Resistance Studies Initiative Hosting Inter-Tribal Forum

The Resistance Studies Initiative and the Gathering for the Revitalization of Native American Resistance Movements are hosting a free, public forum, “Indigenous Resistance, Environmental Struggle and 21st Century Survival,” on Monday, March 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Bernie Dallas Room in Goodell Hall.

This event is the public celebration of the private weekend gathering at UMass Amherst of 50 activist leaders from different indigenous tribes, nations and organizations across the continent, focused on experiences and strategies of resistance from the Red Power period in the 1960s until today. The event will feature music, poetry and presentations from local and regional attendees, including PennElys Droz (Anishinaabe/Wyandot) of the NDN Collective, Gizelxanath Rodriguez (Yaqui) of the award-winning Afro-Yaqui Music Collective (AYMC) and leaders of Massachusetts-based nations, among them Nia Holley (Nipmuck).

Droz, who has worked on ecologically, culturally and economically resilient Native nation-building, will discuss indigenous environmentalism. Rodriguez, a Mexican operatic vocalist with ties to the Zapatista movement, will share stories from the Venezuelan-based Eco-Socialist International. Together with other members of the AYMC, she will perform a sampling of their eclectic fusion of revolutionary sounds.

W. E. B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies is cosponsoring the event.