Vance Blackfox will be leading us in this retreat! We are grateful that he is willing to come and be with us!
Please read this information about the blanket activity and send the link to parents.
The Blanket Exercise is an interactive learning activity that guides participants through 500 years of Indigenous stories, experiences, and history, as it pertains to experiences with and the effects of explorers, colonial settlers, and the U.S. federal and state governments.
The Blanket Exercise was developed by KAIROS, an ecumenical organization in Canada, during the Decade of Truth and Reconciliation to teach Canadians about the stories and histories of the Indigenous people of their lands. KAIROS has shared the gift of The Blanket Exercise with some of its ecumenical partners in the United States and the exercise has been edited to inform and educate participants about the Indigenous experience here.
The Blanket Exercise is indeed interactive and participants are expected to stand for some time during the first hour of the experience. However, ability and accessibility are always considered of course. The narration of the Exercise is filled with truths that can affect emotions and it is encouraged that a trusted adult leader be present and participate with youth participants.
The Blanket Exercise, in a very short amount of time, allows for deep learning and some have said that it was transformative to their work for justice. We look forward to having you join us for this important experience and for the better journey toward justice that follows.