Native American Training Institute

08/27/2026

Grand Forks!
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Exciting news Relatives! Our Executive Director and IFP Coordinator are heading your way to meet with our selected candidates for the ICWA Family Preservationist position.
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This is a key step for us, as we believe in connecting with the people who will be making a difference in the communities they will be supporting.
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We are eager to discuss how these individuals can help support Native American families right here in their own neighborhoods.
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We appreciate the opportunity to meet with our interviewees and look forward to engaging conversations.
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Stay tuned for updates about our new team member!
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08/24/2026

Relatives!
We spotted a familiar face in National Indian Child Welfare Association's latest post! We were excited to see NATI Training Coordinator Dereck Stonefish. He travels nationally providing ICWA and child welfare trainings and works directly with Tribal Nations to tailor each training to the needs of the communities he serves. If your Nation, agency, school, or organization is looking for training, we'd be happy to connect !
[email protected]

Submit your presentation and share the amazing work you’ve been doing at NICWA’s 45th Annual Protecting Our Children Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 4–7, 2027. Presenters are the heart and soul of this annual event, and we can't wait to learn about your best practices, cutting-edge programs, and creative advocacy for Native children and families.

Submit here: https://www.nicwa.org/conference/call-for-presentations/

Questions? We’re hosting an informational webinar on September 17, at 10:00 a.m. (PT). Register today at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6k4fpr3iS1Glccbo9FHjBQ.

08/18/2026

RELATIVES!!!

📚 School is back.📚

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When those doors opened in the morning, what were you most looking forward to?
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Lunch
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Recess
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Seeing your friends
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Going home
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Pick one.
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Photo Courtesy: Twin Buttes School, South Segment, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Education Department

07/17/2026

Relatives Friday feels a little brighter when you think about the kids.
The ones laughing, running around, asking big questions, trying new things.
Those moments turn into confidence.
Confidence turns into leadership.
Indian Country’s future is already in motion.
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07/06/2026

Relatives!
🤎🤎🤎
Monday check-in before you warm up leftovers you hid in the back of the fridge.
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Four prairie dogs are already standing watch, keeping an eye on the week ahead.
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At NATI, we're all over the Peace Garden state thinking about the people behind the paperwork, the stories behind the programs, and the communities that hold us together.
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Wherever this Monday finds you, we hope you carry a little strength, a little patience, and a reminder that you're not dancing around the arena alone.
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06/18/2026

RELATIVES!
✨ Circle of Nations / Wahpeton Indian School sent two Incredible Indigenous women on a community building trip through Bismarck. They stopped in and dropped off the flyers you see here.
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We know the school well, so it is always good to visit with folks who take the time to show up and connect in person.
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We went old school and wrote down a couple stops for them. Sacred Pipe Resource Center. Native, Inc. Community Development Corporation.
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Then after they left we realized we missed one.
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If you are still in town, make sure to stop by Sage Coulee up in north Bismarck.
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06/08/2026

Relatives, hair braiding has long held cultural and spiritual significance, carrying identity, family, and connection.
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On June 17, Sacred Pipe Resource Center is hosting a Hair Braiding event as part of their June Art series.
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The night will include braiding contests, recognition of skill and creativity, and space to share both traditional and contemporary styles.
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In child welfare work, including ICWA, these connections matter. Keeping culture present in a child’s life is part of how identity and family ties are protected.
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This event creates space to see that knowledge, practice it, and keep it moving forward in community.

Thickest and hard luck braid contests are for adults (18+) only. Other contests are open to all ages.

06/08/2026

RELATIVES!

New resources are up on our website for anyone working in ICWA cases.
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These IFP quick guides support better coordination with Tribal Nations, clearer communication, and stronger, more consistent practice.
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There’s one for staff and one for supervisors.
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Both are built for real casework.
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Access them here : https://nativeinstitute.org/ifp-program-resources/

05/06/2026

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If you have ever said, “I should really take this training,” this is the moment to act. Registration for the ICWA Qualified Expert Witness Training ends May 15. That's 9 days away.
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Three days of focused learning in Bismarck
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Get more website visits

04/23/2026

The Path Behind Us. The Road Ahead.

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Three days. One conference. In the lands where the NuÉta, Hidatsa, and Sahnish Nations have always known what family means.

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This morning Devon Headdress stood up and continued his story from last year's conference. Elder relatives, his wife and baby son were there. He used to work here at NATI as an ICWA Family Preservationist. Now he's standing in front of the room telling people what it means to do this work. What it costs. What it heals.

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We had presenters come from all over. They brought what they know. They brought what they've seen work. They brought the old ways mixed in with what we need right now.

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Every person at the conference showed up for Native kids who need us to show up. That's the work. That's all of it.

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Twenty-five years of this conference. Twenty-five years of people choosing to gather and choose this work again. The road ahead is still long. We know that.

But we're walking it together.

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Thank you for being here to make space for the 25 years behind us and push a path forward into the next 25 years