MN on the ground: called to a deeper Truth |
Imagine you are driving down a familiar route – maybe it’s your usual way to work, to drop kids off at school, or to shop at the grocery store. Traffic suddenly stops in front of you. Before you can really process what’s happening, four masked men in tactical gear jump out of a vehicle ahead of you. This gang of masked men closes in on the car in front of you, shouting at the driver to get out of the car. Maybe the driver exits the car willingly, or maybe these masked men break the windows of the car first. Maybe there are others on the sidewalk, with phones out, yelling: “What’s your name? What’s your name? Who can we call?” This all happens in a matter of minutes. The car is left, running and abandoned, in front of you, as the men leave with the driver.
Friends, what would YOU do?
It might seem unimaginable, but this kind of scenario has become commonplace in Minneapolis, and in smaller towns and cities across Minnesota. Ordinary people are witnessing people being abducted in the midst of living out their lives. Those being taken include U.S. citizens. While some media frame Renee Good and Alex Pretti as “protestors” who would still be alive if they hadn’t interfered with ICE operations, the reality on the ground is far different. Ordinary people are bearing witness to awful things, and are confronted, in real time, with a choice of how they will act.
Most of what is being framed as “protest” on the ground of Minneapolis is actually the work of organized community protection. Ordinary people are recording the interactions they bear witness to, so that there is evidence of any violations of constitutional rights, evidence of ICE agents’ misconduct, evidence of the detainment of young children.
We are caught in a narrative battle, where the lies spun by the administration directly contradict the evidence collected by people on the ground – people who are standing up to protect the vulnerable. The #EyesNotLies campaign, which calls people of faith to watch the video of Alex Pretti’s murder and retell what they saw with their own eyes, is just one way in which we are being called to hold fast to Truth in the midst of lies.
Scripture calls us to a deeper Truth too, that which is being lived out by everyday people in Minnesota: "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked". Psalm 82:3-4
How can we follow the example of our relatives in Minnesota, in caring for and protecting the vulnerable? We must join the hands and feet already at work: |
The Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery has been writing and posting daily updates with action items on our Facebook / Instagram / and Blog. Follow us to stay connected
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Introducing New Staff: Amanda Pittman |
We are so excited to introduce the newest member of our team: |
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| Amanda Pittman is an Episcopal Organizer with the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery, where she facilitates the Episcopal Indigenous Justice Roundtable. Amanda is a Pueblo (Tewa) descendant through her mother's family, who came to southern Wyoming as part of a larger diaspora from Northern New Mexico. She still lives and works in Wyoming on Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Lakota lands.
Raised Catholic, she has found a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church. She hears Jesus’ call to love one another as an imperative to seek justice and liberation alongside the oppressed and vulnerable. |
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Amanda holds a BA in Anthropology, and she has been a long-time grassroots organizer in her local community. Throughout all her work, she weaves art, craft, and a reverence for the Earth. |
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Economic Justice Training - Coming April 2026! |
Registration now open! The Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery will offer our new Economic Justice, Jubilee, and Reenvisioning Security training for an online cohort of ~30 participants, Sunday afternoons in April and early May.
If you’ve been thinking about divestment and alternative economies, join this learning community to reflect together on our participation in unjust capitalist systems and move towards life-sustaining possibilities.
This training will be offered in 4 weekly Sunday afternoon modules, April 12, 19, 26, and May 3. Register by April 3 through our online form. |
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Book Launch: John A. Olthuis
On Dismantling Settler Colonialism |
On Dismantling Settler Colonialism with author John A. Olthuis CommonWord book launch on Thursday Feb 12 at 3pm CT / 2pm MT / 1pm PT / 4pm ET In person: Marpeck Commons, 2299 Grant Ave., Winnipeg Canada
Access the livestream link |
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Oak Flat Organizing Update |
On Wed, Jan 7, court cases brought by the San Carlos Apache Tribe, individual Apache women, the Inter Tribal Association of Arizona, and conservation and recreation groups were heard by a three-judge panel from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Phoenix. Learn more about the hearing from: Courthouse News Service and AZ Central. As we await a decision from judges, the emergency injunction holding back the land transfer of Oak Flat to Resolution Copper remains in place.
In December of 2025 Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07) introduced the Save Oak Flat from Foreign Mining Act as her first piece of legislation. This bill represents her commitment to carrying the legacy of her late father, Rep. Raúl Grijalva. For many years, Rep. Raúl Grijalva was a tireless advocate for Oak Flat, sponsoring the Save Oak Flat Act along with a companion bill in the Senate, sponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders.
Take action: contact your representative today and ask them to co-sponsor this bill so it has a chance at being heard in Congress. If your representative is already a cosponsor, please call them and thank them for co-sponsoring this bill again.
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Apache Stronghold's annual Oak Flat March/Run will take place from February 5-8. Please keep the runners and walkers in your prayers as they pray their way nearly 50 miles from the Old San Carlos Memorial on the San Carlos Reservation to Oak Flat.
A small Buddhist delegation will be joining this year's Sacred Oak Flat March/Run in prayerful accompaniment. This is the second year that a Buddhist delegation is supporting the Run in person. Since last year’s Run, they’ve continued to meet and organize as the Oak Flat Buddhist Working Group, affiliated within the Dismantling Coalition. The Buddhist Working Group welcomes new members. Email: oakflatbwg@gmail.com
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You can stay updated during the run by watching for photos and posts on the Apache Stronghold Facebook page.
Looking for ways to talk and share about Oak Flat? Our Children’s Resources group has created 5 children’s zines about Oak Flat. Share them at church, in your community, or print and mail them to your representative with a letter about why they should support the Save Oak Flat Act. Please continue holding Oak Flat and Apache Stronghold in your prayers.
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Trail of Death: Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) Pilgrimage |
The Trail of Death pilgrimage remembers the 1838 forced removal of about 850 Potawatomi people from their ancestral homelands in northern Indiana by state and federal militias.
Participants in the pilgrimage will enter into a journey of lament over and truth-telling about the violence caused by White settler colonization. Dates: May 11-21, 2026, this intensive AMBS course is limited to 15 participants.
Registration Deadline: April 1, 2026
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Activists Living with Disabilities - Feb 11
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Activists Living with Disabilities have gifts to offer the movement for repair and seeking justice alongside Indigenous relatives. Together, we will explore these gifts and how we can effect change towards disability justice and increased accessibility within the movement. Anyone living with any kind of disability or chronic illness is encouraged to join our monthly drop-in calls. We meet monthly on the second Wednesdays.
Our next meeting will be Wednesday, Feb 11 from 3-4pm PST / 5-6pm CST / 6-7pm EST. You can register here to receive the Zoom link. This month, our topic of conversation will be supports needed for sustainable activism.
Prayer Project Submission Request:
The Activists Living with Disabilities working group invites any Coalition members to submit any of the following: -
Written prayers for the work of the Coalition
- Prayer rituals from your tradition to share (ex: centering prayer, deep breathing etc.)
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Kinesthetic prayer practices, such as folding paper cranes for peace or string knotting
We would like to compile these into a multi-sensory prayer resource for everyone, with an inclusive understanding of what prayer is to different people. Please upload any submissions to this Google Drive, or you can email them to Doe Hoyer (doe@dismantlediscovery.org)
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"A Return to the Earth" Modules 3 & 4
by Nia To Go There (Cree) |
In February, Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples continues their series of transformative webinars with Nia To Go There. She will guide participants through different cultural perspectives on a path toward decolonizing consciousness and our relationships.
These webinars are presented as a series, in which each session speaks to the others. However, registration for each is separate. Please join for as many as you are able. A Return to the Earth, Module 3: COLONIZATION
February 7, 12:30-2pm PT, 1:30-3pm MT, 2:30-4pm CT, or 3:30-5pm ET
REGISTER HERE
Nia examines colonial perspectives which have led us into disconnection and disharmony in our relationships.
A Return to the Earth, Module 4: DECOLONIZATION
February 21, 12:30-2pm PT, 1:30-3pm MT, 2:30-4pm CT, or 3:30-5pm ET
REGISTER HERE
We will explore the transformative power of decolonizing our world views for stepping into a deep and profound sense of connection to all aspects of the natural world. |
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Our January 30 Decolonizing Worship gathering will focus on Storytelling. Traditionally, Native American communities often gather after the Winter Solstice (December 21) to share stories, to reflect and spend quiet time.
We will hold this space over the next two months honoring the period of introspection and quietness of creation and the subtle ways in which we are aware of Creator and Creation.
Register in advance for this meeting
*The ZOOM link has been set up to repeat each month. If you've participated since October it is the same ZOOM link. Feel free to add it to your calendar. |
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Looking for how to plug-in? Want to learn more about the Coalition? Join our next Volunteer Orientation on February 19th from 4-5:30 PST / 5-6:30 MST / 6-7:30 CST / 7-8:30 EST. You can register below for the zoom link!
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Our next Coffee Hour will be Wednesday, February 25th at 9:00 am PST / 10:00 am MST / 11:00 am CST / 12:00 pm EST. Grab a hot beverage of your choice and bring your questions as we spend time in community together. Register for the link below to join! |
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Resource Corner -
Join a training: In February we are offering our Decolonizing and Organizing for Systems Change training
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Register for Module 1 on Thursday, February 5 from 4:00pm - 6:00pm PT / 5:00pm - 7:00pm MT / 6:00pm - 8:00pm CT / 7:00pm - 9:00pm ET
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Register for Module 2 on Saturday, February 28 from 9:00am - 11:00am PT / 10:00am - 12:00pm MT / 11:00am - 1:00pm CT / 12:00pm - 2:00pm ET
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Learn more and see our full schedule at tinyurl.com/Trainings2026
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Sarah and Sheri's Substack: Sarah has written a young adult novel, “Peacekeepers/Truthbringers,” and we’re excited to share it with you. As a holiday gift, we’ll be serializing the book—releasing a new chapter every Monday for 12 weeks. We’ll also continue to post occasional non-fiction reflections as inspiration and news arise. We’d love to hear what you think of the story as it unfolds, so please let us know how this serialization lands with you!
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Read Joe Hubbard's substack, Confessions of a Basic White Guy (in Clericals)
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The Eternal Song Film Series: The Coalition is an affiliate partner and receives 50% commission when you pay to stream these films using the links below
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All check donations to the Coalition should be sent to the following address: Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery 3258 Thompson Ave. Alameda, CA 94501 Checks should still be made out to our fiscal sponsor, Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference. If the check is for the salary campaign or another special fund, that should also be mentioned in the memo line. |
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The Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Coalition is fiscally sponsored by and a ministry partner of the Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference (PSMC).
Want to receive our appeal letters by mail? Email your address to us at admin@dismantlediscovery.org |
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