“Feeding the Fire: Advancing the Movement” builds on the momentum of past Repatriation Conferences and calls us to act. This year’s Conference offers practical support to strengthen the capacity of Native Nations, allies, and institutions to move this work forward with clarity, conviction, and collaboration. Together, we’ll take on long-term strategies, develop new models, and build shared frameworks for institutional change, repatriation of cultural heritage, and appropriate public education.

The fire has been ignited—now we feed it.

Relationship Protocols

Please review the Association’s Relationship Protocols. If you are in our event virtual space, then you are showing you have agreed to these Relationship Protocols. If there are any concerns, please reach out directly to the Association on American Indian Affairs’ staff. We look forward to our healthy environment that supports intergenerational healing for everyone.

Thank you for attending! For our event to achieve its greatest success, we must each individually commit to creating a safe space for open discussion. Though sometimes discussion can be difficult, clunky and uncomfortable, if we each commit to creating a safe space for all, difficult discussions will be easier to hold space for. Please utilize the following protocols:

Respect the Sacred. Everything is Sacred. When we talk about the Ancestors and other Relatives, then our tone and demeanor should be as if our nearest and dearest Relatives are with us. We will approach all conversations and actions with the respect and dignity that each of us and our Ancestors deserve.

Trade Judgment for Curiosity. We have been taught to judge others as part of our survival. This is an incredible skill! However, it is not effective when we are working to build relationships with healthy boundaries. Making assumptions and being judgmental will disconnect you and prevent you from building healthy relationships; instead, replace with curiosity. Asking questions of yourself and others from a place of curiosity will support clarity and insight into a situation that cannot occur when you are making assumptions or being judgmental.

Acknowledge the Grief. We are surrounded by grief and trauma – either our own or others’. We will show compassion, kindness, and empathy to ourselves and each other, giving one another permission to care for ourselves as needed. Emotions give us important information about ourselves that we should be attentive to.

Be Fully Present. To the extent possible, we will limit distractions, including our cell phones, email, text messages and social media, and will show up as fully as possible. Don’t forget to breathe!

Take Space, Make Space. We care deeply about our work and can be very passionate about our ideas, experiences and opinions. For those of us who talk a lot, we will take care to get to the point when we speak and will listen more to others. For those of us who don’t speak much, we will consider speaking up. Each of us is valuable to all of our discussions.

Using Language We All Understand. We will use plain, simple language and will only use acronyms and jargon when we first define those terms for everyone.

One at a Time. We will avoid interrupting and allow others to complete their thoughts. We will not talk over one another to ensure everyone has a chance to be heard.

Conflict is Okay. We acknowledge that sometimes conflict arises. That is ok. It is always ok to be curious and challenge one another, but it is not okay to make it personal. We can be curious and challenge the ideas someone expresses but not make this challenge personal. We will not gossip and will address concerns directly with the person involved when we are able to. If you need support with a conflict, please speak with a trusted Elder or facilitator.

Association on American Indian AffairsOrganizer of 11th Annual Repatriation Conference: Feeding the Fire 2026