SPEAKERS Quaker Indigenous Boarding Schools: Facing our History and Ourselves

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting collaboratives, Addressing Racism and the First Contact Reconciliation, have engaged presenters, Paula Palmer, co-director, Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples, a program of Friends Peace Teams and Gail Melix, Herring Pond Wampanoag and Sandwich Meeting to share the story of the Indigenous boarding schools.

Following the slide presentation is worship, sharing, and reflection.

Native American organizations and the U.S. Department of the Interior under the leadership of Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) are asking churches to join in a Truth and Reconciliation process to bring about healing for Native American families that continue to suffer the consequences of the Indian industrial boarding schools. With support from Pendle Hill (the Cadbury scholarship), Friends Historical Library (the Moore Fellowship), the Native American Rights Fund, and other sources, Paula Palmer researched the role that Friends played in implementing the federal government’s policy of forced assimilation of Native children.

Queries: What does this history and its impact on Native communities mean for Friends today? How can Friends contribute toward healing?

Contact: paulaRpalmer@gmail.com or call 240 595 5993 for content or Olivia Brangan via email for any logistical questions: obrangan@pym.org

Please register below for the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcocOmurD0pEtKhaeHp2oDm_CiX8WkX0Afl