The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission hosts an annual Healing Run along the great lakes. Our Kwepack has participated in the run for over 5 years. We consider it a huge honor to bring a part of our story of running for our Life to this year's T shirt design.
This year has brought focus onto our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in incredible and beautiful ways. This year has also brought incredible focus onto Native wellness and onto our Indigenous Running Group the KwePack and the power of taking control of our own narratives.
As the trump era and treaty rights tension builds our communities face threats we had hoped and worked to extinguish. The Healing Run runners faced harassment all along their route. The day before the runners reached my home community a man attempted to abduct one of our young women along the run. The next day the whole team was shaken and asked the KwePack to run with her. We were honored to represent our home community and care for these young women. The KwePack ran 31 miles through the reservation that day and passed along our hopes to the GLIFWC runners.
Running is so much more than exercise. Its about healing, prayer, freedom, and sharing community. When we are able to bring our stories into life they are powerful. Hold your community close, look out for each other, stay strong and run hard.
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