Indigenous Ark Urban Technologies strives to operate in line with indigenist cultural values used by Indigenous leaders such as LaDonna Harris.
In brief, these values include (A) relationships, (B) relational accountability, (C) reciprocity, and (D) redistribution.
Relationships
We are all related in the most profound sense – not only as humans, but to all things, including the Land.
In being true relatives to one another, it is important to normalize positions of dominance (e.g. share power). There is no “one expert” in a field. Multiplicity of perspectives is valued including lived experience, service experience, and representation/representative experience. We honor the community’s expertise by acknowledging it.
Relational Accountability
As relatives, we have a responsibility to care for one another. We do this by lifting up the voices of relatives who may not normally be heard, and we do this by showing up for one another (“proxy”). This advocacy includes reporting and publishing as part of relational accountability. We want to be accountable to communities in sharing what we learn, by representing communities in the most effective way possible, and in working together to plan.
Reciprocity
Reciprocity may be seen as the practice of sharing or exchanging for mutual benefit. From this perspective, we find that this practice runs deep in our communities. E.g. we use medicines from the land and we give back with a prayer and an offering; if our families are somehow honored by the community, we often have a practice of giving back by way of gifts, food, et al.
Redistribution
“Our reciprocal relationships and responsibilities guides us to share our resources and help us to maintain balance” (Americans for Indian Opportunity, www.aio.org). We find it important to share our resources and include the community.
We aim to call attention to the needs of our community with the understanding that we wish to have more dedicated resources for counting our community, housing our community, and having culturally centered processes and people serving our community.
Source: https://lanaic.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/LANAIC-Mar-2019-Rpt._2-1.pdf (page 4)