Giving Compass' Take:

• Jennifer Fairbanks highlights the importance of Indigenous women empowering their communities and explains how one organization is doing more to support them. 

• What assets do Indigenous women have that can be better leveraged? What needs do these leaders have that your organization can address? 

• Learn about the state of Native American youth. 

It is necessary for Indigenous communities to see ourselves in national agendas and platforms and the inclusion of edits influenced by the IWR Collective to the national Unity Principles document more accurately reflected the landscape of the country by making it more inclusive of Indigenous communities and our unique position as sovereign nations.

LaDonna Harris shared her personal experience as an honorary co-Chair for the Women’s March and looked at a history of organizing among Indigenous women. Looking beyond the march, the National Strategy meeting held at the National Indian Gaming Association was highlighted and the priority issues that were identified by attendees as most important to women and Native communities which has since then helped to guide the IWR platform.

This session encouraged attendees to step more boldly into their leadership as Native women and to stay connected to the IWR collective as a network of support and resources. As IWR continues to grow and promote grassroots organizing in our communities, they plan to produce their first podcast soon and will be hiring an Organizing Director for the collective.

Read the full article by Jennifer Fairbanks about indigenous women from Native Americans in Philanthropy.