Via Zoom. Free. Registration required.
In recognition of this urgent crisis moment for Mother Earth, we realize it is well past time to listen to Her. As such we meet for a powerful night where we will learn together how to protect from the poisons of our times by turning to prayer and ceremony.
In honor of Indigenous People’s Month, we have invited two highly engaged Native women leaders to share with us. Co-Founders of R.I.S.E. Coalition (Resilient Indigenous Sisters Engaging Coalition), Nookomis Debra Topping comes to us from Nagaajiwanaang (Fond du Lac) in 1854 Treaty Territory and Gaagigeyaashiik Dawn Goodwin joins us from Gaa-waabaabiganikaag (White Earth) in 1855 Treaty Territory as our special guests this evening. We are also very pleased to invite a dear friend and Dharma sister as our guest host, Rev. Gentle Dragon Laura Kennedy.
Together we will honor Indigenous women’s voices and learn how protection for Nimaamaa Aki (Mother Earth) can be grounded in both prayer and ceremony, elevating protest itself to a sacred act.
Please consider giving to R.I.S.E. Coalition. Donate HERE.
ABOUT NOOKOMIS DEBRA
Nookomis Debra, a life-long advocate for her community Nagajiiiwanong (Fond du Lac Reservation) in northern Minnesota believes she has a responsibility to all future generations while honoring all that her ancestors have lived, fought, and died for.
Debra is a wife of 38 years, mother to three beautiful daughters, grandmother to three incredible grandsons and an amazing new granddaughter, aunt to many, and a sister to all.
Co- Founder of Resilient Indigenous Sisters Engaging Coalition, a women-led powerhouse meant to protect what is sacred for our future. https://www.rise-coalition.com/
ABOUT GAAGIGEYAASHIIK DAWN GOODWIN
Gaagigeyaashiik Dawn Goodwin
Anishinaabe/White Earth
Indigenous Environmental Network, Representative
RISE Coalition, Co-founder
Protector and advocate for the environment and the Anishinaabeg traditional lifeways. She is a lifelong resident of northern Minnesota and has lived near Lower Rice Lake on the White Earth Reservation since 2001. Dawn graduated from Bemidji State University in 2009 with a B.A. in Visual Arts and is near completion of a B.A. in Native American Studies.
In 2009 she began to learn about the tar sands industry and climate change. This knowledge and concern for the health of our waters has led her to advocate for the protection of the lands, plants, animals, people and nibi/water for the next seven generations. She is a board member of the 1855 Treaty Authority, a trained Climate Reality Leader and a presenter at the 2019 Climate Reality Leadership Corp Training. Dawn was the expert witness for the White Earth Reservation during the Line 3 Minnesota PUC hearings.
Her work centers around networking with other nonprofit environmental organizations and building community. Dawn works as a representative of the Indigenous Environmental Network, and is a co-founder of RISE Coalition; an indigenous led group of women calling on others to “RISE TO PROTECT ALL THAT IS SACRED.”
ABOUT REV. GENTLE DRAGON LAURA KENNEDY
Gentle Dragon is a zen priest in Katagiri Roshi and Uchiyama Roshi's lineage. She has been practicing for over 30 years. In 2017, she completed the fall practice period at Tassajara Zen Monastery. In 2019 and 2020 she completed the Spring practice period at Toshoji Zen Monastery in Japan. And was the shuso for the 2020 practice period. She is hoping to travel to Japan to participate in Zuise in 2021. She is committed to unraveling the ancient twisted karma of genocide and deconstructing her white privilege. Her vow supports her deeply listening to Indigenous leadership and showing up in a good way. Living her vow she pivots from acknowledgement to accountability. She has participated in the Bearing Witness Retreat at Wounded Knee, Aushwitz Birkenau and the SF street retreat in 2015. In 2016, she supported Indigenous leadership in Minnesota for a Bearing Witness Retreat in 2016 at the concentration camp at Fort Snelling during the winter of 1862. Hundreds of Indigenous Elders, women and children died during that winter. In 2019, she supported Indigenous leadership bringing Winyan Awanyankapi: Protecting the Lifegivers Conference into real time.
She traveled to Standing Rock to stand in solidarity with Indigenous leaders. And has been present for actions against LIne 3.
Her practice includes being a social worker for many years. She is currently participating in the year-long program of engaged buddhism at Upaya Zen Center.