Our Origin Story

The Indigenous Community Defense program was created in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to protect our communities by providing mutual aid in a series of 3 phases.

  • PHASE I

    Immediate need to protect our people with masks and other PPE needs. Materials were sent out to Mask Warriors who sewed masks to help protect community members. This is also when we put a community call for donations of masks and provided two Community Distributions in Tiwa and Tewa Territory.

  • PHASE II

    Phase II, which is protection and care for unsheltered relatives. The global crisis has also disproportionately affected them with the closure of shelters. This has resulted in a rise of limited access to basic health and hygiene needs; leaving many of our already displaced peoples with little to no resources.

  • PHASE III

    Phase III, where care packages have been collected to go to different healthcare facilities as well as continued unsheltered relatives mutual aid efforts.

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