What is the name of your organization?
kwu cnxi nonprofit
What is the name of your solution?
Intergenerational Healing - Resilience through Culture
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Reclaiming Indigenous education through curriculum development guided by First Language Speakers and backed by neurobiology, behavioral health experts, and education experts.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Spokane, WA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
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What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
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What specific problem are you solving?
Mental health is a predictor of educational outcomes. Native students in Washington State, and nationally, have the poorest educational outcomes by race since the boarding school era. Poor educational outcomes create barriers to socioeconomic stability. This leads to a wide variety of social issues that plague all tribes in America.
What is your solution?
Intergenerational Healing - Resilience through Culture is a paradigm shift that elevates the voices of First Language Speakers to recreate traditional upbringing from womb to adulthood. From these teachings, educational and mental health experts package the information to educators or community members working with or caring for Native children to provide cultural curricula and resources that are engaging, healing, and cognitively substantive. Within the cultural practice itself, detailed narratives of what is happening physiologically to improve mental health and cross curricular integration (state educational standards) is spelled out to allow educators to easily implement into schools. To support this shift, professional development and mentorship opportunities will be provided throughout the year to support educators and communities to implement programs to cultural fidelity. By targeting mental health through language and cultural education, the aim is to improve community health, wellness, and social outcomes.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our nonprofit has existing relationships with programs and organizations that will benefit from this work. Our partners and friends are Spokane School District, NorthEast Washington Educational Service District, Paschal Sherman Indian School, Colville Tribe Head Start, Waterfall Immersion School, Outma Sqilxw Language and Culture School, Waterfall Immersion School, Osoyoos Indian Band Language House, Okanagan Indian Band Language Nest. These programs are located across the ancestral territory of the Okanagan and Arrow Lakes peoples. Our partners (aka beneficiaries) are located on the Colville Reservation, Spokane Washington, NorthEastern Washington, Penticton British Columbia, Osoyoos British Columbia, Westbank British Columbia, and Vernon British Columbia. Our nonprofit is also dedicated to being a beacon and creating a roadmap for other Native American communities interested in similar pathways in their own communities. Part of our work will include sharing our stories, offering training, and participating in various conferences and convenings to inspire and educate others.
