Did you know? STTARS stands for Safety, Training, Technical Assistance, Resources, and Support. Our vision is Safe Housing For All Our Relatives.
Request Housing Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) from STTARS Indigenous Safe Housing Center. STTARS provides culturally rooted training and technical assistance, policy development, and Indigenous-centered resource materials to support Tribes, Tribal housing authorities, and Tribal domestic violence programs and shelters to address the intersection of Gender-Based Violence and Housing Insecurity and Homelessness and create safe housing options for survivors. To request T/TA, please fill out the form located on our website with as much detail as possible, and we will be in touch!
As the holidays and new year quickly approach us, STTARS thanks all of our partner organizations for working with us to address homelessness and gender-based violence among Indigenous communities. We wish you a warm and safe holiday season. May the new year bring you peace, reflection, healing, and grace.
STTARS attended the Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition 8th Gathering for Healthy Relations Statewide Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. During the conference, STTARS staff presented on a panel titled "The Voices of Survivors Experiencing Housing Insecurity and Homelessness." This year’s gathering brought together Tribal service providers to network, share information and resources, and explore critical issues around safety, healing, and justice for survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence.
(Left to right): Natalie Deanda and Clarice Charlie-Hubbard
National Congress of American Indians 81st Annual Convention & Marketplace
STTARS participated in the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) 81st Annual Convention & Marketplace in Las Vegas, Nevada, networking with many Tribal leaders and providing valuable resources at the NIWRC booth. STTARS also attended the VAWA Task Force meeting, which provided important information and discussions on the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) updates, policy updates, and Tribal consultation.
(Left to right): Clarice Charlie-Hubbard and Gwendolyn Packard
2024 Peer to Peer Tribal ARP Gathering
The 2024 Peer to Peer Tribal ARP Gathering convened Tribal ARP grantees to address global issues surrounding sexual assault and domestic violence. Attendees connected with organizations to discuss challenges, barriers, successes, and project implementations. Presentations covered Effective Grant Management, Grassroots Advocacy, Organizational Balance and Wellness, and Navigating IT Systems for Tribal Domestic Violence Programs. STTARS conducted a listening session identifying promising practices that amplify survivors' voices and those with lived experience at the intersection of housing insecurity/homelessness and Gender-Based Violence.
STTARS will be at NAIHC!
The National American Indian Housing Council's (NAIHC) Legal Symposium will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, December 9th-12, 2024. The symposium offers Tribal housing and legal professionals insights into affordable housing for Native families. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other housing organizations will connect to discuss tribal housing issues. Visit STTARS at our informational booth in the exhibitor room to learn more about our program and resources.
Social Security Resources for Survivors
The Social Security Administration has compiled new resources focused on supporting women and survivors of gender-based violence, which are now available in both English and Spanish:
Remembrances and Recommendations in Working With Our Indigenous Unhoused Relatives
Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. MT
Join NIWRC and STTARS for a vital conversation about supporting our unhoused relatives and community members experiencing housing insecurity and gender-based violence. As we approach Winter Solstice – the longest night of the year and a sacred time of ceremony and reflection – expert panelists will share their frontline experiences working with Indigenous communities, including culturally grounded approaches, lessons learned, and effective practices for providing support and advocacy. This timely discussion will deepen our understanding of how to better serve and protect vulnerable community members during the winter months and beyond.
As the winter season approaches, NIWRC will observe our annual office quietude from December 18, 2024, through January 7, 2025. This dedicated time allows our team to rest, reflect, and nurture connections with family, community, and culture. We will resume regular operations and respond to inquiries beginning January 8, 2025. We thank you for your understanding and continued partnership— may this season bring peace, healing, and renewal.
From Land Loss, Boarding Schools, and the Indian Child Welfare Act to Housing Insecurities: Addressing Violence and Displacement in Indian Country and the Importance of Low-Barrier Housing Policies for Survivors
STTARS Indigenous Safe Housing Center hosted a webinar discussing the history of boarding schools and child welfare at the intersection of land loss, gender-based violence, housing disparities, housing insecurities and the ensuing lasting genocidal impacts on American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States. In this session, our speakers enhanced our understanding of policy development and emphasized the critical need for accessible low-barrier housing policies for survivors of gender-based violence.
STTARS wants to highlight an amazing advocate that has diligently dedicated many years of national leadership advocating for survivors of gender-based violence. Their dedication in this movement continues to be a pillar in our space as we continue gender-based violence and homelessness work in Indigenous communities.
We are honored to have D. Fox work closely with STTARS and our National Workgroup; they are a fierce advocate with a heart of gold and we are excited to feature their work in our newsletter. Everyone, meet D. Fox! As former Deputy Director of Housing Policy and Practice at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), D. Fox championed expanded federal housing protections through VAWA 2022 and secured the HUD Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault/Human Trafficking Bonus Funds in 2018. They co-led the Safe Housing Partnership Technical Assistance Consortium (SHPTAC), working to improve survivors' access to safe, affordable housing with a focus on racial equity and Native American survivors. D. Fox is a recognized expert in gender-based violence, racial equity, homelessness, and housing policy, currently consulting nationwide on these issues. Beyond their advocacy work, they build community through music and pickleball, fostering connections among LGBTQIA2S+ people and allies.
Request Housing Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) from STTARS Indigenous Safe Housing Center. STTARS provides culturally rooted training and technical assistance, policy development, and Indigenous-centered resource materials to support Tribes, Tribal housing authorities, and Tribal domestic violence programs and shelters to address the intersection of Gender-Based Violence and Housing Insecurity and Homelessness and create safe housing options for survivors. To request T/TA, please fill out the form located on our website at niwrc.org/housing/contact with as much detail as possible, and we will be in touch!
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 12 Bowstring Street, Lame Deer, MT. 59043 406.477.3896
