As we look forward to the final two months of FY2023, the STTARS Indigenous Safe Housing Center (STTARS) reflects on the third quarter of this funding period and extends much gratitude toward survivors, workgroup members, external partners, and partners in the new Office of Family Violence and Prevention Services.
April
The National Workgroup Meeting
STTARS hosted its second National Workgroup Meeting for FY2023. Though we experienced firsthand the impact of the climate crisis in southeast Florida and braved our meeting through a 1,000-year flood, the Native Learning Center, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and Chairwoman Mariann Billie (Big Cypress) graciously welcomed and took excellent care of us. We look forward to hosting two meetings for FY2024. If you are interested in joining our National Workgroup, please feel free to contact us.
Participants of the second National Workgroup Meeting for FY2023, collaborating together as strong-hearted relatives to address the spectrum of housing and climate insecurity. Photo Credit to Gwen Packard.
STTARS Visits Yakama Nation
Our STTARS Sr. Housing Specialist, Gwen Packard, visited Yakama Nation in Washington State to provide training and technical assistance to the Yakama Victim Resource Program. The Yakama Victim Resource Center is housed within the Yakama Nation Behavioral Health and is in the process of opening a domestic violence shelter. The Tribe has converted a hotel into a shelter and program office. Once operational, it will house 16 families, including space reserved for multi-generational families. While there, we noticed a large, visible Indigenous homeless population. There are nine housing developments and three homeless shelters at Yakama Nation.
The Victim Resource Program and other Tribal departments work diligently to house their people, employing multiple agencies, funding streams, and on and off-reservation resources.
Group photo of the Yakama site visit attendees. Photo Credit to Gwen Packard.
May
STTARS in Hawaii
STTARS traveled to Hawaii for the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC)’s Annual Conference, where we hosted an entire track — a major shoutout to the Pouhana O Nā Wahine (PONW)! They hosted an incredible Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) event in Oahu, HI, and invited STTARS to participate. Our week in Hawaii would not have been a success had it not been for Dayna Shultz, the Executive Director of PONW, and her incredible staff. STTARS gave four presentations, hosted a listening session in Hilo, HI, and connected with many Native Hawaiian relatives during our time there.
Group photo during the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC)’s Annual Conference in Waikoloa Village, Big Island (Hawaii). / Photo Credit to Caroline LaPorte.
CSH Supportive Housing Summit in Philadelphia, PA & Listening Sessions
On June 1, Caroline LaPorte and Gwendolyn Packard presented at the CSH Supportive Housing Summit in Philadelphia. STTARS presented on “Creating an Indigenous Safe Housing Center.” One woman who attended our session said she had been coming to this conference for years, and this was the first time there was a session by and for Indigenous people.
STTARS also updated the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Violence Against Native Women Task Force, sharing critical information about listening sessions and policy recommendations.
Then, STTARS hosted a housing-specific track at Women are Sacred (WAS), a listening session with survivors, and an interview with ‘Native America Calling.’ STTARS spoke about the struggle to access safe, affordable housing for survivors of gender-based violence. It was a privilege to discuss this pressing issue with Norine Hill (Oneida Nation of the Thames), Executive Director/Founder of Mother Nation, and Dawn Begay (Diné), Native American Affairs Coordinator, City of Albuquerque.🎧 Listen here!
In July, STTARS partnered with the HUD Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) to bring a two-part webinar series to HUD Tribal grantees. STTARS will provide an updated link once it is available.
STTARS also partnered with the NIWRC policy team on their OVW Consultation Webinar, where we shared policy recommendations, key takeaways from our listening sessions, and our HUD Consultation Guidance.
STTARS Celebrates New Director of Communications, Kelsey
Kelsey Foote (pictured) also co-created "No More Stolen Sisters" (2023) with the NIWRC Policy Team and her brother, fellow artist Nick Alan. / Photo courtesy of Nick Arnold.
We also want to take this time to congratulate Kelsey Foote, recently promoted to NIWRC’s Director of Communications and Advancement. Kelsey is an accomplished children’s book illustrator and graphic artist from Southeast Alaska.
In addition to her role as the Creative Editor for Restoration Magazine, she has completed two books in collaboration with the Sealaska Heritage Institute, one of which is scheduled to be released in late 2023. Both books were created and published through the Baby Raven Reads program, which focuses on early literacy and school readiness for Alaska Native children. The program itself has received numerous awards since its founding year of 2017, including the Best Practice Honoree from the Library of Congress.
Upcoming STTARS Events
Save the Date
🗓️ August 8 - 10: OVW Tribal Consultation in Tulsa, OK
🗓️September 26 - 28: Tribal Government Summit in Jacksonville, FL
🗓️ October 22 - 26: Project Opal Sessions in Washington, DC
STTARS lifts three of our National Workgroup Members: Liana "Joy" Sanchez, Memory Dawn Long Chase, and Diana “Dede” Yazzie Devine. We celebrate these three incredible advocates and their tireless work to end violence and homelessness in both on and off-reservation communities:
Photo of Liana "Joy" Sanchez (left) with family. / Photo credit unknown.
Liana “Joy” Sanchezhas been an integral part of our workgroup since its inception, and we look forward to seeing the creative and innovative ways she and her brother continue to transform their existing work. She shares Avanyu LLC with her brother, and earlier this year, they were awarded a contract with the Rio Arriba County in northern New Mexico to create a Rural Housing Task Force. This task force aims to develop a strategic housing plan for individuals impacted by substance use disorder. Already within three months, the task force has had a significant impact. While affordable housing units and shelters have been overwhelmed locally, the Task Force has been able to advocate, step in, and extend deadlines (keeping families in homes).
Avanyu LLC is also working with the Espanola Pathways Shelter to raise funds for their nonprofit transitional housing complex, which currently only has six functioning units and needs major renovations. Liana just received word that they now have an appropriation for the renovations at Pathways Village, with a total budget of $1.7 million.
Photo of Memory Dawn Long Chase. / Photo credit unknown.
Memory Dawn Long Chase joined our National Workgroup in August of 2022. She recently earned the 2023 Arizona Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for Courage in Action for her outstanding contributions to survivors and tireless efforts for victims' rights and assistance. Memory is a victim advocate at Southwest Indigenous Women's Coalition (SWIWC) in Mesa, Arizona. STTARS is unsurprised that she is this year’s award recipient. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes thanked Memory for her incredible work and presented this award at the April statewide collaborative Victim’s Rights Week event.
Photo of Diana Yazzie Devine. / Photo credit unknown.
Diana “Dede” Yazzie Devine, a founding workgroup member appointed to CSH’s National Board of Directors. Dede is the President and CEO of Native American Connections (Phoenix, AZ), which provides affordable housing, behavioral health, and economic development services. Per the announcement from CSH, Dede’s career began in substance misuse counseling, and she joined the NAC in 1979. Dede led NAC to own and operate more than 1,200 affordable and supportive housing for Tribal members experiencing homelessness.
“As CEO of Native American Connections (NAC), it has been an honor to serve my Community for over 40 years,” Devine reflects. “NAC has been a leader in creating equitable housing solutions for Phoenix’s growing sheltered and unsheltered homeless population, and I am now honored to be able to share our lessons learned at the National level with my representation on the Corporation for Supportive Housing Board of Directors.”
Announcements
Bipartisan Defense Authorization Bill Amendment Would Reauthorize Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act. Read U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Committee, statements on Senate passage of their amendment to reauthorize the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) here.
On July 14, NIWRC and STTARS celebrated the appointment of Rosie Hidalgo as the Director of OVW:
“Rosie’s incredible diplomacy, her deep conviction for survivor safety, and her intentional approach to addressing gender-based violence will continue to improve the response to violence in all communities. For STTARS, we are confident her confirmation will translate into increased access to safe, affordable, and inclusive housing and shelter for Indigenous survivors,” said Caroline LaPorte, Director of STTARS. Read the full statement on our official website.
In June, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in the Brackeen Litigation. As most of Indian country awaited the fate of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the impacts of the decision on Tribal sovereignty beyond this case, NIWRC’s general counsel Mary Kathryn Nagle along with Sarah Deer, filed an amicus brief (organizations are encouraged to sign on before August 11). With the Court upholding the ICWA 5-4, NIWRC and STTARS celebrated with a joint statement. Read the full statement on our official website.
We have pass-through ARP funds for Tribal domestic violence programs and shelters and Tribal not-for-profit organizations. Eligible programs can receive up to $15,000 per award and reapply for additional funds. Our main priority for this funding is to support Tribal programs and community organizations serving Indigenous survivors of gender-based violence at the intersection of housing instability and homelessness.
Did you know? STTARS stands for Safety, Technical Assistance and Training, Resources, and Support. Our vision is Safe Housing For All Our Relatives.
STTARS Indigenous Safe Housing Center is funded by grant #90EV0537 from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family, and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents of this newsletter are solely the responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Our mailing address is: NIWRC, Attn: STTARS Indigenous Safe Housing Center P.O. Box 99, Lame Deer, MT
Our company address and phone number is:
National Indigenous Women's Resource Center 515 Lame Deer Ave, Lame Deer, MT. 59043 406.477.3896
