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This page was prepared by Michaela Vendiola, Tribal Liaison for North Sound ACH. Please reach out to Michaela Vendiola if you want more resources or connections. Updated June 24, 2021.

This blog post will be updated continuously to provide ACH partners and contacts with up-to-date news regarding statuses and developments that relate to the Indian Residential Schools that span across the continent of North America. This blog post will house current events, news, and resources from both the United States and Canada. This is an important and distinct decision to include news and resources from both countries because, uniquely, there are tribal members and families with dual citizenship status that reside within the North Sound region and who may be directly impacted by this news and findings on both sides of the U.S./Canadian Border. 

Indian Residential School Survivors Society
FAQs / How do I reach the 24 Hour Crisis Line?
Indian Residential School Survivors and Family
1-866-925-4419
The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24-hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of his or her Residential school experience.For more information on the program, please refer to the FNHA website.

RESOURCES and NEWS – From Native, Indigenous, First Nations, American Indian/Alaska Native news sources:

751 unmarked graves is ‘a wake up call’ | UPDATED: Cowessess First Nation announced discovery of gravesite at old residential school in Canada; ‘We will not stop until we find all the bodies’. Indian Country Today. June 24, 2021.

Interior Sec. Haaland Announces Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to Shed Light on the Dark History of the Boarding School System. Native News Online. June 22, 2021.

Indian Country Applauds Interior Sec. Haaland’s Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative. Native News Online. June 22, 2021.

RESOURCES – From North Sound region Natives:

Walking our Spirits Home event. Children of the Setting Sun Productions. Friday June 11, 2021. 11 a.m. at the Lummi Stommish Grounds on the Lummi Indian Reservation.

This event had representation and speakers from Lummi Nation, Nooksack Nation, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, many other tribal nations and multiple families and friends from across the North Sound region and beyond the region. At this event, attendees also heard (by phone at minute 36:10) from one of the Secwépemc Chiefs of the Interior-Salish Secwepemc (Shuswap) Nation. Today, there are 17 remaining bands that make up the Secwepemc Nation. Three of those bands are: Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc, Sexqeltqin (Adams Lake) and, Kamloops.

215 Stand in Solidarity event. Friday June 4, 2021 at 5 p.m. at the mainstreet bridge in Ferndale, WA. Lhaq’temish Foundation was a sponsor of this event. 

RESOURCES: from the ACH June Tribal Learning Series

June Partner Learning Session – June 16, 2021. Healing Dialogue: Stepping out of the wheel of suffering and inducing our truth. Holding Space with Solana Booth. (Recording)

Protecting our Women, Protecting our Earth – Aug. 27, 2019. A discussion between Hester Dillon and Victoria Sweet of the NOVO Foundation, Solana Booth, Carmenza de Columbia, Aline Prata and Isabella James of Children of the Setting Sun Productions. Interview took place at the 2019 Paddle to Lummi Canoe Journey. (Video by Children of the Setting Sun Productions)

Children of the Setting Sun Productions is having a land acknowledgment ceremony with PeaceHealth on San Juan Island on June 22nd, and in Bellingham July 14th, both at noon.

RESOURCES – Additional resources for context purposes:

American Indian Boarding Schools by State

US Indian Boarding School History. National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.

“The truth about the US Indian boarding school policy has largely been written out of the history books. There were more than 350 government-funded, and often church-run, Indian Boarding schools across the US in the 19th and 20th centuries. Indian children were forcibly abducted by government agents, sent to schools hundreds of miles away, and beaten, starved, or otherwise abused when they spoke their native languages.”

Standing Bear Nation artwork. By Kent Monkman, Cree Nation. May 24, 2021.

Visual Content Warning re: Kidnapping.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Reports from the The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) at the University of Manitoba, Canada.

RESOURCES – about the Kamloops Indian Residential School

Facts:

• Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc is the what the First Nations people call themselves. But the Canadian Government calls the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc the Kamloops Indian Band.
• Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc lands are located 203 miles northeast of Bellingham, WA. Driving to Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc would be less than a days travel from Bellingham, WA and would be a drive of 3 hours and 42 minutes.
• Kamloops Indian Residential School is also a 203 mile drive from Bellingham, WA.

RESOURCES – From the Tk’emlúps website:

Remains of Children of Kamloops Residential School Discovered. Press Release from Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Kukpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir. Posted on: May 27, 2021.

“May 27, 2021, Kamloops – It is with a heavy heart that Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Kukpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir confirms an unthinkable loss that was spoken about but never documented by the Kamloops Indian Residential School. This past weekend, with the help of a ground penetrating radar specialist, the stark truth of the preliminary findings came to light – the confirmation of the remains of 215 children who were students of the Kamloops Indian Residential School.”

May 31, 2021 | Statement from the Office of the Chief, Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir. Press Release from the office of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Kukpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir. Posted on: May 31, 2021.

“As the last logs go on our sacred fire, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of support to our community. Thank you for helping us bring to light such hard truths that came from the preliminary findings regarding the unmarked burial sites of Kamloops Indian Residential School students so that we may begin the process of honouring the lost loved ones who are in our caretaking. We love, honour, and respect these children, their families, and communities.”

June 10 | Full C&C Update on KIRS. Posted on: June 14, 2021. From the Office of the Chief –

“On behalf of Council, I want to provide you an update on what Council has been doing to follow up on the recent, heartbreaking findings at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. This was but the beginning of what will be a long and emotionally challenging process. Chief and Council are committed to providing regular updates to our membership.

For Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Council and I, as well as what we have heard in community, ceremonies, protocols, and justice are top of mind for all. This is only the beginning.

I want to take a moment to acknowledge the grief that we have all felt. This is traumatic and each and every one of us have been impacted by residential schools. It is time to be gentle with ourselves as this brings up so many emotions and hurts. I know that I am reaching out to my loved ones and encourage you to do the same. Please note that we have included mental health supports at the end of this letter.”

Kukwstép-kucw— Walking the Spirits Home. Posted on: June 16, 2021.

“Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc Council and members would like to say kukwstép-kucw to Adams Lake Band for the “Walking the Spirits Home” ceremony that took place from June 11 to 13 2021.  We want to also acknowledge and thank all the Elders, Knowledge keepers, survivors, intergenerational survivors, the Kukukpi7 and our K̓wséltkten from throughout Secwepemcúl’ecw that came together in unity and solidarity to support the survivors and the lost children in bringing their spirits home.

We are collectively grieving and this is one step towards reconciliation and healing. The truths of the survivors and the lost children are finally being heard by so many.

In light of the preliminary findings regarding the unmarked burial site of 215 children from the Kamloops Residential School, it is fitting that the healing journey started here, at the home campfire of the residential school.

Kukpi7 Arnouse and to your leadership, and all those who helped organize “Walking our Spirits Home”, we at TteS want to acknowledge the continued work that you and your campfire have done to bring healing to your community. We were honoured to assist with protocols, resources, and support.”

Tk’emlúps History. 

Kamloops Indian Band promotional video Part #1. From the Tk’emlúps website and youtube. Note the discussion that begins at minute 4:25 as these previous treaty allotments and continued government-to-government discussions (as seen in this video) may have an impact on the ways in which the Canadian government can begin making action based accountability; especially since accountability is what is directly being asked of them from the First Nations leadership and people of the area.

RESOURCES – From Native, Indigenous, First Nations, American Indian/Alaska Native news sources:

Indian Country Today

Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald and the Chiefs of Ontario mourn the loss of the 215 children lost at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. Indian Country Today. June 1, 2021.

“This was not just a “dark chapter” in Canadian history; this is genocide against Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island.”

Canada: Bodies at residential school not isolated incident. Indian Country Today. May 31, 2021.

“Shoes sit on the Eternal flame in recognition of discovery of children’s remains at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia, on parliament hill in Ottawa, Ontario, on Monday May 31, 2021. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 First Nations children were required to attend state-funded Christian schools as part of a program to assimilate them into Canadian society.”

215 bodies found at residential school in Canada. Indian Country Today. May 29, 2021.

“The former Kamloops Indian Residential School is seen on Tk’emlups te Secwépemc First Nation in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada on Thursday, May 27, 2021. The remains of 215 children have been found buried on the site of the former residential school in Kamloops. (Andrew Snucins/The Canadian Press via AP). More bodies may be found because there are more areas to search on the school grounds.”

Native News Online

The Appalling Discovery in Kamloops is Irrefutable Evidence of a Crime Against Humanity. Native News Online. June 1, 2021.

“The appalling discovery of the bodies of 215 Indigenous children hidden in unmarked graves at the site of the residential school in Kamloops, B.C., is irrefutable evidence of a crime against humanity.

The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Band confirmed Thursday that ground-penetrating radar had detected the remains of the children on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, which was operated by the Roman Catholic Church.”

Remembering the 215 Indigenous Children Found in Unmarked Graves at Canadian Residential School. Native News Online. May 31, 2021.

“KAMLOOPS, B.C. — As people in the United States spent time this past weekend to remember those who gave their lives for their country while serving in the U.S. military, First Nations people and Native Americans across Indian Country paid tribute to the loss of 215 children,  whose remains were recently discovered at the site of a former residential school near the town of Kamloops, British Colombia.

A Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation (Kamloops Indian Band) news release last Thursday revealed the horrifying news that the remains of 215 children, some as young as three-year-old, were uncovered at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.”

RESOURCES – From non-Native news source in the Kamloops area:

Kamloops This Week

Tk’emlups says Canada needs to add accountability to messages of sympathy. Kamloops This Week. May 31, 2021.

“Chief Rosanne Casimir said the Tk’emlups community is also asking all Canadians to reacquaint themselves with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Final Report and Calls to Action and to show solidarity by wearing an orange shirt and starting conversations with neighbours about why they are doing so.”

We will keep this page updated with current job opportunities in the North Sound region. If you want to post your organization’s employment opportunities, email us at communications@northsoundach.org

As of July 2

North Sound ACH’s team is growing. Check out our most recent position postings and see if there is something there that is a fit for you!

Mercy Housing – Resident Services Coordinator I at Eleanor Apartments, Bellingham
Full time, $17.50/hour
Resident Service Coordinator I will facilitate and implement core programs as delegated by the program model. Collect and record data to measure program outcomes. Identify human and community service needs of residents. Develop strategies to link residents with needed services, including assistance in overcoming various barriers that might impede access to services. Build community partnerships that bring services and notice to the property; ambassador/advocate of the property, seeking volunteering, selling the brand. When other services are not available, may deliver direct services. Actively participate with other staff working toward resident stability. 
See details and apply at https://recruiting.adp.com/srccar/public/RTI.home?c=1211201&d=ExternalCareerSite#/

Like you, I have been enjoying the spring weather, allowing us to see each other with some sunshine around our often still masked faces! Overall, we see the ways that COVID is abating, allowing opening of spaces and closer gatherings, but that is still looking through a wide-angle lens. When we zoom in with the telephoto lens, we still see communities struggling with access to testing and vaccine and the ACH is drawn to offer help in those areas.

We’re amazed every day to learn of one more organization or new effort to reach people who don’t connect to the standard ways of outreach. They might be disconnected from the internet, speak another language (that I wish I could quickly learn!), not be able to navigate complex appointment sites, or not feel welcome in traditional clinic and community settings. 

We’ve been honored to share space with tribal partners who are reaching out to surrounding communities to assist with vaccine delivery, trusted community organizations working with community health workers and promotoras – living in, understanding, and supporting their community in immeasurable ways. We are so grateful for them and all they do and continue to search for ways we can support them as they support community.

We also learned that the primary effort we’ve been working on – focused on improving the lives of people on Medicaid – has been extended for another year. That brings us one more year of financial resources to invest in the region through our partner organizations. At the same time, our team continues to receive the maximum scoring on our deliverables to the Health Care Authority, a sign that the work our partners are doing is showing measurable impact. 

Through the last 15 months we’ve also seen the importance of public health, and the burden they carry in responding to a pandemic. Finding linkages between traditional public health and those amazing community organizations has shown itself to be a role for the ACH – bridging and advocating for communities to play a role in how emergency response is planned, organized, and delivered. 

We’ve recently added FOUR new members to our staff! Welcome Cináed, Woody, Rajdeep, and Megan.

Cináed Boyd (They/Them/He/Him) was born in Bellingham and raised in 18 different states. They cultivated a love for electronics and technology from a very young age and began contracting while working in dozens of different industries, from concrete construction to beverage distribution. They earned their Associates of Computer Information Services from Whatcom Community College along with certifications in Information Security and Network Administration, and are currently pursuing a Bachelor of Cybersecurity. Cináed considers themselves a holistically-minded network and system administrator who works to unite all of their experience and education to craft sensible technological infrastructure and solutions.

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Woody Tovar Cano (He/Him) was born and raised in Skagit county. He graduated from Bellingham Technical College with a degree in Computer Network along with a Computer Networking Support Certificate. Woody worked for a managed service provider (MSP) for 4 years where he assisted companies, non-profits, and municipalities with their IT needs, ranging from full network and server deployments to end user support. Working for the MSP gave Woody the opportunity to work with many different industries and expose him to many kinds of technologies, solutions, and standards.

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Rajdeep Atwal (She/Her) most recently worked in Care Coordination at Sea Mar, predominately working with underserved populations. She received her bachelors of science in Psychology from Western Washington Universtiy, then earned her MBA in Healthcare Management.

Rajdeep has a background in behavioral health and substance abuse; her role as Project Manager at the ACH will have her focusing on the hub, vaccine clinics, and care coordination.

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Megan Stephenson (She/Her) comes to North Sound ACH with direct experience as a Community Health Worker, patient advocate, and Washington State insurance navigator. She also worked as a news reporter for many years, and completed an original community health project for her Master’s in Anthropology. She’s excited to bring all her experience together, working for health equity and collaboration in our communities.

On March 13, 2020 we closed the North Sound ACH office, not knowing when our team would again meet in person. We’ve optimized the heck out of remote technologies trying to stay connected, knowing it add some aspects to our connectivity, and diminishes others (think of all the non-verbal ways we communicate, from fidgeting, shrugging, or just sensing someone’s mood change in a room.) The team has done remarkable things, yet we still miss being in common space with each other.

I can’t help but think of the powerful song in the play “Rent” called Seasons of Love.

“Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure? Measure a year?”

The pandemic soared beyond what we could imagine, and systemic and structural racism was illuminated in places where it wasn’t seen or discussed before. In that same vein, we found ourselves trying to find ways for the ACH as a regional entity, to leverage change in terms of the pandemic response. Most of those conversations happen between the team and the 60+ regional partners who do such important work in the community; recently this has expanded to the North Sound ACH Board of Directors. Please take a few minutes to . The board has been discussing equitable vaccine distribution, and felt it was imperative to weigh in on the the successes and mistakes around access to COVID testing and rollout of the vaccines.

And, as we mark the past year, there is still more we keep in mind … like the death of Breonna Taylor, which was also one year ago. And we see how much we’ve accomplished in a year: identifying a virus, finding a means to test for it, developing vaccines, having so many people already vaccinated. We have both opportunity and challenge, advancement and struggle. They both can – and do – exist at the same time.

We appreciate all you do. Please know you are in our thoughts and hearts.

From Kim Williams, Board Chair (on behalf of the North Sound ACH Board of Directors)

North Sound Accountable Community of Health (North Sound ACH) strives to be a champion for equity and well-being in the region, and across the state of Washington. Our purpose, adopted by the Board, is to create a just and inclusive culture and the necessary conditions required for all community members to thrive. 

We have now lived with COVID in our communities for more than a year, and continue to see signs of exacerbated systemic and structural racism exposed every day. A year later, we still don’t have consistent access to COVID testing in communities disparately impacted by COVID, and now we face unprecedented challenges to equitable access to COVID vaccines.

Around the country – and here in our own region – we have seen conscious and unconscious mistakes and missteps, as providers struggle to manage unpredictable vaccine supply, refrigeration challenges, and vial expirations. Decisions are being made under extreme pressure to assure no vaccine is wasted, while depending on traditional methods of scheduling patients for first and second doses. In our region and beyond, we have seen those with access, money, and privilege have better paths to the vaccine than community members most impacted by the disease, especially communities of color.

The Board of North Sound ACH believes our systems and organizations must do better. Board members committed to a learning journey, encouraging each other to lean in and take risks, even if it means that sometimes the steps will be the wrong ones. Our intention, in the midst of this health crisis and pandemic, resonates with Maya Angelou’s wisdom when she says: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” We recognize that individuals, especially those in communities heavily impacted by COVID, are doing the best they can under unimaginable pressures; institutions must lean in and improve strategies to reach and protect those same communities.

The Board of North Sound ACH is calling upon all North Sound partners, including those represented on our Board of Directors, to embed Targeted Universalism into their vaccine planning. All partner organizations have received information about targeted universalism, which puts the onus on us to identify the universal goal, then find ways that all community members can achieve it.  If the universal goal is to get all those in eligible tiers scheduled for vaccine appointments, we know that one single strategy will not reach everyone. We need multiple and targeted strategies based on what we know about sub-populations that we serve. However, investment in targeted strategies seems to elude us when we are under enormous pressure.

As examples, we are asking North Sound ACH’s CEO to advocate for, support, and assist in setting up: 

• Sites and appointment slots specifically ready for community members where English is not their first language, with interpreters, friendly and welcoming faces who will communicate a sense of belonging.
  
• Alternative ways to schedule appointments, recognizing that some community members have limited or no access to broadband or a device that can track all the possible websites claiming to find appointments.
  
• Transportation assistance, for those who want a vaccine but can’t physically get there.
  
• Designated slots at every appointment site for essential workers in our communities – including grocery workers, field and farm workers, utility workers and others.
  
• Creating mobile vaccine distribution to go where community members gather, bringing vaccines to them. 

Getting to this universal goal will require we all do our part, including having hard and uncomfortable conversations with partners who misstep in operationalizing their approach.

The Board has charged the North Sound team with leading discussions and supporting decisions that will assure all community members can find their way to the vaccine, to expand its work with local health departments, and to reach out to all ACH partners to expand the staffing capacity of vaccine clinics, mobile clinics, and pop-up sites. We are also asking the same of ourselves as Board members, and the of organizations that we work for.

The Board recognizes that while there have been challenges and insurmountable odds to conquer in this process, there has also been heroic, inspiring, and strong community-building efforts and resources currently innovating the way we ensure access and equity for such a vital need in our region.