Saturday, March 15, 2008
9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time Zone)
Webcast Originating from the Michigan Indian Education Council's Conference in Mt. Pleasant, MI
A Project of the National Initiative to Strengthen Native Families
Thanks to the National UNITY Council Executive Committee members for taking the lead in planning and organizing this project of the National Initiative to Strengthen Native Families
Project Title: Old Stories, New Technology
March 15, 2008
Session: Panel of Elders
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Session: Talking Circle
Time: 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Panel and Talking Circle hosted by: Erin Beaver, Female Member at Large, National UNITY Council, Executive Committee
Project Description: Each year the Michigan Indian Education Council (MIEC) conducts a Critical Issues in Indian Education conference. Among those who attend are educators, American Indian students, elders, and others interested in issues affecting American Indian education. The next conference is scheduled to take place in Mt. Pleasant, MI on March 13 – 15, 2008. The Michigan Indian Education Council has entered into a partnership with the National UNITY Council and UNITY and is committed to actively participating in the National Initiatives to Strengthen Native Families. Further, the Red Lake Nation of Minnesota has also entered into a partnership agreement and will participate in the planning and implementation of an Initiative related project that will take place in March during the MIEC conference.
The project will be cross-generational in that it will involve Native American youth, adults and elders who participate in the conference. During the first day of the conference's youth track, the youth in attendance will receive training that will prepare them to conduct a live Webcast (video streamed to the Internet for distant viewing) during the second day's activities. The Webcast portion will be planned by the youth as a part of their training on day one. During the second day the youth will actually produce and direct the Webcast in accordance with their plan. The Webcast will include:
- a panel made up of tribal elders who will address the questions, “do you see a change in the family structure today that have negative consequences on our communities in comparison to the family in which you were raised, and if so what changes do you believe are needed today to counteract these negative consequences and strengthen our Native families?”, and
- a talking circle involving all participants in the youth track (including youth, adults and elders) to further address the questions and to propose actions that would promote building stronger Native families within their respective communities. At the close of the talking circle the youth councils and youth groups represented among the conference participants will be given the opportunity to commit to taking further actions to promote the objectives of the National Initiative to Strengthen Native Families.
The video recordings of the panel discussions and talking circle will be edited and placed on the UNITY and/or other Websites for future viewings.
Have a question or comment, text them to 520-229-7536. Also, we'd like to know how many are watching the webcasts, so text us and let us know you're tuned in.
National UNITY Council
Undertakes National Initiative
National UNITY Council representatives met in Arlington, VA in February 2007 for their annual Mid-Year Business Meeting. During this meeting the Council voted to undertake a national service project with the purpose of building “a stronger nation by designing, organizing and carrying out a National Initiative to Strengthen Native Families”. This decision was formalized by the passage of a resolution that states in part that, “ the National UNITY Council shall assume a primary leadership role and promote and support youth council projects and activities that Strengthen Native Families.”
The activities that are taking place in conjunction with the Michigan Indian Education Council's (MIEC) 2008 Conference - Seventh Generation Strategic Planning to Strengthen Native Families - make up the sixth project of the National Initiative.
Participate in the Native youth led
National Initiative to Strengthen Native Families
If your youth council is interested in joining in, download and complete the Youth Council Commitment form and fax it to the UNITY office: 405-971-1071. If you have questions or would like additional information, send an email to pnyteam@pnyteam.org.
If your organization is interested in joining in and helping ensure the success of the National Initiative download, complete and fax the partner agreement form to the UNITY office: 405-971-1071. If you have questions or would like additional information, send an email to pnyteam@pnyteam.org.