Wrestling with the Truth of Colonization Spring 2025
This initiative was developed by the IAF Pacific (of which Common Good is a member) with focus on the impacts and history of relationships between the dominant society and Indigenous Peoples of the four colonized countries of our Affiliate Organizations in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In the long term, it is meant to eliminate systemic barriers in the current dominant structures by creating conditions that protect and expand Indigenous sovereignty and self-governance while creating racial equity for all. One part of this process is to maximize the existing capacity of Indigenous organizations to tell their own stories and become vehicles for their members to find and exercise their inherent power. At the same time we focus on creating durable relational ties between Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations, developed at the speed of trust to form long-term commitments that lead to an equitable future.
Past participants have described this training experience as "mind-blowing", "life-altering", and "critical for everyone to take."
This collective work was led by a group of Indigenous Peoples worldwide.
Program Notes:
- Please confirm that you are able to attend all six sessions before registering, as each session builds on the learnings of the previous evening.
- This is a training series that seeks to center the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples, the work that is ongoing in our communities and the emotional work that comes from this. Please be prepared to engage in this emotional labor and reflection.
- Wrestling with the Truth of Colonization is more than the training sessions listed here, it is a community organizing program. The goal is to take the learning and reflection from these sessions and turn them into long-term community organizing efforts towards upholding native sovereignty and real solidarity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
The local team:
- Has worked closely with the CSKT Séliš-Ql̓ispé Culture Committee to approve any local content we share in our training, as well as share the many resources they have compiled, written, and published about their history and this area;
- Partnered with Common Good members to provide trained small group facilitators;
- Is here to provide support to the attendee and their organization through the emotional process of going through this training.
Amber Shaffer and Len Broberg currently co-facilitate this training with support from Lead Organizer Lisa Davey.
Our Small Group Facilitators are a significant part of the training process and include trained members and past participants of this initiative from Common Good Missoula.
Sessions:
Six Sessions: Tuesday and Thursday Afternoons
April 8, 10, 15, 17, 22 and May 20
All sessions from 4:30-6:30 MST
Light snacks will be available.
If you do not belong to a Member Institution of Common Good Missoula and are not in the county training contract, the fee to participate is $250.00. Payment can be made on the landing page (donate) after registration. This is a subsidized amount as each training costs just over $10,000 to run. We also accept payments along a sliding scale tailored to your needs. Please contact [email protected] with any questions.