"Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think, and act for myself."
Chief Joseph, Nez Perce, 1879
You share the goals of the Alliance for Renewing Indigenous Economies if you would like to see these building blocks of meaningful sovereignty:
SECURE LAND TITLE for indigenous people;
CLEAR JURISDICTION recognizing tribal authority;
CUSTOMS & CULTURE informing tribal governance; and
FISCAL POWER to set local priorities and meet community needs.
The Alliance is part of an economic civil rights movement emerging around the world.
Top-down colonial institutions have failed indigenous peoples everywhere, denied meaningful sovereignty for indigenous nations, and stifled economic growth in indigenous communities. Prior to European contact, indigenous institutions allowed people to adapt and prosper in a changing world.
It is time to renew indigenous traditions of entrepreneurship and prosperity.
We work with:
Scholars to encourage and support research that furthers understanding of indigenous economies and the legal and administrative systems necessary to support them;
Indigenous Leaders to foster the exchange of knowledge and skills necessary for successful governance and entrepreneurship;
Policymakers to inform policy debates and propose reforms that would remove the obstacles faced by tribal leaders and entrepreneurs; and
Students and Educators to help the next generation of indigenous leaders appreciate the rich history of entrepreneurship and trade before European contact; and develop better tools for undertaking self-determination.