Episode 1 - Participation with PennElys Droz

Participation plays a critical role in building a thriving democracy. But participation goes far beyond voting—it’s a powerful tool for reclaiming rights, restoring land, and ensuring justice for communities that have long been left out of decision-making. Which is why we’re looking at participation through an Indigenous perspective. Indigenous knowledge systems can inform and inspire broader movements for justice and democratic participation.

 

Guest: 

Dr. PennElys Droz is the Power Building and Curriculum Coordinator with NDN Collective, an Indigenous-led advocacy organization.

 

Key Topics: 

• The founding of the U.S. Democratic system, which was built on Indigenous ideas from the Haudenosaunee (The Six Nations People)
• How the complex relationship between indigenous communities and the U.S. Democratic system impacts participation in environmental justice and beyond
• Voting rights and ongoing challenges to achieving a truly representative government
• The LandBack movement as participatory justice
• Solidarity with the Palestinian liberation movement
• Indigenous Economies in contrast to colonial, capitalist, and extractive economies — like the petrochemical (plastic) industry. 

 

Additional resources

• Explainer video on the Haudenosaunee’s influence on the US Constitution with a Haudenosaunee scholar.
• Explore more about NDN Collective here.

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