Involving and Empowering Local People

Written by James Calabaza, Indigenous Lands Program Director

I always ask myself, what’s better than a successful restoration project? Well for me, it's the idea of involving and empowering local people directly into the work and then gaining positive outputs leading to a higher standard of living. It’s a practice that is based on reciprocity and aligning common values for the long-term well-being of their communities and their people. But it’s not an easy practice due to the history of Tribal communities being oppressed. 

In the United States, Tribes have faced countless years of economic, cultural and social challenges that have affected the opportunity for their communities to grow and thrive. The insertion of American governmental systems and ideologies has left many Tribes in a position where their communities and people are under-resourced and under-valued. This leads to poor economic growth, no management of ancestral lands, high rates of health issues and unhappiness to engage with outside groups. But this doesn’t stop the people from giving up, instead, it breeds them to become more resilient and stronger. A friend from the Pine Ridge Reservation once said, “they made it tough for Natives to survive, that’s why you gotta be tough.” As a Native American myself, I can’t think of any truer words spoken. 

Accepting these systemic oppressions is a vital component to truly recognizing how these issues are still affecting Tribal communities today. Even though our efforts are focused on local small-scale community-centered projects, it deeply touches on the importance of relationships and investing in local efforts that bring resources and opportunities to these communities. We facilitate local stewardship projects, which help create seasonal jobs and volunteer days where people can come together to steward the land, share stories and participate in work that they can be proud of. But more importantly, I hear words and stories from people about how these projects instill internal happiness and prosperity as they work to preserve and protect their cultural lifeways. 

As I reminisce about all the times I’ve laughed and supported Tribal people searching for a more dignified life, I’ve been able to consider myself fortunate to be part of these people's lives. But I don’t want it to stop here. Let’s continue to craft smiles, partake in laughter, develop friendships and participate in community events so that we may all live Dignified Lives.