American Indian Community Housing Organization

We had our yoga session today and Darrian was the lucky attendee who won “Cedar Plant Infused Oil” made by Mother Trees Salve, Oil & Soap. Each session someone will win one of these healing oils, and of course benefit from easy stretching and mindfulness + healing activity of the yoga session. Next free session is Friday, Aug. 23 at AICHO from 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm. 202 W. 2nd Street, Duluth.

Anamaakaageg! All are welcome. Mats provided.

Funded by AICHO’s Waaseyaa Traditional Healing Grant via Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division.

Join us today for Bangan (Peaceful) Yoga. Starts at 12:30 pm and ends at 1:30 pm. You can arrive when you can and leave when you have to. Don't need to be there the whole time. Check in at the front desk when you arrive. 202 W. 2nd Street in Duluth. We provide yoga mats and blocks. People can also do yoga and easy stretching by sitting in a chair. Funded by AICHO's Waaseyaa Traditional Healing Grant via Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division.

This Friday! Free and open to the public. If it's nice out we will have yoga in our Gimaajii Mino Bimaadizimin rooftop gardens. We have an elevator that goes to the roof. Yoga can be done on mats that we provide and/or in a chair if you have mobility concerns. See flyer for more info. Miigwech to Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division for funding these bi-weekly community healing sessions.

AICHO is excited to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center gallery space. We invite artists, curators, and organizations to submit proposals for exhibitions and programs that reflect the rich cultural diversity and artistic excellence of our community.

The Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center is dedicated to fostering cultural understanding and appreciation through the arts. We are seeking innovative and engaging proposals that will enhance the gallery's mission and provide meaningful experiences for our visitors.

Submit your proposal: https://forms.gle/dM86G2jR6iS43jQz5
For any questions about the form or the show, please send an email to Asin (she/her) at [email protected].

AICHO held our first (in a series of 12) of our Waaseyaa Cultural Teachings sessions last night with Mille Lacs Ojibwe elder Joe Nayquonabe, Sr. and Byron Ninham (Oneida and Red Lake Ojibwe). They both shared about the cultural and spiritual significance of the Big Drum Ceremonies from what they were taught. They also shared Anishinaabeg values of listening, helping each other and having zhawenim (unconditional, compassionate love) for each other. It was an amazing and enlightening time.

People from as far away from White Earth Ojibwe Nation, Lac du Flambeau, Sawyer, Minneapolis. It was a full house and as many times as the flyer was shared and seen on Facebook (27,645 views and 266 shares) tells us that our people are wanting and needing to connect/reconnect to our traditional ways and cultural values.

Chi miigwech to Joe and Byron, to our AICHO community volunteers Patience, Kolton, and Naomi, Room at the Table Catering for a great wild rice themed meal, our Traditional Healing Grant Program Coordinator Ivy Vainio for organizing, and Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division for their funding allowing access for our community to learn and connect with traditional leaders and knowledge holders. Miigwech also to everyone who attended. Stay tuned for upcoming Waaseyaa series events.

We are set for AICHO’s Big Drum Teachings with Joe Nayquonabe, Sr. and Byron Ninham. Joe will speak for the meal at 5:30 pm and presentation starts at a little after 6 pm. Free parking in the lot on the upper corner of 2nd Street and 3rd Ave W. Duluth, MN. Note: We have enough food for 100 people and same with chairs. We put out blankets for kids to sit up front with Ojibwe themed coloring sheets. There are reserved seating for elders in the front rows. We are really excited about this cultural teaching and so grateful to our Waaseyaa Traditional Healing Grant via Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division for providing funding for these sessions to happen in our urban area. Free and open to the community!

📸 Ivy Vainio

AICHO's Flyer for our Cultural Zoom Session on Sept. 5. Register at https://forms.gle/ou2y971qijwa8PT8A - Registrants will receive the session zoom link on Sept. 2. Miigwech to Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division for funding AICHO's Waaseyaa Cultural Teachings Series.

It's Manoominike Giizis - August!

Our AICHO calendar for August features our Giinawiind Giginitaawig'igomin (Together We Grow) program youth and staff harvesting manoomin - wild rice.

The AICHO Calendar features our Giinawiind Program and their connections with elders, Indigenous Food Producers in our community, culture, land, traditional foods, spirituality, and more. Miigwech to Kristine Sorensen of In Progress for teaching the youth about visual and audio documentation and to the McKnight Foundation for funding this youth centered arts and food sovereignty themed calendar. The majority of the photos were taken by Giinawiind youth. Miigwech to Moria Villiard, Fond du Lac Ojibwe Direct Descendant, for designing the calendar.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Minnesota Office of Justice Programs
First Peoples Fund
First Nations Development Institute

Join AICHO and Ben Spears, and his son Milton, (Red Lake Ojibwe Nation members) as they teach about the Creator's Game! We will share a meal at 5:30 pm. Ben and Milton will share the cultural stories around traditional lacrosse and will provide skill building sessions and end with some game scrimmages.

The location is AICHO's Gym. Address: 202 W. 2nd Street, Duluth, MN. Check in at the lobby's front desk first.

This cultural and healthy activity is for all abilities, those new to the game and those who are advanced, all ages. Free and open to the public.

Miigwech to Ben Spears for making our baaga'adowewin sticks and to Tom Howes for making our goal posts and lacrosse balls. You can bring your own stick or use one of ours.

Event funded by AICHO's Waaseyaa Traditional Healing Grant via the Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division.

Questions contact: Ivy Vainio, AICHO's Traditional Healing Program Coordinator at ivyv(at)aicho.org.

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's Career Fair is happening next Thursday, August 8 at 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM at the Cloquet Community Center Gym, 1720 Big Lake Rd.

Explore diverse job openings in fields such as nursing, public works, transportation, and more employment opportunities around the tribal community. Meet hiring managers from various departments and divisions across the tribal nation, with on-site interviews available for select roles.

It's August 1 and Onigaaminsing (Duluth) has a new digital billboard featuring Jazz Musician Briand Morrison. Briand is a Grand Portage Ojibwe tribal member. He has performed at several of our AICHO art events. The billboard will be displayed for the whole month on Central Entrance in Duluth, MN.

To learn more about Briand: Briand Morrison Guitar Player and www.briandmorrison.com . Indigenous First: Art & Gift Shop has his cds for purchase as well.

Miigwech to McKnight Foundation for funding our digital AICHO Gallery Artists, Authors and Creatives themed billboards which help us promote and uplift Indigenous and BIPOC creatives 24/7 throughout the year.

A reminder that this is happening next Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 5:30 pm. 212 W. 2nd Street, Duluth. We have gotten a lot of response for this event and wanted to let you know that we can seat 100 people comfortably in our event center. If you are planning to attend, we suggest that you come a little bit before 5:30 pm to secure a seat. We also ask that we all respect our elders and letting them have chairs to sit. We will have some signage for elder seating. Due to the big response - we plan to invite Joe and Byron back to AICHO for a 2nd presentation.

Join us on Aug. 7 to learn from Joe Nayquonabe, Sr. and Byron Ninham! Free and open to the community. Meal at 5:30 pm and presentation at a little after 6 pm. Miigwech to Waabishkibines and Niigaanigwaneb! See poster for more details. Address: 212 W. 2nd Street, Duluth, MN 55803.

Stop in and see Maya Washington's solo art exhibition until Aug. 30.

Multidisciplinary artist Maya Washington's solo art exhibition "Sanctuary" will come down in exactly one month on Aug. 30. Stop in at 202 W. 2nd Street in Duluth to see her moving and POWER-full show. Open weekdays from 10 - 5 pm. We advise people to call 218-722-7225 before they travel here as our gallery is used as a cultural center and event space.

We had a tour of Native American pre-medicine/health students this morning. = ) If interested in purchasing a piece and supporting Maya - you will do this through Indigenous First: Art & Gift Shop which has the same hours as the gallery viewing hours. For more info on Maya: https://www.mayawashington.net/

We have 3 COVID-19 vaccine clinics coming up in August!

*August 4, 2024 between 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mash-ka-wisen Pow Wow, 1150 Mission Road, Sawyer, MN 55780.

*August 15 at 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center, 212 West 2nd Street, Duluth, MN

*August 27 at 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center, 212 West 2nd Street, Duluth, MN

If you have any questions, ask Paula!
Email: [email protected]
Phone: Call (218) 722-7225 and ask for Paula

The annual Mikwendaagoziwag Memorial at Big Sandy Lake happened last Wednesday, July 24, and we had the honor of participating in the memorial with our Giinawiind Giginitaawigi'gomin youth for a second time.

The memorial is dedicated to the the Ojibwe of the Sandy Lake tragedy of 1850-1851. Many people from around the region attended.

Our youth learned the history, joined in ceremony, and canoed across Big Sandy Lake. They canoed for those who physically were unable to and for the ancestors.

The event was powerful. We got to honor our relatives and ancestors. We were reminded of history and our resiliency. The presence of our youth at the memorial brought pride to the elders attending.

This was our second year in attendance. Special miigwech to Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) for making this opportunity available to our urban youth, and miigwech to Fond du Lac Natural Resources for providing us with three canoes. Events like these bring our communities together and heal collectively.

FinnFest USA hosted their annual FinnFest event at the DECC this past week/weekend. It is a national and international gathering with workshops, art, presentations, food and more on all things Finnish including seminars on Ojibwe and Finnish connections.

Rauli Virtanen, pictured here, is an award winning Finnish photojournalist who has covered wars and conflicts since the Vietnam War and has traveled to 193 countries! Before he left Onigaaminsing (Duluth, MN) today he stopped by AICHO. AICHO staff member Ivy Vainio gifted him Bois Forte Ojibwe and Finnish-American artist and author, Carl Gawboy’s “Fur Trade Nation” graphic novel. Ivy said she can get another book from The Thunderbird Review Press. Interesting connection is that Rauli and Carl met in 2008 and Carl was part of a documentary that was shared on Finnish television.

We truly are all connected. Miigwech/Kiitos for stopping by today Rauli!

📸 Ivy Vainio.

Description: Rauli Virtanen standing next to Nsrgnts painted mural at AICHO.

[Please share widely] Just a reminder! Tomorrow, July 25th, join us for the Fond du Lac Band's Local Foods Purchasing Assistance Food Box Distribution!

📍 Location: Giiwedin Gitigaaning, 7889 Jokela Rd, Cloquet, MN
🕘 Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (or until boxes run out)

Each box will include summer produce, meat, maple syrup, and wild rice. Come retrieve your own box of local foods by local growers before they are gone! 🌱🍎

Boozhoo Anishinaabedog! We have openings for new families in our 3-5-year-old Ojibwe Language Immersion Drop-off Program. Applications are available on our website at www.ojibwemotaadidaa.weebly.com

UPDATE: This position's application period is now closed. Thank you to everyone who applied!
Harm Reduction Sisters is hiring an Overdose Prevention Coordinator! To learn more about the position and apply, follow the link below:
https://shorter.me/-Ark7
Have questions? Send them to [email protected]! 🩷

This Friday! Free and open to the public. If it's nice out we will have yoga in our Gimaajii Mino Bimaadizimin rooftop gardens. We have an elevator that goes to the roof. Yoga can be done on mats that we provide and/or in a chair if you have mobility concerns. See flyer for more info. Miigwech to Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division for funding these bi-weekly community healing sessions.

Join us on August 24 at 2 pm at AICHO, 212 W. 2nd Street, Duluth, MN for a book event showcasing White Earth Ojibwe authors Marcie Rendon and Denise Sweet! Book event co-hosted by UMD American Indian Studies Department. Free! Free parking!

Some of AICHO staff took a field trip today to see the 10 acres of land that we purchased in Morgan Park. We all put an asemaa offering out while there. We walked a couple of the trails (which will stay) and looked at potential areas for garden and cultural learning spaces. We envision this beautiful area as a place as a community gathering space, for ceremonies, foraging, educational plant walks, wild rice winnowing/parching, and so much more. We will update more as this progresses. Thankful and looking forward to collaborating with Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps in the future.

Miigwech to AICHO Executive Director LeAnn Littlewolf and Food Sovereignty Director Kayla Jackson for your work on this project!

📸 Ivy Vainio & Khayman Goodsky

🏃🏽‍♀️🙌🏽🌟

This event is gaining a lot of promotion on FB. Miigwech to the over 200 people who have shared the flyer There are 14,508 people on FB who have seen the flyer! We are so excited and glad you all are too. Looking forward!

“It is an honor to stand in a field of advocates in Minnesota who work their hearts out to move policies and resources to create housing in Minnesota. We are building a Minnesota that speaks through our actions that we will not rest until everyone has a home.” LeAnn Littlewolf

Congratulations to AICHO’s Executive Director LeAnn Littlewolf (Leech Lake Ojibwe tribal citizen) for being selected as a recipient of the Minnesota Housing Partnership’s 2023 Outstanding Advocate Award! She was one of several individuals, and organizations, across the State of Minnesota (including Duluthians State Rep. Liish Kozlowski and Henry Banks) to receive the award for their significant contributions to promote affordable housing solutions at the local, state and federal levels. MHP’s mission is to expand housing and community development opportunity for those most impacted by economic and racial disparities by leading collaborative work to promote system change and grow equitable development capacity.

Miigwech LeAnn for your steadfast commitment and advocacy for equitable housing and justice for all.

AICHO's Youth Art Entrepreneur Zoom Session with Jonathan Thunder (Red Lake Nation tribal member) is coming up fast! We have 100+ youth already signed up from ALL OVER Indian Country. Here is the info:

Session will happen on Tuesday, December 12
5 pm - 6 pm (CST, Minnesota time)

Register here https://forms.gle/bQ5E7CXGkuqkGRjQ8 by Dec. 10 by 5 pm.

Free workshop is for youth and young adults. Registrants will receive the zoom link on Monday, December 11. Miigwech to McKnight Foundation for funding this youth art session.

Red Wind Consulting, Inc. is hosting a two-day peer site visit at AICHO to share and create opportunities to inspire ideas on how to build cultural responses to/for/with Urban Native Survivors of domestic and sexual violence. By learning from one another, we embrace our Indigenous communities and cultural power.

We are being recognized for our years of advocacy and cultural approach to program services/housing. A film crew has been on-site and a video will be created to be used as a resource.

For more on Red Wind Consulting: https://www.red-wind.net/

Miigwech Victoria (Vickie) Ybanez and Red Wind Consulting for this amazing and enriching visit!

📸 Ivy Vainio & Daryl Olson

Great Circle Newspaper (statewide Indigenous led monthly newspaper) feature on Indigenous youth Rizal Agaton Howes, Muscogee tribal member and Fond du Lac Ojibwe descendant, regarding his recognized accomplishments in soccer and how his Indigenous values have guided him in the sport.

From Rizal: “My indigenous values have served as my moral compass and guided me through much of my soccer career,” Agaton Howes said. “The first one that comes to mind is dabasenindizowin, or humility. Soccer is a vast and powerful sport that a lot of people put their lives into, so having humility in the face of passion is really important. I’ve had to compete with many people even just to play, and maintaining humility is something I really value in order to stay centered.”

Congrats Rizal!

**AICHO staff member Ivy Vainio is a board member for the Circle Newspaper and AICHO has copies of the newspaper at our front desk counter in our lobby. Free for community.

Howes a game changer for Cloquet HS varsity soccer team | The Circle News Profiles: Native Americans in SportsUncategorized Howes a game changer for Cloquet HS varsity soccer team By catwhipple - December 5, 2023 0 281 views Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Rizal Agaton Howes plays soccer for the Cloquet Senior HS Lumberjacks. (Photo by Dave Harwig.) By Dan Ninham Rizal...

AICHO / Indigenous First: Art & Gift Shop's Biboon Bimaadizimin (Winter Good Life) Market was featured in Governor Tim Walz/ Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan's online Weekly Briefing showcasing support for Small Businesses on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 25). The photo shows Lt. Governor Flanagan visiting (and shopping) with Jes Durfee, of Jes Durfee Glass Art, local glass artist and Fond du Lac Ojibwe Direct Descendant. Biboon Bimaadizimin Market was such a great event supporting, uplifting and showcasing primarily Indigenous, BIPOC and local artists/creatives, food producers, and entrepreneurs.

AICHO and Gimaajii Mino Bimaadizimin were blessed to have Alexandera Houchin (Fond du Lac Ojibwe tribal member) and national Ultra Bike Marathon Race winner present last night. She is such an inspiration! She shared about her upbringing, culture and cultural values, overcoming life challenges, and her passion and career of ultra bike racing and biking in general. Giinawiind Youth Ayeden Diver presented Alexandera with traditional to***co that was grown in our rooftop gardens at the start of the program to thank her for presenting to our community. Two free bicycle vouchers were given to two lucky attendees!

Miigwech to our funders Minnesota Office of Justice Programs and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

To learn more about Alexandera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKqY_GU7M0E

Miigwech to AICHO staff Kayla Jackson and True North AmeriCorps staff Elena Steel for organizing.

🚴🌟🙌🏽

📸 Ivy Vainio