Bridging
Partnerships
2022 Central Grasslands Roadmap Summit at Fort Collins in the lands of Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), hinono’eino’ biito’owu’ (Arapaho), and Tséstho’e (Cheyenne), photo B. Snow
Partnerships.
IKC at America"s Grasslands Conference, 2023, in the lands of Tséstho’e (Cheyenne), hinono’eino’ biito’owu’ (Arapaho), Očhéthi Šakówin.
IKC delegates at the Central Grasslands Roadmap summit, 2022 in the lands of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), hinono’eino’ biito’owu’ (Arapaho), and Tséstho’e (Cheyenne).
Central Grasslands Roadmap
Previously known as the Indigenous Working Group, the Indigenous Kinship Circle (IKC) began because of efforts by Monica Rattling-Hawk (Oglala Lakota), Tribal Liaison for World Wildlife Fund, to equitably engage Indigenous people in the Central Grasslands Roadmap (CGR) two years ago.
The (CGR) is collaborative guide to increase conservation of North America's Central Grasslands, which span 500 million acres across Indigenous Lands, Canada, the United States and Mexico. By bringing together three countries and eight diverse sectors, the Roadmap identifies common principles and collaborative priorities for the many people and organizations living, working on and influencing the Central Grasslands.
The IKC continues to participate in the CGR as a working group although the IKC has branched into its own community. Our members are also participating in other CGR working groups, and our IKC leader Emily Boyd-Valandra is a member of the CGR Steering Committee. The CGR, and specifically Tammy VerCauteren, has provided important support for ensuring Indigenous leadership in conservation efforts. We collaborated to secure travel scholarships for Indigenous participants at the CGR Summit in 2023, and we continue to work together to uplift Indigenous perspectives.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The IKC is grateful to have received funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to advance our work. The financial support is helping us to continuing building broad Indigenous engagement, informing conservation efforts about Indigenous priorities, and supporting the creation of a social working group for the CGR.
IKC members at America"s Grasslands Conference, 2023, in the lands of Tséstho’e (Cheyenne), hinono’eino’ biito’owu’ (Arapaho), and Očhéthi Šakówin.
IKC members conducting equitable engagement with the Rarámuri Settlement Gabriel Tepórame in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico in the lands of the Rarámuri (Tarahumara), Yoli (Concho), Ndé Kónitsąąíí Gokíyaa (Lipan Apache), and Julimes.
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
The IKC is appreciates financial support offered by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Through our partnership, we will work to bring together Indigenous people connected to grasslands, so we can improve the effectiveness of our efforts, find support, and elevate our collective voices. The IKC recognizes that there are multidimensional barriers that may hinder participation of Indigenous people from southern Turtle Island (Mexico) in our community. We also understand that because of colonial and imperial processes, there are less resources and support for Indigenous communities in southern Turtle Island (Mexico) to advocate for their priorities. For that reason, it is our goal to implement a project that equitably engages these communities in our community