Indigenous Women's Network

History of IWN

Sunday, 24 December 2006

Organizational History (1985-2007)

The Indigenous Women's Network (IWN) was established in as a grass roots initiative at a gathering of over 200 Indigenous women at Yelm, Washington in 1985. The (Founding Mothers ) were and continue to be strong, committed Indigenous women activists who dedicate themselves to generating a global movement that achieves sustainable change for our communities. Under their visionary leadership, IWN has become known for inspiring, strategic, pro-active and affirming events that facilitates the inter-generational transfer of traditio

nal knowledge to young, Indigenous women. Our training programs and publications reach and link Indigenous

women around the world in a network of support that includes award winning artists, activists, authors, community leaders, educators, attorneys and traditional healers.

Over the past 21 years, IWN has evolved into an international coalition of Indigenous women from rural and urban communities who approach the resolution of contemporary challenges from a traditional Indigenous values base. IWN serves as a major driving force behind Indigenous communities, mobilizing change around issues affecting ourselves and our families, Mother earth and the environment, cultural/spiritual beliefs and traditions, health services and tribal governance. IWN is proud of its achievements and the programs that have been designed to provide information, education, training, support and leadership development to Indigenous Women across the Americas and around the world.1

Programs are culturally specific and delivered through a mentorship process involving seasoned Indigenous women activists and leaders who share their experience and teach others in development of critical tools and mechanisms for organizing sustainable communities. IWN has provided the means and opportunities for Indigenous women to participate in political discussions relevant to our communities, to share their knowledge, particularly as it relates to the transfer of information from Elders to young women.

IWN continues to leverage support and resources that allow Indigenous women to gather in safe spaces and discuss and define critical issues among themselves, to mentor each other and to develop strategies to participate in policy-making and direct advocacy for ourselves, our families and our communities.

Accomplishments

Building the capacity of over 250 Indigenous women each year to increase their skills in organizational management and project development.
Training Indigenous women leaders who have established ongoing, sustainable projects in their communities addressing cultural preservation, health and youth education issues.
Publishing the Indigenous Woman magazine since 1991 to provide the voice for Indigenous women nationally.
Advocating for Indigenous sovereignty and human rights by representing Indigenous women at United Nations events for the past 13 years, addressing the environment, populations, economic development, and human rights as they affect women.
Offering an annual Indigenous Youth Cultural Arts program and summer camp over the past 14 years that serves low income Native American and Latino youth living in the Austin area.
Providing internship opportunities and bi-cultural learning experiences for young, Indigenous women and their peers focusing on developing a new generation of activists who will promote Indigenous rights.

Vision

Our vision was given to us by our Elders and the Original Instructions inherited by our Grandmothers. We understand that, in caring for Mother Earth, we care for ourselves. Women are the mothers of our Nations, and we share the responsibility of being life givers, nurturers, and sustainers of life with our Mother Earth

Values

Self determination
Sovereignty
Self Sufficiency
Tolerance
Reciprocity
Respect for human rights
Working within the vision of the Elders
Cultural and biological diversity
Leadership roles for women
Control over our bodies and improved health
Balance between ourselves, our families, our communities, our Nations, and Mother Earth
Respect for Indigenous land claims

Mission

Based on our vision, IWN serves as a major driving force behind Indigenous communities, mobilizing change around issues affecting ourselves and our families, Mother earth and the environment, cultural/spiritual beliefs and traditions, health services and tribal governance. As a nonprofit organization, IWN seeks to support and develop social, economic and cultural projects that utilize appropriate and sustainable technology based on traditional philosophy and practices.

Our Constituency - Indigenous Women and Our Families

For complex reasons, related to historical and current political, social, health and cultural environments, Indigenous peoples worldwide have become endangered species. Genocide, disease, development and imposed, foreign economic structures marginalize Indigenous peoples in their own land. They do not have a voice in the majority government and are by default forced to access mainstream health, social and economic programs and services. In the United States - unarguably the wealthiest, most powerful nation on Earth - Indigenous peoples have the highest unemployment rate, worst housing conditions, highest poverty levels, poorest health and shortest life expectancy of any group in the country - including other minorities.

Years of ineffective problem solving occurring completely outside of the community and without the input of Indigenous people has led to failure after failure. It is now widely recognized and cited as "best practice" that any successful solution must come from within our community. As Indigenous women, we have always been problem solvers in our communities and we along with our sisters have worked sometimes quietly but with much strength to support our families and communities in addressing the many issues we face. Indigenous women are a critical resource in our communities having worked courageously to bring important issues affecting our communities to the forefront. Yet too often, we have not been given the opportunity to speak and participate in political platforms and community forums, to present testimony, or to have a say within tribal government or boardrooms. However, our voice has grown stronger. Since the early 1970s, we have asserted ourselves in ongoing dialogues and are assuming greater authority in the governance of our Nations and communities.

By caring for our children, we are often the first to realize threats to our communities' health - and the first to recognize solutions. We see our communities in a holistic fashion, seeing issues of education and illiteracy, environmental and personal health, natural resource management, housing, economic development, preservation of Native language and culture, and spirituality as interrelated and interdependent. We cannot - and should not - fix the one without somehow addressing another.

Indigenous women, having few other places to turn, come to IWN for help in facing the struggles in their communities with cultural, environmental and economic threats. As civil society unfolds in reservation communities, Indigenous women and nonprofit organizations need to organize to form a united voice and to create our vision for our future. We need Native-controlled organizations for this organizing and development. We need to be able to pass on and acquire new skills and knowledge to new leaders - particularly young women - through our traditional ways of sharing orally and demonstrating, in a safe and nurturing atmosphere.

IWN believes that successful Indigenous leaders must come from within a community and have strong cultural and tribal ties. Even the experts agree with us: "Strategies that build on the strengths of community identity and culture are more likely to succeed than those imposed externally."2 Our premise for our work lies in our belief that community change as well as global change can be achieved for the benefit of Indigenous peoples through developing strong leaders.

Signature Programs

The Women's Gathering - The Strength of IWN since 1985 when the first gathering was held at Yelm, Washington, the Women's Gathering has been the strength of IWN giving direction to our organization. The Gathering is held at the community level and brings together between 100-200 Indigenous Women from across the Americas. Marking IWN twenty second year anniversary, we have scheduled the next gathering in 2008 to be held in Austin, Texas at Alma de Mujer. The gathering will be an opportunity to celebrate and evaluate 22 years of Indigenous women's leadership, honor our founders, identify the continuing needs of our constituency, and receive critical guidance from our communities for our work in years to come.
Indigenous Woman - The Face of IWN is the only magazine in existence that is written by, for and about Indigenous women. The magazine increases Native and non-Native understanding of issues affecting Indigenous peoples, and provides a basis for cultural and political exchange. A major focus of IWN over the next year will be to streamline the production and expand the reach of the magazine.
Alma de Mujer - Home of IWN since 1996 when the property was donated to the Indigenous Women’s Network. Alma has provided IWN with office and program space and has operated as a non profit meeting and retreat centre where Indigenous people from the Austin community and progressive organizations could gather to re-energize and continue their work promoting social change. Programs offered at Alma include an Indigenous Youth Cultural Arts Program and a Sustainable Communities Program. This year we will be adding an Artist in Residence program. IWN is committed to maintaining the environmental integrity of the land and taking the utmost care and having respect for the part of our Mother Earth that has been entrusted to us. The focus on Alma this year will be twofold: a) development of a business plan to ensure the financial sustainability and b) a land management plan to ensure that the land will be taken care of in a way that honors our Mother earth and that is in keeping with our vision, mission and the wishes of our Founding Mothers.
The Emerging Activist Leadership Program - IWN Flagship Program since 1998 provides an internship opportunity that takes place over the course of a year to five Indigenous women leaders. The program will prepare these five Indigenous women to lead the organization in the future by mentoring them to become leaders in the movement for a greater empowerment of Indigenous women, and for the preservation of Indigenous values and culture throughout the world.

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1. Capacity building in 2004 was carried out with the support of the Ford Foundation, the Unitarian Universalist VEATCH Program at Shelter Rock, the Sister Fund, the Tides Foundation, and the Environmental Support Center
2. Quote from a March 1992 survey of American Indian-Alaska Native Youth Health by Drs. Blum, Harmon, Harris, Bergeisen and Resnick.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 25 October 2011 )