Learn more about WE!
Who are they?
Whiteswan Environmental (WE) is a Native-led nonprofit located in the upper most corner of the Pacific Northwest in Washington State. WE are also co-founders of a Washington State Charter School, Whatcom Intergenerational High School. WE are working for needed change by building equitable and collaborative networks that dismantle systems of oppression.
What projects might I work on?
WE needs assistance with 13 Moons: Knowing Who I Am and Where I Come From Curriculum Development. WE are creating a train-the-trainer program with the Whatcom Intergenerational High School students at the Washington State Charter School, WE co-founded. The Intern will meet with an elder and document how people, the seasons and the moon relate to nature and signal our traditional activities for cultivating, harvesting and sharing our spiritual and social wealth at gatherings here in the Salish Sea. This will complement their classroom to place based activities and our Washington State Senate Bill 5433 where common schools are mandated to teach tribal history, culture, governance and language.
What will working on projects look like?
- Work with specified NA members and residents to interview, research, record, and write classroom to place-based curriculum
- Work with WIHS teachers and research templates used in classroom
- Work with WIHS Administration and research templates used for field credit
- Brief the Federal, State, and WIHS Charter for NA Education commitments
- Brief the Congressional Laws for transmission of culture.
- Create curriculum around WE’s federal policy scroll
- Willing to train-the-trainer
- Present to WE & WIHS the final13 moon curriculum development.
- Show students can repeat the pattern with other elders and community members.
- Learn how WE are using this material in our other projects and be a conduit to help WE and WIHS make other connections to people who are willing to help.
- Attend meetings as needed to meet other team members and allied support
What could I expect to learn from this experience?
The Intern will gain insight to how WE’s Native-led nonprofit is moving beyond epistemicide to transform an educational system that intended to “Kill the Indian and save the man” and honor all peoples history, culture, governance, and language. The student will learn more about their natural, economic, social, political, cultural pathway of commerce as Indigenous people of this Salish Sea bioregion than is taught in common schools.
What skills are they looking for in a strong candidate?
An intern for WE should be self-motivated, an independent worker, and able to provide successful outcomes. They should also be committed to culturally safe environments that are free from exploitation, cultural appropriation and intellectual property violations. The intern should also have experience with curriculum development.
All ICI placements will be remote during IAP. Students will meet regularly with their cohort during the IAP period in a hybrid format. The range of programming is a mixture of didactics, hands-on learning experiences, active engagements with the community, and reflection opportunities.
I want to learn more about ICI and the WE host site!
Join us for an upcoming info session:
| September 26th | Indigenous Peoples’ Center (W31-221), 5 – 6 PM |
| October 9th | PKG Center (W20-549), 5:30 – 6:30 PM |
Note: Applications will close on Monday, October 21st
