NYA Heritage of Healing Membership Drive

Hello,

Here’s an update for some of you who haven’t heard from us in some time. For those of you who don’t remember, Native Youth Alliance is a national Native American-led not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Native American culture and spiritual ways. We have been founded since 1990 and incorporated in Maryland since 1993. Working in defense of our People and our lands has led us to ally ourselves with many grassroots Native communities and to work on a number of issues of concern to Indigenous Peoples. We have supported the Gwich'in Nation on ANWR, the Dine of Big Mountain, and political prisoner Leonard Peltier. We have also worked on the passage of the Indian Religious Freedoms and Indian Child Welfare Acts. For 8 years beginning in 1993 we held the Healing Global Wounds Pow Wow for all those affected by the nuclear cycle. Every November from 1999-2002, NYA put up tipis and held 30-day vigils on the grounds of the Washington Monument for Native American Heritage Month; in November of 1999 we held the first Native American Church service ever held on the National Mall. An attachment lists more of “What We’ve Done.”

Since 1993, Native Youth Alliance has held numerous gatherings in Washington, DC, about these issues of concern to Native Peoples. Since 1997 we have held a gathering in mid-January. This year’s event will be four days and will include meetings and a reception/social. Please contact us for more information.

All our past efforts have led us to our current focus on health care disparities among Native American people, particularly children. Thus we founded the Heritage of Healing Project in 2005, dedicated to cancer awareness and relief for Native American children in families experiencing cancers. As we have learned from personal experience and from the National Cancer Institute report issued in the Fall of 2007, cancer is a major cause of death for Indian people and, according to this report, Native Americans are the only segment of the US population for whom cancer deaths have not gone down in the last 20 years. More on this project was written up in Indian Country Today at www.indiancountrytoday.com/archive/28397739.html. At this time, we are seeking support for our Heritage of Healing Relief Program, which provides some of the things that become difficult to maintain in families experiencing cancer: presents for birthdays and holidays, new coats for winter, trips to movies and museums, etc—all the things that help maintain a sense of normalcy in trying times. Currently, we are seeking donations so the children in need can have new coats and holiday gifts for the Winter.

In keeping with NYA’s belief that all efforts need a strong spiritual foundation, Heritage of Healing began with a Pipe Ceremony held on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, still ravaged by Katrina, in the Winter of 2006. This was followed by Pipe Ceremonies at the Tree of Life in Arlington National Ceremony in May 2008 & 2009. We held our first Summer Gathering here last September in Ypsilanti, MI, which also began with a Pipe Ceremony. Featured speakers included Ypsilanti’s Mayor, and representatives from the American Cancer Society and the Ann Arbor Wellness Community. The prayer was rendered in the Potawatomi language by Elder Ruth Anne Chivas, as the gathering was held on traditional Potawatomi land. Native Americans from throughout the state--representing Nations from the Prairies, Great Lakes, Southwest, Northwest & Southeast--who are fighting cancer joined us for this pow wow, and the first Heritage of Healing Jingle Dress Dance was held at this time by the originator of this vision. The Gathering also included a Walk for Health and a feast for all present. All who participated left with a good feeling, and many made a commitment to help for next year..

In the mid-1990’s, NYA was umbrella’d by the Washington Peace Center’s 501(c)(3) status, until 2000, when NYA was granted its own tax-exempt status. In 2001, however, I began having symptoms of bone marrow cancer that I contracted from radiation exposure received in one the trips we made to actions at the Nevada Test Site in 1991-1993. Since July 2006 I have been receiving treatment at University of Michigan Hospital and am in near-complete remission; but we are increasingly aware that there are many others in dire need. Due to the cancer we had no address from 2002-2006, during which time we were unable to file our annual 990 reports with the IRS; consequently, we lost our tax-exempt status solely for this reason. We are currently working to refile and have it restored.

Until that time, our fiscal sponsor is once again the Washington Peace Center, which has agreed to umbrella us with their tax-exempt status. Thus, donations to Native Youth Alliance are again tax-deductible. At this time, we invite you to become one of the first members of Heritage of Healing. Members will receive a membership card, quarterly newsletters, periodic updates, and admission to all Heritage of Healing Gatherings. Members will also receive a t-shirt, pin or patch. All donors will also receive the knowledge that they contributed to helping Heritage of Healing fulfill its goals.

All contributions are much appreciated. A form for annual membership is attached; please complete it and return it to Native Youth Alliance, PO Box 981148, Ypsilanti, MI 48198. Please contact us about other ways to help. We can be reached by email at NativeYouthAlliance@yahoo.com or by phone at 734-323-0762.

Much thanks,



Shoshana Beth Phillips,
Executive Director
Native Youth Alliance
NativeYouthAlliance@yahoo.com
734-323-0762