Reclaiming the Child Welfare Narrative

Guest: Sheldon Spotted Elk (Northern Cheyenne) This podcast episode features Sheldon Spotted Elk (he/him). Sheldon is Senior Director of Judicial and National Engagement of Casey Family Programs. Sheldon is also a graduate of University of New Mexico School of Law. Sheldon Spotted Elk is an agent of change, improving legal outcomes for children and families involved in the child welfare system. He works regularly as a strategic partner with over twenty Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Courts. He and his two sons are Tsistsas (Northern Cheyenne). In this episode, Sheldon describes ICWA courts, their purpose, and how they impact tribal systems and families. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the five principles of ICWA Courts: judicial leadership; ICWA data collection; ICWA training (spirit and letter of law); tribal stakeholder collaboration; and gold standard lawyering and social work. The Children's Bureau, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funds the Capacity Building Center for Tribes. The contents of this website and the resources herein do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Children's Bureau. Full transcript: https://bit.ly/4drvqIO

Find all the resources from today's episode on our website, www.tribalinformationexchange.org, and in the show notes below. --- Our guest in this episode is Arc Telos Saint Amour (they/them). Arc Telos, also known as Tay, is a neurodivergent, autistic, queer, and trans, gender non-conforming person of Mexican Indigenous descent (Coahuiltecan) whose work centers active listening, the power of holistic affirmation, and self-agency. Tay has spent over a decade in the non-profit field. Today, they serve as a national speaker, trainer, and educator and as the Executive Director of Youth MOVE National. In our conversation, Tay and host Jared Lank discuss the three-part webinar series Tay developed in collaboration with the Capacity Building Center for Tribes. The webinar series, Decolonizing the History of the Gender Binary in Service of Supporting Gender Diverse Youth, equips tribal child welfare professionals with practical, empathetic approaches to supporting gender-diverse indigenous families and youth. The conversation focuses on how these tools empower us as individuals, providing us with agency to be able to move forward in this work holistically and meaningfully. The conversation is split across two episodes. If you haven't already listened, please listen to Part 1 first: https://bit.ly/3O7W5QN We at the Capacity Building Center for Tribes hope you enjoy this conversation with Tay and encourage you to watch the recorded three-part webinar series if you haven't already. --- Tribal Information Exchange: www.tribalinformationexchange.org Decolonizing the History of the Gender Binary in Service of Supporting Gender Diverse Youth Webinar Series: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR4J…8knD4g9-BMFNVBuKngn Arc Telos Consulting: www.arctelosconsulting.com --- The Children's Bureau, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funds the Capacity Building Center for Tribes. The contents of this podcast and the resources herein do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Children's Bureau.

Find all the resources from today's episode on our website, www.tribalinformationexchange.org, and in the show notes below. --- Our guest in this episode is Arc Telos Saint Amour (they/them). Arc Telos, also known as Tay, is a neurodivergent, autistic, queer, and trans, gender non-conforming person of Mexican Indigenous descent (Coahuiltecan) whose work centers active listening, the power of holistic affirmation, and self-agency. Tay has spent over a decade in the non-profit field. Today, they serve as a national speaker, trainer, and educator and as the Executive Director of Youth MOVE National. In our conversation, Tay and host Jared Lank discuss the three-part webinar series Tay developed in collaboration with the Capacity Building Center for Tribes. The webinar series, Decolonizing the History of the Gender Binary in Service of Supporting Gender Diverse Youth, equips tribal child welfare professionals with practical, empathetic approaches to supporting gender-diverse indigenous families and youth. The conversation focuses on how these tools empower us as individuals, providing us with agency to be able to move forward in this work holistically and meaningfully. The conversation is split across two episodes. After listening to Part 1, you can find Part 2 here: https://bit.ly/3HuiDHn We at the Capacity Building Center for Tribes hope you enjoy this conversation with Tay and encourage you to watch the recorded three-part webinar series if you haven't already. --- Tribal Information Exchange: www.tribalinformationexchange.org Decolonizing the History of the Gender Binary in Service of Supporting Gender Diverse Youth Webinar Series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR4JDLysJ7WM5z8knD4g9-BMFNVBuKngn Arc Telos Consulting: www.arctelosconsulting.com --- The Children's Bureau, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funds the Capacity Building Center for Tribes. The contents of this podcast and the resources herein do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Children's Bureau.

Still curious about each episode? Listen to our trailer for Season 1 - Reclaiming the Child Welfare Narrative with clips from: 1 - Jackie Crow Shoe (enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) 2 - Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo), UCLA Law 3 - Brett Lee Shelton (Oglala Sioux Tribe), Native American Rights Fund 4 - James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) 5 - Ethleen Iron Cloud-Two Dogs (Oglala Sioux Tribe) 6 - Chief Judge Abby Abinanti (Yurok Tribe) 7 - Brett Lee Shelton (Oglala Sioux Tribe), Native American Rights Fund Singing credit: Jackie Crow Shoe

Guest: Brett Lee Shelton (Oglala Sioux Tribe), Native American Rights Fund This episode explores restoring sustainable peacemaking practices. Learn from Brett Lee Shelton about how this community-based cultural practice is evolving across Indian Country to resolve conflicts and improve outcomes for children in a healthy way.

Guest: Chief Judge Abby Abinanti (Yurok Tribe) This episode takes us to Northern California with the Yurok Tribe to learn how they established a justice system reflective of their culture. A visionary in Indian Country, “Judge Abby” Abinanti talks about changing the child welfare profession and courts to serve as part of the community's extended family, joining the Yurok Tribe on a path to wellness.

Guest: Ethleen Iron Cloud-Two Dogs (Oglala Sioux Tribe) Learn from respected Elder, Ethleen Iron Cloud-Two Dogs, as she shares her insight on shifting not only the child welfare mindset, but that of the whole community, to see the care and development of children as a sacred and shared responsibility.

Guest: James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) Exploring traditional languages can help create solutions rooted in Indigenous perspectives and wisdom. A leading voice on the interconnectedness of language and culture, James Vukelich shares examples from traditional languages that demonstrate how these deep meanings can empower communities to shape their vision for child welfare based on their values.

Guests: Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo), UCLA Law, and Brett Lee Shelton (Oglala Sioux Tribe), Native American Rights Fund Learn how the removal of Native children was a means of colonization and forced assimilation and how the current child welfare structure was developed as a response. Lauren van Shilfgaarde and Brett Lee Shelton discuss how tribal child welfare programs can reclaim their systems to reflect their Indigenous worldviews and their responsibilities to children.