2021-present: Indigenous Reparations Work
Since the beginning of 2021, 100% of the reparations money WMSURJ has collected has gone to the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band in Grafton, MA via the tribe's 501(c)3 - the Nipmuc Indian Development Corporation (NIDC). The NIDC is the community development tool used by the tribe to further their goals including improved spiritual and physical health, increased economic stability, and the development of communal responsibility to land, water and people.
WMSURJ is inviting settlers* to engage in a practice of paying Indigenous Reparations -- an acknowledgement that we occupy stolen Indigenous land, and a step towards repair with Indigenous communities. For many of us in Western and Central MA, we occupy the ancestral homelands of the Nipmuc people, who currently have sovereignty only over the Hassanamisco Reservation, 4 acres of land in Grafton, MA. Through paying Indigenous Reparations, WMSURJ seeks to acknowledge past harms perpetrated by settlers against the Nipmuc people, and lift up and support the vital work of the The Nipmuc Indian Development Corporation (NIDC).
You can watch a video of Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band Sachem Cheryll Toney Holley talking about Nimpuc People past and present
Information from the Nipmuc Indian Development Corporation about their work and issues their communities face:
The NIDC serves the needs of the Nipmuc community. It promotes and broadens the cultural, economic, educational, and social levels of tribal members living within and without our homelands. Our overarching goal is to bring our people back to the land, re- establish our connection to the land, and heal our people to preserve our future. We do this by integrating Nipmuc traditions and self-reliance into our modern lives to become our best selves, reclaiming not only our culture but also our spiritual and physical well-being.
Nipmuc people have endured 500+ years of devastating colonial policies that have sought to undermine, eliminate and destroy our way of life. Women in leadership were ignored, our food systems destroyed, and the people dispossessed of lands through erroneous debts and for safety purposes. The political, social and economic instability of many Nipmuc people today is indeed an outcome of the socioeconomic challenges we have endured through the colonization process. The devastation has accumulated to poor health (both spiritual and physical), loss of traditional knowledge, and lack of communal responsibility and self-determination.
Our youth come of age disconnected from their cultural identity and heritage and into a prevailing social climate that still reinforces messages of inferiority and racism against Native Americans. The racialization of our people and perpetual myths about a vanished Indian while holding our cultural items, sacred objects and the remains of our ancestors hostage in museums and state collections sends horrible and degrading messages to our people about self worth. The Industrial Revolution drastically changed the landscape and polluted our waterways and traditional food sources to the point that our anadromous fish no longer run and others are too contaminated to eat. Empty dirt plots now stand where homes and gardens owned by Nipmuc people once stood. Many of our Nipmuc relations are dispersed and isolated living in urban areas - Worcester, Providence, Springfield and Boston.
Current programs and initiatives of the NIDC include: Reservation improvements and expansions, annual powwows and social activities, food sovereignty programming, installing and maintaining reservation and home gardens, a community food assessment, youth programming, a women’s group, maintaining the Hassanamisco Indian Museum, the Tribal Historic Preservation Office, and various websites.
Thanks to the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band for providing the italicized language used here. See the following websites for more information:
https://nippi.org/
http://www.nipmucmuseum.org/
*What is a Settler?
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. It is also used to describe people whose ancestors migrated to a new area, or who were born into an already established settler colony. As settlers, WMSURJ members recognize that a brutal processes of land theft and genocide is an undeniable part of our existence here in so-called New England. We understand that colonialism, racism and capitalism intertwine in a harmful vicious cycle which poses an existential threat to life on earth. We are implicated in that harm unless we work to undo it. Paying reparations is one small step towards repair, and we continue to look to Indigenous and Black communities for other ways to show up and follow their leadership.
Actions to take right now:
Promote the Indigenous Massachusetts Legislative agenda by sending a letter of support to your representative. SUPER EASY—all set up for you to just enter your information.
WMSURJ is inviting settlers* to engage in a practice of paying Indigenous Reparations -- an acknowledgement that we occupy stolen Indigenous land, and a step towards repair with Indigenous communities. For many of us in Western and Central MA, we occupy the ancestral homelands of the Nipmuc people, who currently have sovereignty only over the Hassanamisco Reservation, 4 acres of land in Grafton, MA. Through paying Indigenous Reparations, WMSURJ seeks to acknowledge past harms perpetrated by settlers against the Nipmuc people, and lift up and support the vital work of the The Nipmuc Indian Development Corporation (NIDC).
You can watch a video of Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band Sachem Cheryll Toney Holley talking about Nimpuc People past and present
Information from the Nipmuc Indian Development Corporation about their work and issues their communities face:
The NIDC serves the needs of the Nipmuc community. It promotes and broadens the cultural, economic, educational, and social levels of tribal members living within and without our homelands. Our overarching goal is to bring our people back to the land, re- establish our connection to the land, and heal our people to preserve our future. We do this by integrating Nipmuc traditions and self-reliance into our modern lives to become our best selves, reclaiming not only our culture but also our spiritual and physical well-being.
Nipmuc people have endured 500+ years of devastating colonial policies that have sought to undermine, eliminate and destroy our way of life. Women in leadership were ignored, our food systems destroyed, and the people dispossessed of lands through erroneous debts and for safety purposes. The political, social and economic instability of many Nipmuc people today is indeed an outcome of the socioeconomic challenges we have endured through the colonization process. The devastation has accumulated to poor health (both spiritual and physical), loss of traditional knowledge, and lack of communal responsibility and self-determination.
Our youth come of age disconnected from their cultural identity and heritage and into a prevailing social climate that still reinforces messages of inferiority and racism against Native Americans. The racialization of our people and perpetual myths about a vanished Indian while holding our cultural items, sacred objects and the remains of our ancestors hostage in museums and state collections sends horrible and degrading messages to our people about self worth. The Industrial Revolution drastically changed the landscape and polluted our waterways and traditional food sources to the point that our anadromous fish no longer run and others are too contaminated to eat. Empty dirt plots now stand where homes and gardens owned by Nipmuc people once stood. Many of our Nipmuc relations are dispersed and isolated living in urban areas - Worcester, Providence, Springfield and Boston.
Current programs and initiatives of the NIDC include: Reservation improvements and expansions, annual powwows and social activities, food sovereignty programming, installing and maintaining reservation and home gardens, a community food assessment, youth programming, a women’s group, maintaining the Hassanamisco Indian Museum, the Tribal Historic Preservation Office, and various websites.
Thanks to the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band for providing the italicized language used here. See the following websites for more information:
https://nippi.org/
http://www.nipmucmuseum.org/
*What is a Settler?
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. It is also used to describe people whose ancestors migrated to a new area, or who were born into an already established settler colony. As settlers, WMSURJ members recognize that a brutal processes of land theft and genocide is an undeniable part of our existence here in so-called New England. We understand that colonialism, racism and capitalism intertwine in a harmful vicious cycle which poses an existential threat to life on earth. We are implicated in that harm unless we work to undo it. Paying reparations is one small step towards repair, and we continue to look to Indigenous and Black communities for other ways to show up and follow their leadership.
Actions to take right now:
Promote the Indigenous Massachusetts Legislative agenda by sending a letter of support to your representative. SUPER EASY—all set up for you to just enter your information.
2019-2020: House Buying Campaign
In 2019, the chapter began to discuss the possibility of a reparations campaign goal specifically linked to housing justice. We decided to dedicate all reparations payments collected towards the purchase of a house for Stickii Quest and ShaeShae Quest, two Black, queer, trans freedom fighters who had also been two of the chapter’s accountability partners. Through the relationships that individuals in the chapter had with Stickii and ShaeShae, we knew that they were struggling with housing instability, and that becoming owners of a home would radically change their potential for safety, and support a more stable livelihood. When our chapter first considered this idea, it was daunting; by this point we had collected a total of about fifteen thousand dollars in reparations payments, and some members felt nervous about the goal of raising enough money to buy a house in full. We asked people in our networks to be bold and brave in their payment of reparations, and moved forward with this ambitious goal to collect enough reparations payments to purchase a house for our collaborators.
During the campaign, our chapter worked to spread the word to the larger community. We specifically grounded this project in a framework of reparations, in contrast to frameworks of fundraising or charitable giving. However, we learned from organizers with fundraising experience about the most effective tactics for moving money. As a group and as individuals, we held events that offered both education on issues of racial justice and reparations, as well as opportunities for people to pay reparations. These events included house parties, birthday parties, concerts, and screenings. Through these events, we also connected with people who wanted to offer their skills and time, including a real estate agent who would help find a home that would work for Stickii and ShaeShae. We put feelers out into our networks to find lawyers and tax advisors who could give professional advice and assistance.
Through working with Stickii and ShaeShae, we came up with a secure system of handling reparations payments with accountability. (For anyone curious about these logistics, please don’t hesitate to reach out by email.) By the end of 2019, we had reached our initial goal of raising $100,000. We continued our campaign into 2020 as Stickii and ShaeShae began searching for a house. Three core members of our chapter worked closely with Stickii and ShaeShae throughout this entire process, and these strong, trusting relationships were integral to the success of this endeavor. Stickii and ShaeShae closed on a house in June of 2020 for $140,000 and became homeowners. Members of WMSURJ continued to help Stickii and Shae Shae in their transition, paying the first year of property taxes and offering support with furniture, costs and repairs.
Building Trust: When we first brought up the idea of running a reparations campaign to purchase a house, Stickii and ShaeShae, they were understandably skeptical of whether or not we’d be able to deliver. One member of our chapter was already good friends with them through organizing work, which helped initial trust-building with the chapter. A few other core organizers then became friends and liaisons with Stickii and ShaeShae, giving honest and accountable updates on what was going on and listening to and responding to their concerns. Through this, we built strong relationships and friendships that were necessary for this project to be a success.
You can hear Stickii, ShaeShae and WMSURJ core organizers in their own words by watching or listening to a long-form conversation about this reparations campaign. Watch the video on YouTube at bit.ly/reparationsconversation, or listen to the podcast on Soundcloud at bit.ly/reparationsaudio.
During the campaign, our chapter worked to spread the word to the larger community. We specifically grounded this project in a framework of reparations, in contrast to frameworks of fundraising or charitable giving. However, we learned from organizers with fundraising experience about the most effective tactics for moving money. As a group and as individuals, we held events that offered both education on issues of racial justice and reparations, as well as opportunities for people to pay reparations. These events included house parties, birthday parties, concerts, and screenings. Through these events, we also connected with people who wanted to offer their skills and time, including a real estate agent who would help find a home that would work for Stickii and ShaeShae. We put feelers out into our networks to find lawyers and tax advisors who could give professional advice and assistance.
Through working with Stickii and ShaeShae, we came up with a secure system of handling reparations payments with accountability. (For anyone curious about these logistics, please don’t hesitate to reach out by email.) By the end of 2019, we had reached our initial goal of raising $100,000. We continued our campaign into 2020 as Stickii and ShaeShae began searching for a house. Three core members of our chapter worked closely with Stickii and ShaeShae throughout this entire process, and these strong, trusting relationships were integral to the success of this endeavor. Stickii and ShaeShae closed on a house in June of 2020 for $140,000 and became homeowners. Members of WMSURJ continued to help Stickii and Shae Shae in their transition, paying the first year of property taxes and offering support with furniture, costs and repairs.
Building Trust: When we first brought up the idea of running a reparations campaign to purchase a house, Stickii and ShaeShae, they were understandably skeptical of whether or not we’d be able to deliver. One member of our chapter was already good friends with them through organizing work, which helped initial trust-building with the chapter. A few other core organizers then became friends and liaisons with Stickii and ShaeShae, giving honest and accountable updates on what was going on and listening to and responding to their concerns. Through this, we built strong relationships and friendships that were necessary for this project to be a success.
You can hear Stickii, ShaeShae and WMSURJ core organizers in their own words by watching or listening to a long-form conversation about this reparations campaign. Watch the video on YouTube at bit.ly/reparationsconversation, or listen to the podcast on Soundcloud at bit.ly/reparationsaudio.
2018: Reparations Payments to BIPOC-led Organizations
In 2018, WMSURJ started collecting reparations payments at monthly general meetings. At first, the numbers were small. Despite collective talk about the importance of paying reparations, it seemed that when it came time to put this into practice, we still had a ways to go - shifting out of individualistic and hoarding mentalities, and growing into a framework of returning what is owed and beginning to repair injustices to create a better world. Working class leaders in WMSURJ were instrumental in shifting group dynamics toward a practice of centering class, though it was initially an uphill struggle. As the chapter shifted to embrace more working class leadership, our group began holding candid conversations about our class backgrounds and relationships to money. As we worked together to unlearn so many of the dominant ideas that white supremacy culture teaches about money, the amounts paid in reparations at our monthly meetings grew. The campaign also benefited greatly from the skills our working class leaders brought for raising money and building relationships with accountability partners.
By the Spring of 2018, WMSURJ was ready to launch the reparations campaign publicly. At our kickoff event, we hosted a roundtable conversation with Black and Indigenous organizers about the importance of reparations. At this event we asked white people to sign up to make recurring monthly payments, both to grow the campaign and to support white people in creating a practice of paying reparations. Coalition partners BLM413, Out Now, and Springfield No One Leaves gave us significant wisdom and information about reparations and housing justice. Listen to Black and Native organizers from these groups talk about reparations at our campaign kick-off event. Our campaign focused on personal reparations as part of a longer term process that includes institutional reparations and policy changes. By the end of 2018, WMSURJ collected a little over $11,000 and moved that money to Black Lives Matter 413, Springfield No One Leaves, and the Holyoke Food & Equity Collective.
By the Spring of 2018, WMSURJ was ready to launch the reparations campaign publicly. At our kickoff event, we hosted a roundtable conversation with Black and Indigenous organizers about the importance of reparations. At this event we asked white people to sign up to make recurring monthly payments, both to grow the campaign and to support white people in creating a practice of paying reparations. Coalition partners BLM413, Out Now, and Springfield No One Leaves gave us significant wisdom and information about reparations and housing justice. Listen to Black and Native organizers from these groups talk about reparations at our campaign kick-off event. Our campaign focused on personal reparations as part of a longer term process that includes institutional reparations and policy changes. By the end of 2018, WMSURJ collected a little over $11,000 and moved that money to Black Lives Matter 413, Springfield No One Leaves, and the Holyoke Food & Equity Collective.
