Changing Systems. Changing Lives.
Welcome to Mino-Bimaadiziwin, "the good life" we are building around Little Traverse Bay.
Biindigaw
WE INVITE YOU TO COME IN
Welcome to Mino-Bimaadiziwin, "the good life" we are building around Little Traverse Bay.
About Miigwech
Miigwech, Inc. is a nonprofit organization driven by a single goal: to promote and practice Mino-Bimaadiziwin (The Good Life) by making our community a better place for all. We provide services, share teachings, advocate for new policies, and build understanding of Mino-Bimaadiziwin within the Wagankising community.
OUR MISSION
Promote a positive environment that encourages growth, critical thinking skills, reasoning, global conscience, respect for diversity, and education that is seated in the Anishinaabe Seven Grandfather Teachings.
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FEATURED INITIATIVE:
Zagaswe'iwe
Council to Address Holy Childhood Indian Boarding School
The Holy Childhood Indian Boarding School in Harbor Springs was the last Indian boarding school in operation in the United States, closing in 1986 (last boarders in 1983). Survivors and their families, in the Harbor Springs area and throughout Michigan and the Great Lakes Region, carry traumatic memories of intense assimilation, physical and sexual abuse, and cultural erasure. It is unknown how many children lost their lives to the school.
After laying semma and speaking to Elders in our community, we have convened a council for all those who would like to make an action plan on awareness, advocacy, healing and rights, and representation during this time in our community. Through Zagaswe'iwe, we facilitate gatherings and discussions about what we would like our next steps to be on a local and national scale.
See our full program page for our list of action items, awareness events, policy initiatives, programming, and more.
How We Make Change
We focus on three main approaches in order to live Mino-Bimaadiziwin and create a better community for all.
DIRECT ASSISTANCE
Providing funds, social support, and other resources to uplift community members
With this initiative, our goal is to increase great opportunities for everyone in our community, especially women, BIPOC, and other disadvantaged groups. Access to the right resources can empower residents and grow their skills and confidence, creating a strong local economy and improving quality of life for all.
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
Sharing Wisdom from Those Here First
This program aims to inspire system change within the Greater Waganakising Community, putting Indigenous peoples at the heart. We lead workshops, teach small groups, and provide resources that foster understanding, creativity, and curiosity to motivate and encourage growth. We continue to promote the history of Waganakising ancestors while creating a brighter future for the next Seven Generations.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Working towards a just and sustainable community by changing underlying systems.
While quick fixes keep our heads above water in the short-term, they do not address the root causes of our problems. We are in it for the long-haul: going to county and state planning meetings, disrupting the status quo, and putting a stop to harmful policies and practices that keep us from living Mino-Bimaadiziwin.
Get in Touch
Meredith Kennedy, Executive Director
Waganakising (Harbor Springs, Michigan)
Please mail all checks to:
Miigwech, Inc.
3676 Kee Wad Noong Circle
Harbor Springs, MI 49740