Indian Country’s resilience was on display again last week. Despite uniquely adverse times, state and tribal governments and partners alike continue to find ways to donate money and resources to those in need. Many of these stories are highlighted below, along with opportunities to contribute, if you are able.
Resilience
Tribal governments throughout Indian Country continue to generously donate supplies and resources to aid their communities through the challenges presented by COVID-19. Today, we are happy to bring you many examples of this generosity in the face of adversity. If you would like to join donation efforts, more opportunities to contribute are included below.
Last week, we highlighted the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund, which has now raised more than $460,000. Earlier this week, we shared this list of funds collated by Native Americans in Philanthropy who hope to connect those willing and able to donate with tribal communities in need.
With families of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) quarantining themselves to help stop the spread of COVID-19, an EBCI tribal program is helping provide some exercise time. Cherokee Choices, a diabetes prevention and education program under the EBCI Public Health & Human Services (PHHS) Division, is posting online yoga sessions, hosting an online women’s strength training class, and running a Facebook group for children to help
Even as Indian Country copes with the COVID-19 crisis there is evidence of our remarkable resilience and survivance. We are the postindian warriors that Anishinabe writer Gerald Visenor spoke of in his book Manifest Manners.
Stories are emerging from Indian Country demonstrating incredible generosity and courage in the face of the pandemic. From California to Connecticut, and many places in between, as tribally-owned casinos are shutting down they are donating thousands of pounds of perishable food to communities in need (Indian and non-Indian, on-reservation and off) and as we all are isolated in our homes, popular social networking sites have become hubs for sharing our tribal cultures, traditions, and social dances as “social distancing pow-wows” are created and viewed. We’re highlighting just a few of these stories here.