| Last updated on March 29, 2008 |
The Indigenous Women’s Network (IWN) was established in 1985 as a grassroots initiative mandated to champion the worldview and rights of Indigenous women in the Americas and around the world. The Indigenous Women’s Network builds sustainable communities from a focus that encompasses the inherent rights of our peoples including: (1) the right to self-determine our social, political and economic status; (2) the recognition of, and respect for our ancestral lands and their biological diversity; (3) the recovery of traditional health care practices and access to health care; and (4) intellectual and cultural property rights.
Description:
Signature Programs
- The Women’s Gathering, the strength of IWN since 1985
The Women’s Gathering has been the strength of IWN giving direction to our organization. The Gathering is held at the community level and brings together between 100-200 Indigenous Women from across the Americas.
- Indigenous Woman Magazine, the face of IWN since 1991
Indigenous Woman has been produced quarterly since 1991 and disseminated to subscribers (currently 600) as well as thousands of supporters in Indian country and communities around the world. The magazine is an editorial collective that spotlights Indigenous women’s viewpoints. Each issue features articles from Indigenous women activists and leaders, community service providers, individual subscribers and at events/gatherings.
- Alma de Mujer – Home of IWN since 1996
Alma de Mujer, the home of IWN, was donated to the organization in 1996. Alma is a 22 acre retreat centre near Lake Travis Alma has provided IWN with office and program space and operated as a retreat center and a place where Indigenous people from the Austin community could gather and where progressive organizations could re-energize and continue their work promoting social change.
- The Emerging Activist Leadership Program – IWN Flagship Program since 1998
The Emerging Activist Leadership Program provides an internship opportunity that takes place over the course of a year to five young Indigenous women leaders. The program will prepare these five Indigenous women to lead the organization in the future by mentoring them to become leaders in the movement for a greater empowerment of Indigenous women, and for the preservation of Indigenous values and culture throughout the world.
History:
IWN emerged from a gathering of 200+ Native women activists in Yelm, Washington in 1985. The organization was founded on the philosophy that we must work within the vision of elders whose spiritual guidance and wisdom is critical to our very survival as human beings. Since that first gathering, we have become known for inspiring strategic, pro-active and affirming events and publications that reach Indigenous women activists and link them with prominent national and international leaders.
Our culturally centered programs involve seasoned Indigenous women activists and leaders as mentors and teachers for emerging activists of all ages to share their experience and organizing tools for sustainable communities. IWN provides the organizational structure, land base (through our 22-acre Alma de Mujer Retreat Center outside Austin, TX) and platform for Indigenous women to participate in the political discussions affecting their community, share their knowledge, learn from the women elders of the Americas, as well as award winning activists, artists and educators. We ensure that women can gather in safe spaces free of discrimination to discuss and define issues among themselves, learn skills from one another and share their cultural and political views with the global community in a strategic way that affects the policies governing our lives. IWN also networks with proven Native nonprofit organizations as host sites and sponsors for emerging activists.
IWN mainly serves reservation- and rural-based Native women, although urban women are reached as well. Most of our constituents are in the United States, but we also conduct outreach to those in Mexico and Central America. Our programs are based on needs expressed by Indigenous women themselves. Programs reach community-level activists and extend to international-level campaigning for Indigenous sovereignty and human rights. IWN is guided by a Board of Indigenous women.
Accomplishments include:
• Representing Indigenous women at United Nations events for the past 15 years, addressing the environment, population, economic development and human rights.
• Building the capacity of 250+ Indigenous women annually through culturally appropriate workshops and gatherings to increase skills in organizational and project development.
• Training Indigenous women leaders who have established ongoing, sustainable projects in their communities in South Dakota, focusing on cultural preservation, health and youth education issues.
• Creating and publishing Indigenous Woman magazine since 1991 to provide the nationally voice for Indigenous women.
• Maintaining a thirteen-year youth program to serve low income Latino and Native American youth in the Austin, TX area.
Contact people:
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Ann Batisse, Director, (512) 258-3880, (email)
Gilly McNaughton, Assistant Director, (512) 258-3880, (email)
Antonio Lopez, Program Director, 512-258=3880, (email) |
Office fax number: (512) 258-1858
Address:
Web Site: http://www.indigenouswomen.org
Directions:
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35 North to 183 North and exit on Anderson Mill Road. Turn left and go straight past 620 toward Lake Travis. Centre is on left hand side.
Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: N/A
For maps or information, please see http://www.capmetro.org/riding/trip_info.asp |
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