Seven Dancers Coalition (7DC) is a Native American non-profit located in Northern New York. The mission is To Uplift the families of Indigenous Communities by educating and restoring traditional values with the purpose of strengthening self-confidence and dignity. We strive for an environment of peace and tranquility to heal all indigenous spirits. 

7DC began in 2009 and has grown to include 11 staff and a satellite office in Lockport, NY where three employees work. At 7DC we work to end violence against Native American women and assist them on their healing journey. 7DC does this by increasing awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault, enhancing the response to violence on the state, tribal and federal levels, and by assisting Indian tribes or communities in developing and promoting state, local, and Tribal legislation and policies that enhance best practices for responding to violent crimes against Indian or Native Hawaiian women, including the crimes of domestic violence, teen dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, stalking and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. The service area for 7DC is all Native American people within New York State. 

There are many parts to 7DC, Seeds of Resilience Women’s Program, Strawberry Seedling Youth Girls Program, Standing The Trees Back Up Men’s Program (STBU) and Sapling To Cedar Youth Boys Program. All of our programs use our cultural traditions as the basis for our curriculum. 

Women’s Program.

Seeds to Resilience Women’s Program hosts a Healing Thru Art workshops that are held throughout the Native nations of New York State. These activities include vital information on topics that relate to domestic violence, sexual assault, teen dating violence, stalking, sex trafficking and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. This information is shared during their traditional culture class, such as ribbon skirts, medallion making and others. We also host a craft night which is open to anyone but is frequented by women. These women get together weekly to work on their own projects but also it has turned into a weekly support group for women, an unstructured talking circle. 

Our women’s program also hosts a 9 session Healing series with Emmy Mitchell that incorporates learning about our gifts while healing from grief, resentments, and depression. 

Once a year we host a Women’s Healing Gathering for the Native American women throughout New York State. This has been well attended and includes Native American speakers along with a much-needed talking circle. 

The Strawberry Seedling Youth Girls program has been working in the local schools to provide a cultural background along with allowing our native youth an opportunity to talk about issues that are bothering them. It has turned into a support group for teen girls that includes cultural teachings along with crisis intervention. The group is introduced to the traditional teachings about their bodies such as their moon time and the meanings behind it. They follow a curriculum based in our traditional teachings that begins with the creation story and continues until their high school years. 

Men’s Program.

The STBU Men’s Program has been developed by the express need to assist men in improving themselves. The breakdown in the traditional roles and responsibilities for our family structure has led many men to alcohol and drug addictions, domestic violence, sexual assault, and incarceration. By reintroducing them to their culture we are educating them about their role as protector not abuser and how they can live in a spiritual awakened life of gratitude and respect. Community oriented focus ideology becomes their dominant way of thinking and develops a need to create a better community for the next seven generations. 

Harvey Herne, Program Director has taken such trainings as White Bison’s Mind Mapping and Medicine Wheel teachings which he combined into his own curriculum and incorporates both methods along with The Three-Way Value System and Problematic and Solutional ideology. The lessons will be taught in one on ones and group settings in and will begin with Historical perspectives, understanding the use of violence as a control tactic, identifying intimidation defining non-threatening behaviors, analyzing emotional abuse, defining respect, analyzing coercion, threats and defining negotiation and fairness. These themes are divided into subtopics with specific learning objectives for each weekly or bi-weekly session. Each five-week section is concluded with a sweat lodge ceremony. 

The curriculum first emphasizes the historical underpinnings of domestic abuse. Participants learn about the history of violence against Native American women during colonization and the process of assimilation during which foreign beliefs about women were imposed upon Native American peoples. Using video and other teaching tools, Harvey helps clients understand how colonial laws and the use of boarding schools allowed men to abuse women. He also teaches participants about ways that colonization has led to internalized oppression, which in some instances can be manifested in self-harm.  

The Sapling To Cedar Youth Boys Program teaches youth boys about their cultural history, the Creation Story, ceremonies, and songs. The program instills the cultural knowledge that was once part of our parents’ responsibility and is lacking in our public-school education. This knowledge is important in for our children in order for them to survive, they have to subscribe to materialistic/individualist ideology which is the destructive behavior that often leads to the thirst for easy money and eventually addictions. A culturally rich foundation will be provided to the youth which we envision will allow them to feel a strength, confidence, and pride in who they are that will be the moral compass that will assist them in navigating in a today’s tech savvy world. 

Talking Circles and Sweat Lodges. 

The group talking circles are designed to give participants the opportunity to voice their frustrations and to feel support from other members of the group. This part of the program is important because this helps participants maintain their positive behavior and unload their issues and ask for positive reinforcement from their peers. 

The sweat lodges are an important aspect of our programming. It allows participants to feel a connection with the Creator and to nature and restore order and balance in life. 

Community Closet.

We offer a Community Closet to all people. It is run by donations and all clothes are offered for free. It has turned into a much-needed program for our community and surrounding areas especially since Covid, with the cost of everything going up at least people can get some clothes for free. This is attended by over 2,000 people a year. 

Cultural Safety

This two-day training is designed to educate and acquaint you with some of the history and traditions of Indigenous people. Before you begin working with survivors of trauma in our territories, we wanted to make sure you had the foundation to provide informed case conclusion.

Seven Dancers Coalition has brought together experts from our territory, who will provide knowledgeable background for today’s cases. You will begin with the origins of our people, our Creation Story, and hear traditional teachings that have guided our families since time immemorial. Through powerful presentations, you’ll learn about the legacies of colonization and the ways in which we’re gathering the embers to rebuild our fire of resilience and healing. We have planned a sweat lodge ceremony for our group, and hope you will attend!

Cultural Safety is an environment that is spiritually, socially, emotionally, and physically safe for people, where there is no denial of identity, of who they are or what they need.

Key Concepts: 

~ Cultural safety moves beyond the concept of cultural sensitivity to analyzing power imbalances, institutional discrimination, and colonization.

~ Cultural safety requires that service providers become respectful of nationality, culture, age, sex, political and religious belief. This notion is in no contrast to trans-cultural care, which encourages service providers to deliver services irrespective of these aspects.

~ Culturally safe care empowers people because it reinforces the idea that each person's knowledge and reality is valid and valuable.

~ Cultural safety is a political idea because it attempts to change attitudes about the power relationships between service provider and client.

This training is a two-day filled workshop designed for service providers, law enforcement, etc. who work with our unique population and after completion will be able to make informed decisions about our families.

Trainings and Awareness Campaigns 

Trainings and awareness campaigns are offered throughout the year on the topics that we cover. These trainings are based on the need of the community that we have identified at the time. 

Awareness Campaigns are offered during the year that coincide with the month that it is scheduled in. 

We also have been asked to do presentations at our local colleges. We have traveled as far as Albany University, Niagara University, Clarkson University, SUNY Potsdam, St. Lawrence University, University of Buffalo, and others. 

Networking

7DC will work with all agencies throughout New York State. The agencies from the American portion of Akwesasne are the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe which include the following: St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council, Education Department, Social Services Division, Partridge House (addictions treatment facility), Three Sisters Program (DV & SA Program), Intensive Prevention Program, Alcohol and Chemical Dependency Prevention Program, Child Protection Program, Adult Protection Program, Tribal Police Department, and Indian Health Services. These agencies already assist SDC and provide a positive strong history of assisting us. On the Canadian portion of Akwesasne are the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne’s; Wholistic Health and Wellness, Akwesasne Family Wellness Program (DV & SA Shelter), Justice Program, Mohawk Council of Chiefs, Akwesasne Child and Family Services and Akwesasne Mohawk Police Services. Other Native American agencies throughout New York State include Native American Community Services in Buffalo, NY, Native American Cultural Services in Rochester, NY and Buffalo, Shinnecock Community Center in New York City, American Indian Community House in New York City, Tuscarora Community Health Workers Program; Oneida Indian Nation Behavioral Health Services. 

SDC is continuing to forge new relationships with stakeholders from Tuscarora, Tonawanda, and Seneca along with other Native American communities within New York State. Having this project will impact future communities by offering services to areas where Native specific services are unheard of. Through the work around the state SDC has been invited to more presentations, sat on panels, and been invited to other activities located throughout NYS. Through these engagements we have developed a network of non-native agencies, along with Native run agencies.