Feminists Around the World: Indigenous Organizations to Know

Today we're highlighting a handful of feminist Indigenous organizations.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey, this is Anny and Samantha and welcome stuff on
Ever Told You Production by Heart Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
And we are smack dab in a Native American Heritage month.
So we wanted to talk about a few feminist indigenous
organizations around the world for our Activists around the World segment,
because you know, that's what we love to do. As
per usual, there are many amazing organizations doing amazing amount
of work out there, but we have limited time, so

(00:40):
we've just narrowed down three.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
We try to kind of expand it.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
I think it ended up being in North America, not
on purpose, but.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
You know, that's what we're going to look at now.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
I probably will do this again next week because again
I found several cool organizations and then subset of organizations
that I think we need to talk about. And you know,
when it comes to activists around the world world, the
indigenous communities, specifically women and two spirited indigenous community do
a lot of work to not only protect and preserve
their culture but the land in general, so which helps everyone.

(01:12):
They are kind of at the forefront when it comes
to activism. So yes, we'll probably talk a little more
about some of the amazing organizations. So we are starting
off with an organization from the US, the Not Our
Native Daughters or in on d and this is from
their website, not Our Native Daughters Dot org quote not
Our Native Daughters in OND is a dedicated force in

(01:34):
the fight against the trafficking, exploitation, and murder disproportionately affecting
Indigenous persons, with a specific focus on missing, murdered and
Indigenous women and girls. So the MMIW which we have
talked about previously, I believe I featured some organizations that
have worked for this specific cause before, but not this
specific one. So they go on to say, as a

(01:57):
national organization, ND passionately pursues justice, equity and healing, recognizing
the urgent need to address the deeply rooted issues stemming
from the legacies of colonialism and slavery. They are an
Indigenous led organization that have been working to empower and
advocate for their community. They offer different programs, including for

(02:17):
the Indigenous youth. So this is again from their site,
but we work alongside Native youth through initiatives like our
Indigenous Youth Voices program, fostering leadership, education and cultural perservation.
In addition to our advocacy efforts, we provide technical assistance,
training and presentations on a broad range of Indigenous issues
from MMIP to human trafficking, environmental justice, and more. Through

(02:42):
policy reform, community engagement, and healing practices, we are committed
to creating the future where Indigenous women and youth are safe, supported,
and empowered to lead the fight for justice, equity and healing.
Which we love anything when we see the youth being
able to take on mentors or be mentored by others

(03:02):
in this type of fights and justice. Because there's so
much to be said, I think we need to come
back and have another conversation about the mmi W because
there's still nothing being done. Unfortunately, our administration doesn't see
this as an issue and has harmed a lot of

(03:23):
the policies and a lot of the laws and a
lot of doctrine in general to help the mm i
W causes, which is really concerning. And I've seen more
and more reported that there's quite a bit of missing
persons cases that are just being swept under the rug still.
So maybe we have to come back and have a

(03:44):
bigger conversation of that in the status in the US.
So the organization laid out a specific campaign which works
to create awareness and justice for the Indigenous community as
well as work actively to protect the women and children
in the indigenous communities, including the fact that they are
trying to align with law enforcements and different agencies to

(04:09):
trying to have any progress.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
I guess it's the best way to put it.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
So. Their campaign has several parts to it, including having
community sessions to hear the voices of their Indigenous communities
and share insights and needs again through diverse voices, educating
and bringing awareness with the MMIWG community. They also are
trying to bridge the communications and work with law enforcement
agencies and also do restorative justice for.

Speaker 3 (04:35):
The community in general. So some pretty big.

Speaker 1 (04:38):
Works, yes. Next, we have the Native Women's Association of Canada.
Founded in nineteen seventy four, the organization has worked to
fight for the Indigenous communities by bringing attention to the
needs and important issues of the people. From their site
in wac dot ca quote, we are a national Indigenous

(04:59):
organization and that defends the rights, delivers programming to and
amplifies the perspectives of Indigenous women, girls, two spirit, transgender
and gender diverse or WG two STGD plus people across
in Canada. Inclusive of First Nations on and off reserve
status and non status, disenfranchised, Matise and Inuit, and a

(05:22):
bit more about what they do quote today. N WAC
engages in national advocacy aimed at legislative and policy reforms
to promote equality for Indigenous women, girls, two spirit, transgender
and gender diverse people. Through advocacy, policy, and legislative analysis,
n WAC works to preserve Indigenous culture and advance the

(05:42):
well being of all Indigenous WG two STGD plus people,
as well as their families and communities. NWAC works on
a variety of issues including employment, labor and business, health, violence,
prevention and safety, justice and human rights, active citizenship, and
environmental issues impacting Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah, I feel like when it comes to organizations, Canadians
really do have a forefront in working with Native people,
specifically in North America. So they do have some amazing organizations.
I'm sure we'll find some more. And then lastly for
this segment, we have the Women's Earth Alliance on or
the WEA in conjunction with sameilias, So this amazing organization

(06:29):
has a collective of Indigenous women's leaders that work for
indigenous land rights in five Mexican states. It started in
twenty thirteen. This Mexican women led grassroots organizations work to
hold the Mexican government accountable when it comes to the
development of lands and protecting traditional lands. A bit more
information from their site Women's Earth Alliance dot org. Indigenous

(06:50):
women in four states across Mexico made significant strides in
securing rights to their traditional lands, which are being undermined
by new land reform laws. In the time were high
rates of men are migrating to cities, leaving land vulnerable
to the land grabs. The organization works in tandem with Samila's,
so here's what they say about them. Samila's Associadad Mexicano

(07:12):
pro Derechos de la Moheraci, based in Mexico City, is
the largest fund dedicated to women's causes in the country.
SIMILIAS works closely with small and emerging women's organizations and
women's leaders in the common goal of improving the status
of women in Mexico. So this project and organizations have
been innovative and inspirational for so many again from their site.

(07:37):
At its onset, each indigenous women leader had the opportunity
to design and implement activities to promote women's land's rights
in a way that was responsive to the local needs
in her community. Workshops were held to support these leaders
using the Guadalaanesti model, which focuses not only on women's
rights and land rights, but also on personal development, physical development,

(07:57):
spiritual development, cultural history, and self esteem. So these organizations
like this work specifically as we see so many issues
when it comes to socioeconomic status, So men leaving the home,
trying to find better opportunities, better money, leaving lands vulnerable
for corporations and greedy individuals to take opportunity and claim

(08:21):
lands that are traditionally to indigenous peoples.

Speaker 3 (08:25):
So it's really dangerous times. Why does it feel like
we've gone back like one hundred years, two hundred years? Yeah,
what is this god? Anyway?

Speaker 2 (08:36):
So with organizations like this, they see a need and focus.
Women have really stepped up and learning and taking workshops
and being mentored to become advocates for themselves and their lands.
So we've always known when it comes to once again
stepping up and protecting areas and lands, Indigenous women.

Speaker 3 (08:56):
Are there and have always been there.

Speaker 2 (08:58):
So seeing organizations like this that step up and work
with grants and different programs to make sure that they're
able to do.

Speaker 3 (09:05):
This is great to.

Speaker 1 (09:06):
See, Yes, it really is. And as mentioned, we are
going to be coming back and talking about some more
of these organizations. But as always, listeners, if you have
any resources, if you work with any of these organizations,
anything like that, we would love to hear from you.
You can email us at Hello Jeff Onnever Told You
dot com. You can find us on Blue Scott Mom

(09:27):
Stuff podcast or on Instagram and TikTok at stuff one.
Never Told You. We're also on YouTube. We have some
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you can get wherever you get your books. Thanks as
always to our super producer Christina or Xander Brusa, Maya
and your contributor Joey. Thank you and thanks to you
for listening stuff Never Told Me production of My Heart Radio.
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(09:47):
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