‘Miscellany’ Archives
Life Goes On at Takoda Institute””American Indian OIC During Covid-19
Takoda means “All Are Welcome” in Lakota Language By Takoda Institute Staff Life goes on at the American Indian OIC””Takoda Institute building and over the Internet. The spring term saw regular Takoda Institute class offerings in the Patient Services Specialist and Computer Support Specialist programs held entirely online with the students and staff working mainly from home and using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or other online conferencing and learning tools. This was after the instructors took crash courses and the students prepared their devices. As many schools, we have permission from the Higher Ed. Office and our accrediting agency to temporarily conduct classes online. Classes started on April 13 and are expected to wrap up at end of June, leaving July 6 as the likely starting date for the Summer Qtr. In that quarter, if conditions permit and regulators allow, we hope to offer limited on-site training at a safe distance in our computer rooms while [...]
MIGIZI Communications Continues and Expands During Covid-19 2020 School Year
MIGIZI means “bald eagle” in the Ojibwe language. By JOHN GWINN Like all other schools and youth serving organizations, MIGIZI rather abruptly shut its doors to staff and participants on March 16 in accordance with the Governor”™s shelter in place order. Since that time, MIGIZI staff have switched to an online service platform, whereas participants can log on to a virtual meeting with Migizi staff via Zoom. Not only are we offering homework help and academic support, staff have also come up with other cultural well being programming including Medicine Mondays and Cooking with Jane. MIGIZI”™s workforce readiness and job training programs went virtual as well. With students enrolled in either the Green Jobs or Social Media Marketing career pathway, staff delivered all necessary coursework materials and supplies directly to their homes, including iPads, Apple pencils and solar charger kits. Migizi Instructors send solar kits to students at [...]
An Open Letter to Governor Walz and Local Decision-Makers
””from a front-line public health nurse, 5.18.2020 I am reaching out to connect about the resource distribution and conditions for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in MN, and the resonance to a dire time in state”™s history. Summer 1862: displaced Indigenous people, of the recently established State of MN, were waiting on over-due annuity from the U.S. gov”™t. Exposed to a series of epidemic diseases, hungry, vacated from land and homes, they asked officials for more credit for food and supplies from locally-controlled stores in order to survive the months to come. Dakiota Internment Camp at Fort Snelling, MN 1862. Photo: Between Fences (video still) ©Mona Smith, 2012 One local response was, “Let them eat grass, or their own dung.”2020: displaced Indigenous people, of the still-occupied Dakota land, continue to wait on the overdue annuity from the US gov”™t. 2020: Indigenous descendants are 17 times more [...]
