The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) has released the recordings from the 4th annual Indigenous Children, Youth, and Families (ICYF) Conference, which brought together caregivers, judicial personnel, caseworkers, and tribal partners to discuss state tribal resources.
DCYF's Office of Tribal Relations hosted the virtual conference on Nov. 1-2. This year's theme was "Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Future: Healing through Native Traditions and Culture."
“We are incredibly grateful to our esteemed speakers and those who attended this year’s ICYF conference,” said Tleena Ives, Director of Tribal Relations. “I am heartened by the wealth of knowledge and expertise shared and the partnerships that were built and strengthened throughout this year’s event.”
This year’s keynote speakers included:
- Sandra White Hawk, founder of the First Nations Repatriation Institute and Elder in Residence at the Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
- Calina Lawrence, Coast Salish vocalist, wellness facilitator, and Tribal Elder Caregiver
A host of topics were covered over the two-day conference, from Washington State Indian Child Welfare (ICW) updates to a panel discussion on the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Washington courts system.
For those who were not able to attend the 2023 ICYF conference, recordings of the presentations are available on DCYF’s YouTube channel: ICYF 2023 Playlist.
For more information about the ICYF conference, please visit www.dcyf.wa.gov/tribal-relations/training or contact the Office of Tribal Relations at dcyf.tribalrelations@dcyf.wa.gov.