasons like adherence to the status quo, structural racism, or failure of imagination and innovation. These schools however, have strong relationships with their communities and are fueled by a passionate parent base, intent on preserving and advancing these alternative programs on behalf of their students. Within this context, the formation of a community of practice becomes important for providing support across programs and regions, and underscores that these innovative programs are not alone.

What is exciting about these Indigenous schools is that their programs are yielding meaningful academic results: high rates of attendance, graduation, college enrollment, and test results for American Indian students. It is clear that these results are directly tied to the innovation of the schools and the integration of Native ceremonies, language, history, and values into curricula. In coming together in community, it became apparent that the work will continue in a supportive manner with ongoing national dialogue provided by the participating schools. What has begun is a movement; for which all indicators point toward growing the community and learning from more Indigenous education programs.

In the coming weeks, Dr. Hobot will be developing a report on the gathering that outlines the work being pursued. American Indian OIC is excited by what the future holds for this community and is incredibly grateful to the National Urban Indian Family Coalition for their partnership, and the Marguerite Casey Foundation, Charter Communications, Comcast Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Potlatch Fund, and Spencer Foundation for supporting this important work.

Please consider playing a part in our community’s resurgence by making a tax-deductible donation to American Indian OIC. Your gift is an investment in the future of our young people and in the future of our community. Chi miigwech and wopila tanka.

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AIOIC Celebrates its 40th Year!

This May, AIOIC hosted its annual Founder’s Day celebration. It was a chance for the community to get together, share a meal, and celebrate Minneapolis’s urban Indian community during American Indian Month. 

AIOIC dedicated time at the event to celebrate its 40th year of service, and honor those who built our organization. AIOIC’s Founder, Clyde Bellecourt, led a prayer and was honored with a traditional pendleton blanket. 

The blanket ceremony holds great significance in Native cultures as it shows respect for individuals who have greatly impacted their community. Wrapping someone in a blanket symbolizes wrapping them in the respect and admiration of their neighbors. AIOIC’s blanket for Clyde mirrored the organization’s color scheme, and was made to benefit the American Indian College Fund. 

Other activities at Founder’s Day included a drum circle, community feast, mural painting, career fair, and music.

Check out the gallery below to see photos from the day:

  • AIOIC’s President & CEO gives speech.
  • Founder Clyde Bellecourt leads a prayer.
  • Clyde Bellecourt honored with pendelton blanket.
  • Drum ceremony
  • Thanks to Cookie Cart for donating dessert!
  • Guests enjoy feast and community.
  • 40 year commemorative mural in progress.
  • Beaded jewelry sold by a community member.
  • Aztec dancers perform during celebration.
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NativeRISE event brings together native community and supporters

On Thursday, January 31st. AIOIC and 14 partner organizations brought together over 150 Native leaders, elected officials, and stakeholders for NativeRISE: A Night of Indigenous Advocacy. 

The purpose of the gathering was to ignite, energize, and unify the Native community’s voice during the beginning of the 2019 legislative session. With temperatures downright balmy (-3F), everyone was eager to get out and about after the week’s Polar Vortex.  

The evening began with a networking hour and opportunity for guests to learn about the Native organizations highlighted for their work in the community. Organizations like Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, Migizi Communications, and American Indian Community Development Corporation shared information about their work as guests mingled and networked. 

The program began with a drum ceremony by Imnizaska and prayer by AIOIC’s founder, Clyde Bellecourt. Comedian Tonia Jo Hall energized guests with hilarious reflections on Native life (with a special appearance by her alter ego, Auntie Beachress). Patrice Kunesh, the Assistant Vice President and Director of the Center for Indian Country Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis spoke about the issues affecting both rural and urban Indian communities. Finally, the evening culminated in an address from Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, who spoke about the importance of including Native voices in government. 

The evening was a unique opportunity to bring together the people and organizations putting in the hard work to better our community, celebrate successes, and plan for the year ahead.  

Miigwech and pilamaya yelo to the Bush Foundation for sponsoring this event, as well as Ain Dah Yung Center, Division of Indian Work, Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, American Indian Community Development Corporation, Northwest Indian Community Development Center, Center School, Minneapolis American Indian Center, Little Earth Residents Association, Migizi, American Indian Movement, Bii Gii Wiin, Native American Community Development Institute, and Native American Community Clinic for their partnership. 

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American Indian OIC Receives Generous Gift from Thrivent

Wopila tanka & miigwech to Thrivent for its generous $10,000 contribution to American Indian OIC’s response to the Franklin-Hiawatha encampment. 

“It is with tremendous humility and immense appreciation that our organization has received this news,” says AIOIC’s President & CEO Dr. Joe Hobot. “The challenges of working on behalf of our relatives living at the encampment have been manifold, not only with regards to the obstacles present within the current situation, but also with regards to our amazing staff and their ongoing dedication that has caused them to go well above and beyond their regular duties.” 

AIOIC has welcomed and served encampment residents through its workforce development division, Takoda . Staff have helped residents attain their GED, find employment, and access supportive resources. 

With the newly opened Navigation Center adjacent to AIOIC’s campus, the organization plans to use these funds to provide career training and employment placement services for the center’s residents and make building and equipment updates as new students enroll in Takoda Institute for Winter quarter.

Dr. Joe Hobot, President & CEO Box 1, News

To an encampment, our people have come home

The following is an Op Ed piece at Minn Post. Read the article in its original format here.

 

There is an encampment in Minneapolis populated by indigenous people – and it is growing.

People who have gathered there are the displaced, the unemployed, the addicted, the battered, and the sexually exploited. They have come home. They have come home to the community that they are now counting on for help, and they have come home to rest their weary bodies directly upon the lands of the Dakota to whom it belongs.

Our relatives who have sought refuge at this camp are fueled by their faith in our compassion and humanity. They have defied addictions, disease, chronic violence and exploitation. They have defied the odds to come home to their community in search of decency and help. Their presence challenges the assertion that this nation, state, and city operate as a place where all are created equal and are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – even if they are not white but indigenous.

The colonization of indigenous people continues to carry a heavy human cost. Under the auspices of American exceptionalism and the delusion of manifest destiny, the sacred words enshrined within the nation’s founding documents were forever shattered. From the beginning of the republic, successive generations have failed to honor their treaties and pledges in the quest for land and natural resources, while federal relocation and adoption policies scattered our families to the four directions. Sadder still is that this colonization process remains in full effect, both through the continued theft of our lands and a public education system intentionally designed to negate our history, destroy our culture and ruthlessly assimilate our youth. So now, hungry and homeless, our relatives have come home seeking help from the only ones they trust: the indigenous community. They’ve come to gather where they feel safe, protected, and close to those whose humanity and compassion they know they can rely on.

Prior to the “American experiment,” all of our people had roles and responsibilities that contributed to the well-being of their community, ensuring that no one was ever left unfed, unsheltered, unclothed, unclean, or unsafe. In the crush of assimilation those traditional roles receded within the smoke of old memories, burned away like a once great forest, charred to ash by a voracious wildfire. It is difficult for our non-indigenous neighbors, raised to rely on free markets and bootstrap mythologies, to understand indigenous culture and the harm that has been done. This blindness robs them of their compassion, while indigenous people continue to try and fight their way forward despite the historical traumas that burden our advances.

As we have been taught by our elders, we are now rising to the challenge of providing direct assistance to our people – children of the Creator every one — by coming together in time of crisis. Many have bravely stepped forward to serve this duty. Natives Against Heroin led the way, first to stand directly with our relatives at the camp. Indigenous nonprofits soon followed, offering their services and calling upon elected officials to join forth. Now our public officeholders are also pledging to assist.

There is an encampment in Minneapolis populated by indigenous people – and it is growing – and the reasons for its continued presence is much more than mere housing shortages and street drugs.

Joe Hobot
Joe Hobot

We must call out colonialism for the destructive and inhumane practice that it is and acknowledge the damage it continues to cause. It has created the existing wealth gap and all attendant disparities now present within Minnesota and the nation. The United States right now possesses more than enough wealth to provide for its own in all measures. To our collective detriment this myth continues to pervade policymaking at all levels. We must do better.

We now stand with our relatives at a turning point, our hearts filled with hope: hope that the promises of our local elected officials become reality and that the indigenous organizations addressing both immediate needs and long-term solutions are provided the necessary resources to execute their work. Hope that the wider community will join us in honoring the humanity of those living within this camp by calling out colonialism and the price it continues to exact on both Native and non-indigenous peoples.

In decades past our leaders have challenged us to strive toward a more perfect union, and now our dispossessed relatives – merely by existing and revealing to us their pain – are challenging us to do the very same.

There is an encampment in Minneapolis populated by indigenous people – and it is growing. Our people have come home. 

Joe Hobot, Ed.D, is president and CEO of American Indian OIC and former chair and current member of Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors. He is a descendant of the Hunk Papa Band of the Lakota Nation from the Standing Rock.

The writing above is an Op Ed piece at Minn Post. Read the article in its original format here.

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Takoda Prep visits Washington DC

On Tuesday, April 24th, 2018, three students and two faculty members from Takoda Prep experienced the field trip of a lifetime. Along with a chartered plane of over 200 young people and chaperones from Minnesota, the five traveled to Washington D.C. for a visit to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). This impactful trip was a culmination of a yearlong study of genocide, with a semester-long focus on the Holocaust specifically.

Organized by Tolerance Minnesota and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas (JCRC), the trip is a one-day whirlwind that takes place every year. Once the Takoda Prep faculty found out about this opportunity, they did not hesitate to jump aboard.

Before the school year started, English teacher Christy Hicks and social studies teacher Tom Lonetti both attended the Belfer National Conference for Educators at USHMM, a special conference where teachers are primed to lead students in Holocaust studies and an attempt to answer the big question: “How and why did the Holocaust happen?” The two teachers felt especially connected to teach this topic, as it seemed a poignant framework for future studies about the Native American genocide.

After attending the conference, they planned the yearlong study of the Holocaust, the crisis in Syrian, as well as various other genocides. Throughout the year, the students dug deeper and deeper into these topics. It was difficult at times, though it was extremely impressive how respectful they were of the content and how quick they were to make connections between the events and their own historical trauma. Students who were particularly interested in the subject matter were invited to apply for the field trip to Washington D.C. Three students were chosen, and their journey began in the wee hours of the morning at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.

After a short plane ride and a lot of waiting, they entered the museum. The field trip is set up so the students can experience the exhibits self-guided. The museum is a massive one, with an incredible amount of information on display. Students lingered in front of placards reading stories they learned earlier in the year, but also finding out new information along the way. One of the most impactful sections, of course, is the display of shoes. “Some of the thousands of shoes confiscated from arriving prisoners at the Majdanek concentration camp” (USHMM.org). This moving display is one of the most difficult moments of the museum, as it is so visceral and raw. They finished their tour in the Hall of Remembrance and lit a candle for the victims and survivors of the Holocaust.

The group then walked down the National Mall, taking in the beautiful architecture and vast history, politics, and people that Washington D.C. represents. The next stop – the café at the National Museum of the American Indian. Mitsitam features various cuisines of tribes around the Americas. No surprises – the Ojibwe, Ho Chunk, and Lakota students all chose bison burgers and chili from the Great Plains section!

After resting their feet and enjoying the delicious food, the group met Martin Earring, a docent for the museum, for a private tour. The vast collection at the museum was a lot to take in, though Martin did an incredible job of pointing out some of his favorite exhibits. The students particularly loved seeing their own tribes represented in such an important place. One particularly poignant exhibit was on treaties. This rotating exhibit brings in the actual original documents of treaties between tribes and the U.S. government. Decisions, signatures (or sometimes, just x’s), and declarations were on view for the students to begin to understand more about their histories. The opportunity to view these artifacts is so monumental for students who often only learn about the “founding fathers” in U.S. History class textbooks.

After a final stop at the National Air and Space museum, the group moseyed back to USHMM to be picked up by their bus. The long day culminated with a quiet plane ride back to MSP. This one-day field trip was just what the students needed – accessibility to the histories, the chance to sightsee our nation’s capitol, and a reflective day of learning. The Takoda Prep faculty is particularly grateful to Tolerance Minnesota and the JCRC for providing them with the opportunity to attend this. The hope is that next year, the school can return for another memorable one-day field trip.

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2018 Events Recap

As we settle into Winter, AIOIC is reflecting on the abundance of community gatherings it has had the honor of hosting. As a student at AIOIC’s Takoda Institute, there is never a shortage of opportunities to engage and meet employers, community leaders, and fellow students. Take a look at just a few of the events we’ve hosted in 2018: 

Dream Big 

On November 29, AIOIC hosted Dream Big, Change Reality, an event designed to bring together the Native community and local leaders for an afternoon of career exploration and cultural engagement.  

Presentations included a Q & A session for jobseekers hosted by MN State Employees, open conversations with state commissioners, AIOIC President Dr. Joe Hobot, and Tribal Relations. Activities took place throughout the day including beading, Resume Cliché BINGO, a drum circle, and lunch provided by Gatherings Café, a local Native restaurant. 

This event was sponsored by the Bush Foundation and the State of Minnesota, and would not have been possible without their support. 

Career Connect
In early November, AIOIC and Takoda Institute hosted its quarterly Career Connect, which introduces prospective students to the many career training programs at Takoda Institute. Activities included a tour of a computer’s hard drive, Anatomy BINGO, campus tours, prizes, and more! 

Career Fair 

To wrap up the winter events, AIOIC hosted a career fair in December. Over 23 local employers were in attendance, eager to meet jobseekers looking for a sustainable career. Employers included McGough Construction, the State of Minnesota, Wells Fargo, USPS, and more.  

This event was made possible with the generous support from McGough Construction. 

Thank you to the staff, volunteers, attendees, and sponsors for making AIOIC’s events possible. 

Dr. Joe Hobot, President & CEO Box 2, News

The Full Version of Dr. Hobot’s “Resurgence” Report is Now Available

Read the full version of Resurgence or access the executive summary.

Resurgence: Restructuring Urban American Indian Education is published in both an executive summary and book format. Resurgence highlights seven incredible alternative, “indigenized” schools within six different urban locations, the findings of which point to a new path forward not only for urban American Indian Education, but for culturally-contextualized education everywhere.

Resurgence offers a holistic understanding toward why the American Indian achievement gap persists, examining historical educational trauma and educational reform that ignores the cultural context of marginalized communities such as American Indians. The report examines seven successful community-governed alternative schools and offers five key recommendations for scaling the success of these schools to the larger indigenous education system.

While the release of a report of this scope is a step in the right direction, Dr. Hobot insists it must be met with further discussion, stating “the strategies and insights provided through this work represent a legitimate pathway forward for what public education could be throughout Indian Country. In that respect, it is certainly worth evaluation and further discussion by those involved in this arena.”

Resurgence was commissioned and created in partnership with the NUIFC.

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AIOIC President Publishes National Paper

                                                                
AMERICAN INDIAN OIC FEATURED IN  NATIONAL REPORT ON CLOSING THE URBAN INDIAN ACHIEVEMENT GAP

Minneapolis, Minn., Nov. 16., 2017– President & CEO of the American Indian OIC, Joe Hobot, Ed.D., will publish his nation-wide report on closing the achievement gap, featuring AIOIC’s alternative high school, Takoda Prep, as well as six other highly successful community-governed alternative schools in the United States.

The report, entitled, Resurgence: Restructuring Urban American Indian Education is in partnership with the National Urban Indian Family Coalition and sponsored by the Schott Foundation for Public Education. Dr. Hobot reports on the perpetual disparities present within academic achievement data and the necessary steps needed to rectify them. Commonly referred to as “the achievement gap”, educators and administrators have worked with policy officials and the philanthropic community to rectify this generations-old problem. Yet to date, the achievement gap still persists. For urban American Indian students, the data is the most bleak.

Among the six urban American Indian population hubs examined, the alternative high schools had significantly higher graduation rates than their public school counterparts. Here in Minneapolis, the district-wide graduation rate for American Indians hovers at 45%; however, Takoda Prep students graduate at a rate of 90% every year.

Resurgence: Restructuring Urban American Indian Education is published in both an executive summary and book format. Resurgence highlights seven incredible alternative, “indigenized” schools within six different urban locations, the findings of which point to a new path forward not only for urban American Indian Education, but for culturally-contextualized education everywhere.

Resurgence offers a holistic understanding toward why the American Indian achievement gap persists, examining historical educational trauma and educational reform that ignores the cultural context of marginalized communities such as American Indians. The report examines seven successful community-governed alternative schools and offers five key recommendations for scaling the success of these schools to the larger indigenous education system.

While the release of a report of this scope is a step in the right direction, Dr. Hobot insists it must be met with further discussion, stating “the strategies and insights provided through this work represent a legitimate pathway forward for what public education could be throughout Indian Country. In that respect, it is certainly worth evaluation and further discussion by those involved in this arena.”

Click here to access the Executive Summary of Resurgence. Dr. Joe Hobot will be a guest speaker to discuss the report in a webinar entitled, Expanding Opportunities to Learn for Native Youth on Thursday, November 16 at 2 PM, EDT. Dr. Hobot will also present the report findings during an AIOIC community event on Wednesday, November 29 at 1 PM at 1845 East Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN.

# # #
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Ivy Estenson at 612-341-3358 ext. 125 or email at ivye@aioic.org.

 

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Dream Big Event

November 29th, 2017
11:30 AM -3:30 PM
1845 East Franklin Ave, 55404

Join the American Indian OIC and the State of Minnesota for an afternoon of career exploration and cultural engagement. This event will function as a multifaceted community gathering with business owners and state employees facilitating a Q & A panel, and AIOIC Pres. Joe Hobot leading a discussion on culturally contextualized education.

Come enjoy arts and crafts. Participate in our discussion rooms. Get career related guidance in our workforce development rooms.

Activities:
-MN State Employee “Ask Me Anything” Q & A
-Discussion led by AIOIC Pres. Dr. Joe Hobot
-Lunch provided by Gatherings Café
-Door prizes
-Art/beading
-Ojibwe Bingo
-Workshop: Optimizing Your Social Media for Employment
-Learn about career training programs
-Tour of building

[bscolumns class=”one_half”]Community Members

 Everyone has their own definition of success: finish school; find a career; support a family. To attain success, you need to envision a pathway to reach your goals and take steps to achieve them.

Get started by visiting AIOIC to learn about the simple and effective ways you can begin to achieve your goals.

Learn about our no-cost and low-cost programs, talk with state employees and get career guidance. [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”one_half_last_clear”]Community Leaders and Organizations

Engage with the Native community and learn about how to best support transformative educational initiatives.

Join AIOIC President Joe Hobot, Ed.D. in discussing the importance of culturally contextualized education and honoring Native educational traditions while administering workforce development best practices.[/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]

Interested in attending?  RSVP via Facebook!