What a journey we are on! I co-founded Visioning B.E.A.R Circle Intertribal Coalition (VBCIC) with a group of survivors from Western Massachusetts who co-authored the Walking in Balance training out of desperation for a culturally relevant approach to keeping children safe in our communities.
It is inspiring what a handful of passionate people can do when our lives are at stake. VBCIC is honored to be sitting in Circle and sharing the Walking in Balance training with organizers and residents of the Wind River community and the fearless people making change and telling their stories on the journey to healing for themselves and the whole Wind River community.
I appreciate the organization and leadership of Darrah Perez Good Voice Elk of the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
As you know, I founded Visioning B.E.A.R. Circle Intertribal Coalition in 2014. A 501c3 organization located in Greenfield, the coalition is the only nonprofit technical assistance provider for addressing child sexual assault in Indian country. In 2017, the Wind River Indian Reservation community identified child sexual assault as a root cause for many social, health, and economic limitations and concerns in addition to ongoing violence.
Wind River created a collaboration with Visioning B.E.A.R Circle Intertribal Coalition when these conclusions were validated in a 2019 Community Readiness Assessment. Visioning B.E.A.R.’s training in Keeping Our Children Safe curriculum has been made possible with a grant from Raliance.
Beginning in the summer of 2019, eight Wind River Indian Reservation community members have been certified by Visioning B.E.A.R. Circle Intertribal Coalition to be “co-Circles Keeper” and train others. Currently there are 20 community members participating and/or in training facilitated by community-certified trainers/co-Circle Keepers.
Our goal is to have 42 community members having taken/completed Visioning B.E.A.R. in keeping children safe by the end Spring 2020.
You can help us continue this important, life-changing organizing and capacity-building with Wind River and enable us to respond to the multiple requests we are now receiving from other Reservation communities.
Please consider a donation of any amount. It is especially helpful if you can become a sustaining supporter, giving monthly. It helps us to guarantee we can respond to emerging needs here in Massachusetts and within Indian country throughout the U.S.
If you prefer to make your credit or debit card donation offline, or wish to discuss other giving opportunities, please contact me at visioningb.e.a.r@gmail.com. If you prefer to make your donation by check, please send to: Visioning Bear Circle Intertribal Coalition, P.O. Box 1286, Greenfield, MA 01302-1286
Strong Oak LeFebvre is the executive director of Visioning Bear Circle Intertribal Coalition.