About This Episode

Indigenous organizers are at the forefront of revolutionary movements for sovereignty, environmental justice and land rights, movements that confront our largely ignored history of Native genocide and broken treaty promises. Yet, foundations, many who claim to support marginalized and underrepresented communities, spend just 0.4% of their annual funding on Native communities. Native causes are overlooked and underfunded by philanthropy. 

In this podcast, we hear from Indigenous organizer and tribal attorney, Tara Houska, and two social justice funders, Edgar Villanueva and Jason Franklin. We explore the tensions that arise when Indigenous activists seek grants to support their radical work and encounter funders that are hesitant to fund direct action, largely uneducated about Indigenous history, disconnected from struggles at the frontline, and financially linked to the industries that profit on the devastation of Native lands. 

Hosts

Abhinaya Narayanan

is a medical student in the UCLA PRIME program and a Master in Public Policy student at the Harvard Kennedy School. Her background is in community organizing, policy, and advocacy to fight for social, racial, and economic justice for marginalized communities.

Oscar Echeverria

is a medical student in the UCLA PRIME program and a Master in Public Policy student at the Harvard Kennedy School. His background is in community health and health disparities work, along with advocacy for racial justice and health equity.

Nneka Onwuzurike

is a joint Master in Public Policy and Master of Business Administration student at Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School. Her background is in creative writing, institutional fundraising, and donor organizing for local social justice organizations.

Learn More

Follow our interviewees on Twitter:

• Edgar Villanueva: https://twitter.com/VillanuevaEdgar
• Tara Houska: https://twitter.com/zhaabowekwe
• Jason Franklin: https://twitter.com/fundingchange

Keep up with their work:

• What is Line 3? Winona LaDuke Explains Line 3
• Take action to Stop Line 3
• Keep up with the Giniw Collective
• Learn more about Native Americans in Philanthropy
• Learn more about the Solidaire Network

Protest Law, Divestment, and the Vision for Climate Justice:

• The Red New Deal, an indigenous vision for climate justice: “A Red Deal” by Nick Estes (Jacobin)
• Bans on critical infrastructure protest: