Action for Justice
Our November justice action offers education on pursuing indigenous justice.
Pursuing Indigenous Justice
In keeping with the International Presentation Association (IPA) focus on eliminating violence against Indigenous and tribal people, this month we invited Eric Anglada to share the history of Indigenous communities who have lived in the area surrounding what we now call Dubuque, along with other Indigenous justice issues.
Eric shared that the region surrounding Dubuque is known as the “Driftless Region” or “The Refuge,” because it was unglaciated 15 – 20,000 years ago, meaning people were able to live here while most of the Midwest was covered with glaciers. This land is home to the Ho Chunk, among other Indigenous groups. This area is also known for its sacred mounds, built around 2,500 – 800 years ago, which were created out of a sense of this being sacred land. The people were living in equilibrium with the land.
Eric outlined how colonialism has created many interconnecting justice issues. On the land that we now know as the United States of America, this began with the Doctrine of Discovery, when Pope Alexander VI gave permission for European Christians to explore and conquer land, writing that Indigenous people have no inherent right to the land because they were non-Christian. This then became legalized in the U.S. in 1823 in Johnson v. M’Intosh, which reiterated that Indigenous people have no inherent right to the land.
Colonialism has led to much suffering and violence, including slaughtering many Indigenous people. Nearby, the Blackhawk War occurred in 1832. Beginning in the late 1800s, another form of violence involved native children being stolen and forced into boarding schools, 80 of which were run by the Roman Catholic Church. These boarding schools tried to strip the children of their Indigenous identity, and one school’s slogan was even, “kill the Indian to save the man.” Indigenous women have also been disproportionately affected. 84% of native women experience violence in their lifetime and they are murdered at a rate that’s 10 times the national average, often occurring where corporations bring in many workers to build the oil pipelines.
Eric often repeated the phrases, “what you do to the people, you do to the land” and “what you do to the land, you do to the people.” He shared that the climate crisis was catalyzed by the invention of the steel plan in 1837, which led to torn roots releasing an abundance of carbon. Additionally, bison had previously helped the prairie thrive, but due to a mass slaughtering of them, their population decreased from 60 million in 1491 to 25 free roaming bison in 1908. Eric shared that Iowa is the most biologically altered state in the U.S.: 99% of prairies, 95% of wetlands, and 75% of its forests are gone. Even though there has been much violence committed against the people and land, many groups are working to bring healing, which will be shown below.
SEE
In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis urges us to allow Indigenous people to reclaim their land:
“It is essential to show special care for Indigenous communities and their cultural traditions. They are not merely one minority among others, but should be the principal dialogue partners, especially when large projects affecting their land are proposed…When they remain on their land, they themselves care for it best.” –Laudato Si’, paragraph 146
There are many Indigenous groups recovering the land and starting the healing process. A few that Eric shared are:
- Women from the Shinnecock Indian Nation have partnered with the Sisters of St. Joseph in New York to start kelp farming, to help restore their waters. Kelp sinks carbon much more effectively than trees. Read and watch more here:
- The Meskwaki Nation, known as the “Sac and Fox of the Mississippi in Iowa” have purchased land in Tama County, Iowa and are reintroducing bison and have started a food sovereignty initiative. Find out more about them here:
REFLECT
- In what ways do I see the lasting effects of colonialism in the U.S.?
- How can I support legislation or local projects that center the voices and lives of Indigenous people?
ACT NOW:
- Consider donating to Honor Native Land Fund. This group of non-native people is partnering with Great Plains Action Society, an Indigenous-led group, and is trying to raise at least $500,000 to help native peoples in Iowa to purchase land to reclaim their Indigenous life and food ways. This effort can help to heal effects of colonialism and climate change. Donate here:
Visit our Action for Justice page for additional ways to seek justice.
Action for Justice
Our Journey Toward Justice
Our commitment to justice is deeply woven into the very essence of the charism of the Sisters of the Presentation, emphasized in the community’s mission statement: “We, the Sisters of the Presentation, are called to evangelize, offering hope and love to our broken world by incarnating the hospitality of God, confronting injustice and working for peace.”
We recognize that justice is multifaceted and acknowledge the intersectionality of social justice concerns. Within each of our justice teams, our efforts extend beyond their specific foci to encompass various other justice initiatives. Each justice team contributes to our collective mission, ensuring that we become beacons of light in our communities, illuminating justice.
In order to highlight the interconnectivity of our community’s justice work, we have decided to call all groups working on justice issues, “justice teams.” Each justice team will have a logo connected to their work. The hope is that this will create more clarity for internal communication.
Justice Team: Laudato Si’ 
Inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’, this team focuses on educating, inspiring and activating a deeper understanding of our responsibility to care for our planet. The team works to shift consciousness away from the dominant paradigms of exploitation, waste and commodification that harm the Earth.
We also recognize the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels. This Laudato Si’ justice team focuses on researching, budgeting and planning for widespread adoption of solar energy on the Mount Loretto property as a key step towards mitigating climate change.
Justice Team: Land Justice 
We currently have two justice teams focusing on land justice. In response to growing awareness of indigenous land rights, the Land Futures Indigenous justice team educates the community on the history of the land and advocates for healing past injustices inflicted upon indigenous communities.
Stewardship of the Mount Loretto property is regarded as an honor and responsibility. The Mount Loretto Land Use justice team collaborates with local professionals to explore the optimal use of the land, ensuring it is passed on as a gift to future generations.
Justice Team: Racial Equity 
Acknowledging racism as a systemic issue, the Racial Equity team works to help our community confront unconscious biases and social structures that perpetuate division to create more a welcoming culture. They collaborate with local Black leaders to advance racial equity and foster a more inclusive culture.
Justice Team: Women and Children 
Our foundress, Nano Nagle’s profound commitment to serving the marginalized, particularly women and children, resonates deeply within our community. Initially rooted in educating generations of children, today we advocate for the rights and well-being of women and children in a myriad of ways. From comforting abused women to nurturing immigrant children and advocating for marginalized communities, this justice teams addresses the unmet needs of women and children in all walks of life, both locally and globally.
