Indigenous peoples are advocating for the environment and joining the resistance via organizations like the American Indian Community House.
“We know nationwide there’s a loss of support for native centers since this administration came in, and we’re convinced it was politically motivated.”
Those who think New York City’s connection to its indigenous peoples
may have ended in 1626 when they sold Manhattan to the Dutch for trade
goods might be surprised to know there are, according to Census data,
110,000 New Yorkers who self-identify as Native Americans.
Many of them seek out the city-based American Indian Community House
(AICH), which turns 50 next year, for its housing, employment, health
and advocacy services and cultural events like pow-wows, socials,
workshops and more.
“It’s things people are familiar with, and even if they’re far from
home, they’re still feeling a sense of native identity here in the
city,” said Rick Chavolla, AICH’s board chair. “We provide a sense of
community and cultural sustenance for native people in New York. Most of
us are not from New York, so it’s oftentimes a very difficult
transition to come into a big urban area like New York City.”
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| Dr. Anne Klaeysen of Ethical NYC and Rick Chavolla of New York’s American Indian Community House will head a panel entitled ‘Environmental Wisdom and Strategies from Indigenous Leaders’ at AEU’s annual assembly this week. (Provided) |
A large portion of AICH’s work centers on finding ways the city can do
better environmentally, and the organization supports local efforts toward renewable and solar energy,
which are issues “that are not uniquely important to native people, but
are very important, especially at this point around the environment and
protection of native lands” well beyond city limits, Chavolla said.
The Trump administration’s drastic shrinking of acreage at Bears Ears
National Monument in Utah and other environment-affecting measures like
advancing the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines has brought a
heightened sense of urgency to the nation’s indigenous community and its
supporters — and a significant loss of funding.
“We know nationwide there’s a loss of support for native centers
since this administration came in, and we’re convinced it was
politically motivated,” Chavolla said. “It causes mental and spiritual
anguish for a lot of our folks, but people want to get active and
involved in advocacy and the resistance movement.”
As part of the movement, Chavolla and Dr. Anne Klaeysen of Ethical NYC will head a panel entitled “Environmental Wisdom and Strategies from Indigenous Leaders,” at the American Ethical Union’s 103rd Annual Assembly
in Albuquerque this week, which “will focus on how the largest city in
the country maintains a connection to indigenous land, indigenous
environment, priorities and Mother Earth and continues to advocate for
the protection of the environment," Chavolla said.
For more info, visit aich.org.
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