Indigenous Justice

At the end of his Sacred Sites tour, Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs encourages participants to join Indigenous people in their quest for restoration of culture, language, spiritual practice, and land. He states that their coalition by itself cannot get the attention it needs to achieve these goals. The tribal nations need allies to stand with them in this work.

Black Empowerment activist Betty Freed Tuskine puts it bluntly “If you want to work with me, you have to know something about what I know so that we can work together.” That is our starting point. 

Our vision is to advance the efforts of Minnesota Indigenous tribal nations to preserve their language, culture, and spiritual life and to restore broken treaties as outlined by the Indian Land Trust Foundation. 

If you would like to get connected to the work of the Indigenous Justice Team, please email Helen Pohlig at [email protected]. 

OUR VISION
Our vision is to advance the efforts of Minnesota Indigenous tribal nations to preserve their language, culture, and spiritual life and to restore broken treaties. We can do this by showing up to walk beside our Dakota and Ojibwe neighbors to raise awareness of the atrocities committed against their ancestors and their families today.
 
OBJECTIVE
Our goal is to help amplify the Indigenous voice in the public square and in state/national policy decision-making and to help generate greater awareness of what needs to be done locally to address the destruction of Dakota/Ojibwe cultures and seizure of their land as part of Minnesota colonization.
 
WHAT WE DO
Some examples of how we show up include:

• providing support for a commission to address healing of families harmed by Indian boarding schools;
• quietly advocating for the return of public land to indigenous hands;
• supporting legislation to create a minimal tax on all real estate transactions in Minnesota to fund reacquisition of native lands;
• working with the Twin Cities Repair Community for Makoce Ikikcupi to support the reestablishment of native villages;
• providing opportunities for Unity members to get out of their comfort zones and experience and witness Indigenous culture and history.

 
HOW WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Ignorance of Indigenous history and the current place of Dakota and Ojibwe tribes in Minnesota is rampant. Lifting up their presence and worth will help them rebuild what’s been lost, using their ancestral knowledge and ways. We will also collaborate with other COMTs working on environmental justice, art presentation, and other areas of mutual interest.

Please watch these two brief video messages from the Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs, shared in our October 18 worship service, “Moving at the Speed of Trust.”

​Films by Will Hommeyer, Karen Hering, and Lia Rivamonte.

Bdote Stories of First Creation, Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs

Wrestling with Stories of Trauma in the Land Beneath Our Feet, Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs