Here at Heart Berry, this small business on the Rez, we are committed to Sovereignty. Sovereignty of our community, our culture, our economy, our bodies, and our futures. We love to utilize our cultural art and our space here with you to build that sovereignty. With the power of your support and collaboration of the MN Wonderwall our give backs to the ICWA Law Center and Wakan Tipi donated over $16,000! Just imagine what is possible! At a recent awards ceremony I was inspired to create a scholarship for Native students seeking education past high school. We have so much power to create space that supports our young native scholars and build a future more independent, more sovereign, than we...
Across Native Land (everywhere on turtle island) students prepare for the culmination of years of hard work, survival, late nights, and get to stand out as the pride of their family. For many of these students this experience is mixed with the complexity of being a Native person within institutions that do not value or see them. Every year it seems there is a school district taking away Native scholars feathers, telling students they can't wear beaded caps, or excluding our culture from the school. Almost without fail we are forced to advocate on behalf of our community about why we need to be known and seen. We see some institutions doing the work to build in curriculum, staff, and...
Heart Berry was really born from the collaborative spirit. "The small regalia business I ran from my kitchen table grew into Heart Berry from the vision and collaboration of Eighth Generation." Giizh Heart Berry has been fortunate to collaborate with amazing artists like Holly Young and Nedahness Greene on some of our proudest art installations. We collaborate with non profits such as the Minnesota United Wonderwall to raise large sums of money from our tiny business on the Rez. Last year we raised and donated over $16,000 with our collaborative hearts and you. We believe in the power of Creating Space. We also believe this is our role and responsibility. Auntie's Table brought together aspiring and accomplished makers...
Embracing Native Culture: A Journey of Graduation, Pride, and Blankets Graduating from college is a milestone worth celebrating, but for many Indigenous students, it's more than just receiving a diploma; it's a culmination of resilience, identity, and cultural pride. As an Anishinaabeg, we understand the significance of honoring our history, especially in moments of achievement. We know how hard your Native students work, the barriers they jump over, and the sweetness of their victories. Education has always been central to Indigenous communities, as young people have always learned from elders and family members. Excelling and knowledge carrying has always been central to our way of life. The boarding school era severed and created multiple generations of trauma around missing links to culture, family,...
To our Graduates: To all our graduates in 2021 we honor you. We are so proud of everything you have accomplished. From the pre-k to the PHD, you have seen your studies through a time unlike any of us have ever known. You have struggled through shuffling your google meets, the internet going out, your kids distance learning, and endless states of anxiety and unsure of the future. It has been hard. When we look back at the lives of our grandparents, we see that education is not simple. It has often been a tool of oppression and cultural genocide. When we look at our lives, it is a tool to gather our...
