Building community in your organization

On my calendar by Joseph Marshall III, who is from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, this month is Cannapopa Wi or Moon of Popping Trees. In the description above this is information about Wicoti or village. The African proverb so many are familiar with is "it takes a village to raise a child." However in addition to the importance of being part of a village our people also understood the value of Tiwahe or family and Tiyospaye or the community. So for us you need all three to raise a healthy child. Many of the social problems we see in our communities and in society as a whole are due to our children and family members not having a sense of belonging. In the Red Road to Wellbriety it talks about Erik Ericksons classic 8 stages of human development and belonging is one of the more critical ones.

In this era of broken homes, dysfunctional families and lives filled with trauma we must all do our part to be part of the healing of our people. It starts with each one of us making sure we are healthy and serve as good role models for our children and the community as a whole. Then we strengthen other families by giving them support in any way we can. It takes a village, (Wicoti), a family (Tiwahe) and a community (Tiyospaye) to improve the quality of life for our people as we work for the greater good.