There is no word for “feminist” in our Indigenous languages, and often the word seems to trigger our spirit of resistance and defiance. But there are values and practices that honour the role of women and gender variant people in our cultures. The school aims to explore the unique perspectives and potential roles of “Indigenous Feminism”.

The Feminist Organizing School (FOS), led by the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance (GGJ), is a unique opportunity for allied social justice forces to work together to demystify the concept of feminisms and explore their existing organizing work through a gender lens; a critical and under-articulated dimension. The FOS carves out a space for us to explore the intersections within our movements and to supportively challenge one another to confront the urgent demands of this political moment. Previous Feminist Organizing Schools have encouraged consideration of the intersectionality of our oppressions; the legacy of our diverse genders and sexualities; the history of our feminist movement in Turtle Island; the role of capitalism in global injustice; the possibility of feminist economics; and the importance and power of community and electoral organizing with a grassroots feminist lens.

In April, the Black Mesa Water Coalition (BMWC), Indigenous Environmental Network, and GGJ are initiating an Indigenous Feminist Organizing School (IFOS) in collaboration with allied individuals and organizations. With a focus on a diversity of Indigenous feminist theories and practices, we can deepen our understanding and develop our articulation of a grassroots feminist framework that honours and celebrates indigenous cosmologies and land-based struggles for liberation. We envision learning about feminism that emphasizes the need for a harmonious relationship with Mother Earth, which will in turn strengthen our articulation of a Just Transition to a Feminist Economy. Through this FOS we hope to explore a range of particular questions and ideas, including the relationship between colonialism and patriarchy, matrilineal governance structures, and indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality, among others. Our goals include:

1) Relationship-building: Strengthen relationships with our existing member organizations and sister alliances, as well as national Indigenous community based organizations through a shared commitment to working from an indigenous feminism framework.

2) Learning: Deepen understanding of patriarchy and its connections to white supremacy, colonialism, capitalism, transphobia and homophobia. Encourage consideration of both root causes as well as future alternative systems.

3) Analysis: Analyze current political conditions of Indigenous communities throughout the Americas within the global and national right-wing surge and implications for Indigenous women, children and gender non-conforming peoples.

4) Articulation: Support and strengthen an articulation of indigenous feminism amongst the grassroots.

5) Organizing: Assess the current landscape of indigenous organizing and explore opportunities and strategies for collective work/organizing with a feminist lens.

Apply today before the deadline at Midnight on March 6th, 2019