Important Meeting in Montana on April 14-16,The Hope Conference

This conference is on childhood sexual trauma in Indian Country. It's going to be an important event. Wish I could be there. It's going to be at the University of Montana, Missoula.


Here is information from the Hope Conference website

The HOPE CONFERENCE (Healing for Our People Everywhere) was formed in response to the growing need to confront the difficult issues of child sexual trauma, which has plagued families in Indian Country for too many generations.

The organizers and founders of the conference are a consortium of national and community experts, social service professionals, educators, artists, and activists.

The 2nd Annual HOPE Conference is scheduled to take place in Missoula, Montana at the University of Montana Campus & The Holiday Inn Downtown on April 13, 14, and 15, 2011; coinciding with the 20th Annual Kyi-Yo Pow Wow on the University of Montana campus.

Like last year the purpose of this year’s conference is bring together interested individuals, survivors, social service providers, judicial experts, victim’s advocates, social workers, law enforcement authorities, students, boarding school abuse survivors, and others to dialogue & share ideas addressing the silent issue of CHILD SEXUAL TRAUMA and its effect on Native American people & communities.

The 2011 Conference will address this issue by providing attendees with an opportunity to participate in three tracts that will cover the PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE of Child Sexual Trauma in Indian Country.

This year's speakers:

Keynote Speakers

Melissa Merrick (Spirit Lake Victims Assistance Program)

Phillip Whiteman Jr. (Medicine Wheel Model) - Connecting the Spirit of Horse and Human

Lynette Two Bulls (Yellowbird, Inc.) - Healing from Historical Trauma

Presenters

Theda New Breast (Blackfeet) - Native Wellness Institute

Lisa Thompson (Dakota) - Wiconi Wawikiya, Inc.

Dr. Jessica White Plume (Oglala) & Marty Young Bear (Mandan Hidatsa Arikara) - Healing Horse Program

Larry (Dakota) & Darla Thiele (Dakota) – Sunka Wakan Ah Ku Program

Stephanie Charging Eagle (Lakota) – Tasina Ska Consulting

Kathy Little Leaf (Piikani) - Missoula Indian Center

Dr. Annie Belcourt (Blackfeet) - University of Montana

Ken Bear Chief & BonniLee Ball (Tamaki Law Firm/ Independent Paralegal Services)

Linda Logan (Native American Children’s Alliance)

Claire Heath (Divine Choices)

Nicole Ducheneaux - Assistant Public Defender (Office of the State Public Defender)

Danna Jackson - Assistant US Attorney/Tribal Liasion

Eldena Bear Don’t Walk – Bear Don’t Walk Law Firm

Frank de la Paz (Dakota) – First Nations Women’s Alliance

Myrna Kuka (Blackfeet) - MT Dept. of Corrections

Linda Thompson – First Nations Women’s Alliance

There will be lots of great music and other performances. See the website for more details.

The main part of the conference will be April 14 and 15.