‘Cover Stories’ Archives
POETRY: Kiziah’s Story
for Mom PART I/II By SHELIA BLAND We gave up a relativeTo the status quoNot voluntarily, of course --When you say “we” what do you mean, exactly? Well, I wasn’t there.No one was there really.We aren’t guilty in that sense. --Then what are we talking about? We are not guiltyNone the less, we are all responsible --All responsible? Yes, all responsible. --But no one can give testimony, becauseno one was there… We cannot give testimony, no.But we must bear witness… It was sometimeOne timeAnytime.In any case, it was a past event.Yesterday—Last year—Last century…. Yet, I can assure youIt happened. We were rule followersWe got alongWe got ahead This was trueYesterday—Last year—Last century. We were not of the one percentBarely of the ninety-nine percent—More like the zero percent.This was trueYesterday—Last year—Last century. We were the servantsWe were the sharecroppersWe were the enslaved We were the prep [...]
Reparations of Past Harms Leads to Stewardship of the Land, Justice & Love for the People
By ANEESA PARKS Rachel Dion-Thunder holding the signed agreement after Pastor Martha Bardwell and two members of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Council, Samantha Heaton and Behni Khabeb signed on the dotted line. PHOTO: Bruce Silcox This fall there will be a new landowner in our neighborhood. Although no money exchanged hands, on May 22nd the land transfer was celebrated with a ceremony and drum circle. Christians worshipping at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church and leaders from Indigenous Protector Movement forged a relationship over the last three years that linked our value of stewardship. Stewardship of our faith and stewardship of the land. The journey Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church took began with truth-telling in 2019: the truth-telling work of uncovering and learning our history, the truth-telling work of confession, and the truth-telling work of decolonizing Jesus and our faith. We came to recognize the truth that our church has done unspeakable harm to Indigenous [...]
Grand Opening of New Cultural Center
By Emily Jarrett Hughes Youth interns help with the earth block construction. PHOTO: Courtesy Mikwanedun Audisookon Indigenous Peoples Task Force invites the community to join them in celebrating the grand opening of their new center for Indigenous wellness through culture and arts, Mikwanedun Audisookon, on Wednesday, June 24. Mikwanedun Audisookon means “remember our teachings” and reflects that culture is the thread that weaves together all of programs at the Task Force. For nearly four decades the Indigenous Peoples Task Force (IPTF) has been nurturing community health and Indigenous resurgence. The intersecting crises of HIV, unhoused relatives, and opioid mis-use have led the IPTF prevention and care services to become increasingly comprehensive. The new building affords more clinical space in addition to a healing room and spaces to learn cultural arts and wellness practices. Ikidowin Youth Theater Ensemble has grown from a humble peer education program [...]
