In the United States, generations of Native American children were forcibly taken from their families and sent to boarding schools administered by Christian missionaries. These schools were established as part of a federal policy to assimilate Indigenous children into white society by erasing their cultures and languages. This presentation provides an introductory overview of the US Indian Boarding School Policy, its profound and ongoing intergenerational trauma to Native American families and communities, and meaningful ways we can support truth-telling, healing, and reconciliation. Minnesota was home to at least 21 Native American boarding schools and is home today to 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations.
Guest speaker: Dr. Samuel Torres, Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. Dr. Torres is a researcher, writer, and educator whose work examines the lasting impacts of colonization and the legacy of Native American boarding schools. His research explores the cultural genocide experienced by Indigeneous peoples while also highlighting pathways toward truth, justice, and healing.
Refreshments will be provied. Please register to help organizers plan for the evening.
Provided in partnership with: ▪ Shoreview Human Rights Commission (SHRC) ▪ Interfaith Antiracism Ministry of Minnesota (IAM-MN) ▪ Many Faces ▪ Social Justice Ministries of St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Community ▪ White Bear Lake Rotary Club ▪ Other community supporters