Dr. B, Chairman of Arise Veteran Foundation and Research Fellow with Meharry Medical College in Nashville TN.

Welcome Dr. B!

Good Morning! I'm Crystal Collins and I work at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN. I'm new to the area, hailing from Chicago, so I'm just happy to get more info and learn about other community groups!

Welcome Crystal! I am big sister of the year from 1997

Ellen Gilbert, Global Education Center

Nashville

Welcome Ellen

Karen Renee Robb founder of Frame Drum Wisdom here in Nashville. I have a deep appreciation and respect for indigenous culture and ways. I have a bit of Native American in me, but I don’t know the origin of it in my Tree of Life. I am committed to support and uplift.

Welcome Karen!

Good morning! I'm Jim Hawk and I serve as Executive Director of Neighbor 2 Neighbor, a local nonprofit committed to safer, healthier and more vibrant neighborhoods.

That is amazing, Dawn. Big Sisters are angels.

Hello I am Rian from South Africa. I am on the leadership team for Shamanism Without Borders, I am a Shamanic practitioner as well as a Wellness Coach and Ho'Oponopono practitioner. Although I am so far away I support the Indigenous people of Turtle Island. I am alsothe leader of Africa's only Shamanic Ministry,

Sonya Johnson, United Way of Greater Nashville

Denice Hicks, Nashville Shakespeare Festival.

Halito! I'm Taylor Crawford. Happy to be here. I'm the Director of Strategic Projects and Operations at the Medical Foundation of Nashville. Proud member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

Amanda Weber, Veterinary Clinic Manager, Remote Area Medical-RAM, Headquartered in Rockford, TN (just outside of Knoxville)

Welcome Rian! South Africa is in the house!!

Dr. Lahoma Schultz, Licensed Psychologist, full-blood Native American, enrolled citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. I live in Bixby, OK which is located on the Mscogee (Creek) Reservation. Iam a co-manager of Soaring Eagle Consulting, LLC. I serve on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Psychological Association. I also serve on the American Psychological Association's Committee on Rural Health.

I’m Ashley Reynolds. I’m director of Kentucky Kids on the Block, an educational nonprofit puppet troupe with a mission to teach children acceptance of differences in others and themselves. We also present programs on issues like child abuse.

Welcome Dr. Schultz

Good morning everyone!! Judge Rachel L. Bell here in Nashville, TN. I serve as the Presiding Judge for Division 8 of our General Sessions Court and the Music City Community Court.

Hey Judge Bell!!!

Good morning all! I am Stephanie Bradford, Senior Manager, Early Education and Bright Start TN Fellow for United Way of Greater Nashville.

Arvel is amazing! I first heard Arvel at the Pow Wow

Anthony Peterson, DEI consultant in Nashville. Connected with several consultancy agencies globally, most notably people3 in Nashville

Hey Stephanie!

Hey Tony Peterson!!

Goo Morning everyone this Arvel

Hello All, I am Sheila Holman, VP of HR for the YWCA Nashville & Middle TN. I am originally from the Southwest with a connection to the Apache Nation.

He needs to unmute

Can we put him full screen?

Hey Shelia

Very nice. Thank you, Mr. Bird.

That touched my soul deeply, Thank you forsharing the beauty

Hello! My name is Jackie (she/her), Education & Engagement Manager at Nashville Children's Theatre.

Hey Jackie Welcome

Good morning. I grew up in the best in California. I loved learning about the history of the tribes growing up. Sandy

Hello Jacqueline

Hello Sandy

Anyone can acknowledge ancestors past and present, aloud, via chat, or in our spirit.

We are holding space for our ancestors of Tennessee. All tribes past and present. I also acknowledge my African and Cherokee heritage.

I would like to acknowledge those who survived colonization and genocide and are members of our community today, still battling misinformation and racism in our schools and government. I would also like to acknowledge those who were forced to leave their homelands on the Trail of Tears which wen through parts of Middle Tennessee.

I acknowledge my African ancestors, the ancestors of my Native American teachers and the ancestors of all those present. Aho

I hold space for my Mexican and Indigenous ancestors that paved the way for the life I have today.

Is there sound or is my phone messing up? I can't hear anything.

I also can't hear

Okay! Thanks

Thank you for the opportunity to acknowledge ancestors. I am proud, grateful, and honored to have a genealogical connection to the Cherokee Nation, as well as connections to other unknown (lost in family history?) tribal ancestors.

We're thrilled to have you here Amanda!

It happens to the best of us. Thank you

To see our amazing partner for ASL - American Sign Language, click on your view button and select side by side speaker.

Welcome to everyone and thank you for acknowledging your entire self. Stay WHOLE.

I love this @Kitcki!!!

I think the slide needs to change

Teach us this rich history Kitcki

Slide hasn’t changed.

I didn't know that!

That is shocking. Stuff that we were never told here in South Africa.

Yes @Rian not shared in Americas either. So thankful we have living historians like Kitcki and others doing the work.

I absolutely agree, It is absolutely horrific and scandalous that Columbus is made out to be a hero.

YES @Rian! We are thankful to have the truth now. I learn something every day and have to unlearn what we were told in the classroom. Structural racism

Wow!

I am so grateful to be here and am willing to help spread the message and create awareness in any way I can. I have a massive social media following soI make myself available to help where I can.,

Thank you! It takes all of us coupled with the authentic truth.

In our history books a very rosy picture is painted about the history of Turtle Island and that is BS. As I said you have my support and I volunteer to assist and help to get the truth out.

I think every building sitting on historic native land needs a historic plaque telling the story of the history of the land what tribe it belonged to.

Please email me at dawn@cnm.org ^^^^

YEs, Sandy!

exactly @Sandy

@Dawn I will do. You can reach me at rianpelati@gmail.com

Thank you for the opportunity to acknowledge our ancestors. I am a proud daughter of the Lenape (Delaware) and Cherokee. (Western band) tribes. I celebrate and honor the traditions and culture of these proud people as well as the Choctaw and Iroquois, the people of my husband and son. We are fortunate to have this rich heritage and connections to these roots in our early years growing up in Oklahoma.

Thank you for sharing @Angela.

We have dozens of tribes represented and I thank all of you.

The broken promise report would be an interesting document to share.

So heartbreaking to hear :(

I would like a copy of the report please?

Rian, we will try and locate that report

Absolutely!

Great presentation, Mr. Carroll.

Whew!!! I am so full

Such a beautiful video!!!!!

Wow! This is amazing!

That would be awesome. I am also a former journalist, so I can write a few stories and get it out there. I might not be Native American by blood or heritage but my spirit very much is and I am very willing to speak up

Wonderful - EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED @Rian who else

::mic drop::

I am also a journalist, a photojournalist. We should team up! Rian

@Sandy that would be brilliant!

My email is sandy.rochelle@gmail.com

Please find my e-mail address in the chat and contact me@Sandy

Thank you so much! I look forward to being able to share Kitchi’s message far and wide.

Kitcki

That video really was powerful!

Thank you Kitcki. So Powerful.

Thank you for the powerful message and reminders.

Thank you brother Kitcki that was incredible and very moving

Haha @Kitcki we're all there with you!!!

10:23 AM CST

What are you feeling so far? What is on your mind? What questions do you have? What actions are you willing to take?

Time to stop telling us fairy tales and listen to the truth about the injustices my Native American brothers and sisters are subjected to. Enough of the BS

I look forward to having access to Kitcki’s message so that I can share it.

Received...thank you Rian

Received...thank you Karen

I am going to let this information received today sink deep into my being and allow Creator to guide my steps to bring greater awareness to the truth.

I look forward to digging into my own history and the history of our Native peoples and learn what was never shared.

Received Karen.

👏👏

https://www.usetinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Tribal-Nation-United-States-Diplomatic-Relations-from-USETWhiteBook-IC-101.pdf

Does Arvel have any Nashville-based performances we could attend?

Thank you, Kitcki.

His website is amazing!!

Yay! Thank you

Feel freedom knowing the truth now.

The Governor of Oklahoma, Congressman Jim Inhofe have been trying to reverse the SCOTUS ruling in favor of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Just this week, the Mayor Bynum of Tulsa joined that fight and submitted an Amicus Brief. Their argument is filled with untruths and one of the most disheartening implications is that the tribes are incapable of ruling themselves; yet, they accept our financial assistance for our streets, highways, and education. We also contribute much to the local economy. Last evening, several of us (including myself) were allowed to speak our concerns before the Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission. Not only did the Commission listen and learn from Native citizens, we also heard from a representative of the Tulsa City Council informed us that even they were taken by surprise by the Mayor's actions. It seems we are fighting a continuous battle since the SCOTUS ruling. The Creeks are rising up to fight this battle. We encouraged the Commission to file an injunction.

Willing to learn more and more proactive in advocating.

Yes Sandy

https://www.usccr.gov/files/pubs/2018/12-20-Broken-Promises.pdf

Thank you so much for sharing these resources @kitcki!

YESSSS

We have AMAZING group of speakers

I am HONORED TO be here!!!

I feel so lucky and blessed to be here.

I agree Sandy

We thank you donors, partners, advocates, speakers, friends, neighbors, brothers, sisters, and family

Huge applause!!!!

The FIRST and the LAST

The BLUEPRINT

Yes!!!!

I am interested in learning how to be a more skillful ally in a way that is contributing to uplifting Native voices rather than speaking for Native people while being sensitive to the ways it can be very easy to blunder in ways which feel painful due to lack of complete knowledge as a white person. I've heard different messages as to what the appropriate roles are for white allies and it is important to me that my efforts are skillful and collaborative in nature. Also I am committed to my spiritual practices being ones which do not appropriate even as I feel very connected with feminine/nature/earth honoring spiritual values. The issue of spiritual appropriation seems to be an issue that has been coming up a lot in relation to those of us who are white and looking to reconnect with our own pre-patriarchal spiritual paths. (For myself my pre-patriarchal heritages would be Celtic and premonotheistic Judaism.)

Yes. Courage and discipline and respect and gratitude.

Received Denise and Tawna

https://illuminatives.org/reclaiming-native-truth/

YES are getting so much information here. Thanks again! This knowledge is imperative to start the healing and get to the truth.

And get the truth out there no matter what it takes

I am so grateful for these stories.

I am going to have to re-watch, information overload and so much to speak out about

And they should have it

Playing catch-up

Come on with that knowledge Tribal Chairman Sickey

It is about life or death - D. Sickey

know about our collective struggles.

YEAH!!!!

Apologies if I disappear. I live out on a farm and we are experiencing bad weather, so I might lose Wifi signal

@Rian, it will be shared via recording so you will not miss a thing.

Diversity = embrace = enrichment

It is not a scary thing...put it to practice

Thank you and I am in Africa so technology a bit behind lol

😁

Whether or not it is recognized, Native Tribes had an important influence on the organization and the values of the formation of the U.S. Government: https://daily.jstor.org/the-native-american-roots-of-the-u-s-constitution/

It is storming in Nashville too so I have gone out twice already

I share your pain Dawn

thanks @Amanda

We lack a common understanding of where we come from and this lacking directly interferes with our ability to forge ahead with a common cause and a common purpose. It is important to have greater awareness, understanding, and respect for that which distinguishes us from one another, but equally important, we must find a way to focus on that which binds us in common as children of the Creator, as fellow human beings, as global citizens, as citizens of this great democratic experiment who are all deserved of human rights, equal opportunity, dignity, and respect. In doing so, we will begin to move beyond the “other” mentality that separates and divides us…and replace it with the Lakota concept of Mitakuye Oyasin…we are all related.

yes....all related

Even if we are on different continents

YES Chairman

ALWAYS BE HERE

Yes!

Hear, hear.

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Thank you.

Powerful!!

Never get weary in WELL DOING! The next generations need our current and present work. AMEN!!

Take your time.

I feel you so much Chairman!!!

The work is undone.

I am in tears

Yes, we have been and continue to be deeply hurt. You are demonstrating that hurt. I

Your words are heart felt.

Thank You, I am crying with you. This is very emotional! Thank You.

Quote;June 27, 1973 - The tribe has worked long and hard for this. The struggle has made us stronger and our victory will open the way to justice and a better life. -

I am spry, forgive me, I love you, I am grateful

Sorry

My word!!!

Having spent a lot of time on reservations on journeys with my husband, making friends along the way, I saw clearly that the original peoples will survive all of this. It is the unawakened that will die away…resilience, perseverance and living in union with the land, nature and commUnity.

BLESSINGS - PRAYERS AND WEAR THAT HISTORY ON YOUR WRIST

Send my regards to Mr. Ernest! I wear my bracelet all the time with his quote!

“The struggle has made us stronger”

Study and honor history

learn from the history vs. live in them

Work to create a better society

thank you for the opportunity everyone. I have to jump to my next event. have a great event!

I worked for a company in Seattle that would lie to the Native artist. They would Cheat them out of money. It was heartbreaking. I had to leave. They sad they didn't want to pay them more because they would spend the money on alcohol.:(

Thank you Kitcki

Thank you so much for your heart-felt sharing. Deeply moving…

MVTO:

Chairman Sickey, Thank you for your passion and for your commitment to the values of "respect, sincerity, and mutually beneficial outcomes for all people."

Thank you! So powerful.

Thank you so so much

I am gutted and even more determined to speak out

You have our full support from South Africa. You are not alone in this. We are all one

Be Open To A Different Reality and Understanding. Allow Myself To Be Changed And Move Forward With A Clearer Mission Of What Unity Will Require…

I am part of the LGBTQ+ community so I can relate to so much in so many ways. We have been a minority here for a long time. Peace and light be with you

10:10 - step away reflect

11:10AM CST

This has been amazing

This is so wonderful! So much LOVE!

So Incredible. I can hear you

Thank you, BRIDGES. Y'all are amazing!

Thank you BRIDGES.

Thank You Bridges

I am so there tonight. Thank You Dawn

We're feeling your sigh @Chelsea :) its all good!

I am very interested but due to the time difference I am going to miss the panel discussion. Will there be a re-play?

Yes @rian!

Yay!

There will be a replay. We are recording the entire event 9-3 and 6-8!

Thank you I am so grateful Dawn

You will be the first email and it will also live on our pages: www.cnm.org - YouTube - FaceBook

I am humbled and eternally in your service

Yes I have

Nope

Yes, I have.

I was aware but not how high the number was

Unfortunately, I did know

Yes, I follow cases for all children

Only through my relatively recent connections through my work with RAM.

We love your beautiful brown hands ;)

Lean IN!

Echo the voices

YES!

Yes

And foster care issues

Shout it out for the world to hear and catch a wake up!

Yes, I knew too.

yes

We forget there is a difference between being autonomous and being solitary/alone.

I have to leave for another appointment. Thank you for providing all this information.

@Rian you are welcome. Glad to be apart

Thanks for being here! Come back if you have time @jODY

That punched me in the gut. It is so wrong.

🙏

Why are there U.S. resolutions to federally "recognize" tribal governments, but no extradition treaties?

Group chat: Check in with eachother and tell us what you have learned so far.

My apologies everyone I also need to leave due to the time difference. Those who have my email please stay in touch. Love you all

11:45AM CST

I'll be leaving for a noon (CST) meeting soon, but I will return after the meeting.

Lahoma and I were still in discussion when I lost Lahoma in the middle of her sharing

12:30PM

sounds good Ellen! I'll text you

Excellent! This has been a great first half

www.arvelbird.com

It's a party over here ;)

I love access to a guide book

I should be able to attach it

Do you have a link?

Thank you for sharing!!

1:09PM CST

Just added the powerpoint to the chat

We will return at 1:10pm

arvelbird@yahoo.com

www.arvelbird.com

Call me at 615-218-8596

Public School Review- How The Arts Benefit your Children Academically and Behaviorally. https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/how-the-arts-benefit-your-children-academically-and-behaviorally

thx

sharing

Education - National Congress of Indians - https://ncai.org/policy-issues/education-health-human-services/education

Quyanaqpak

yesssss

jim and karen

Feel free to add to the chat too!

https://youtu.be/r3pslYJjpDo

So powerful!

*standing ovation!*

"The most dangerous thing you can teach is language to people of storytellers." Wow!!!!

My brother studies an indigenous language in Mexico and their language doesn't use left or right. Everything is north-south-east-west. So neat!

Yes, and thank you.

Karen Here, we are raising our children to learn Inupiaq. We use Rosetta Stone and computer video chat, and then of course we return to Alaska.

Love that Karen!

Be back at 2:15PM CST

This reminds me of "Hamilton"! Mixing historic and contemporary.

I just sent this video to my brother and sister. Very cool!!

Great.

I absolutely love the setting and the native attire!

Impressive.

Whew! Wow! This is impressive.

….just a few... ;)

Ohhhhh love this!!!!!

yes!!!!

This really is amazing. So happy it exists!

community Judge impacting lives

It makes me so sad when I see formula locked up.

yes

That's a great philosophy!!

LOVE this!

Excellent work Judge Bell! You are a rock star and an inspiration to us all! All the best 👍🏽

yes....I feel we can get lots done with Judge Bell and our Tribal courts of TN!!!!

Great. Thank you.

Tonight's Zoom session Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/s/87528606547

This has been a fantastic convening . . . thank you!

thank you for doing this and including me!

Thank you for including me. I enjoyed the whole day. Amazing and inspirational!!

Amen