Geshikganaquay (Cheryl, Ojibway) and Arla (Euro-American) co-presenting at the Western Maine United Church of Christ Clergy Gathering, Fryburg, Maine
MAINE WABANAKI-STATE CHILD WELFARE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
For three and a half years Arla worked for the first truth commission in the US, established to investigate what happened to Native children in the child welfare system in Maine. After a year and a half as a volunteer for the Communications Committee, she became the Community Engagement Coordinator for Maine-Wabanaki REACH (Reconciliation, Engagement, Advocacy, Change and Healing.)
Is a coalition of Native and Non-Native people who developed and seated the Maine Wabanaki-State TRC, readied the communities for the work of the Commission and are continuing to implement the recommendations of the Maine Wabanaki-State TRC today. As the Community Engagement coordinator Arla helped develop presentations to educate the Non-Native communities about the TRC and create trainings for Maine citizens to become allies.
My wonderful former colleagues of the Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Maine Wabanaki REACH (reconciliation, engagement, advocacy,change and healing).
When I worked for Maine-Wabanaki REACH I designed the logo with the dragon fly. Each of the four wings contain one of the four symbols of the tribes of the Wabanaki Confederacy: Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot. The blueberry body represents the entire state of Maine.
TODAY
Here in Pennsylvania, I continue to work toward truth, healing and change in regard to our shared history with Indigenous Peoples. After offering an educational program on that subject at The Peace Center in Langhorne, PA I partnered with Kidsbridge Youth Center in New Jersey. Together we received two grants from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. In collaboration with the three tribes of New Jersey, we created a program “Building Greater Understanding About Native American History” that has now been presented many times in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area. In November of 2019, I became a co-founding member of CNA, Coalition of Natives and Allies working to eliminate discrimination with race based mascots in our schools. With the expertise of Oscar Nominated film director Eli Noyes, we have turned our educational program into a film: NATIVE WOMEN AND ALLIES SPEAK: What You Weren’t Taught in School. Please contact us if your organization is interested in us presenting this film with a Q & A to follow. arla@arlapatch.com