About Us
Boston’s Indigenous Public Space Initiative is an Indigenous run organization formed by Robert Peters and Erin Genia, to advocate for Indigenous cultural, spiritual, and educational space in Boston to serve Boston’s Indigenous community in public spaces.
The main goal of BIPSI is to build relationships in a community that has become fragmented and lost momentum. Paying attention to the needs people have, listening to their stories, and being able to act on those needs is ideally what we want to achieve. Providing access to cultural teachings and structures provides emotional and spiritual support that enable our people to grow culturally.
It’s about taking the time to show how culture empowers people to make positive choices. Sometimes it is as simple as getting people to come to the table. Letting them know that there is a seat waiting for them. It is the artist and culture bearer who will ultimately convince people to take their seat. Getting people to see themselves as a part of the community is the thing that somehow slipped away that we want to help get back.
BIPSI strives to create an environment that is a home away from their ancestral home, and aims to help navigate the social-cultural-mainstream balance that is heavily experienced in urban settings. We assess and meet the community where they are, build an understanding of their interests, and boost exposure to cultural experiences that they might not have access to otherwise. Collaborating with other indigenous organizations and allies to hold events is an important component in building community and healthy relationships. The more we build our capacity to bring people together, the stronger our community will become.
BIPSI IS….
“COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ACCESS, VISIBILITY, AND CONNECTION”
BIPSI’s approach will be multi-fold, where we strive to create an environment that is a home away from their ancestral home, and aims to help navigate the social-cultural-mainstream balance that is heavily experienced in urban settings. We will assess and meet the community where they are, build an understanding of their interests, and boost exposure to cultural experiences that they might not have access to otherwise. This will include traditional food and material procurement practices, building and maintenance of regionally appropriate structures as well as programming that exemplifies the power of storytelling and expression through truth and knowledge seeking, attire, cuisine, music, theater, dance, and more.
We aspire to provide programming surrounding health and wellness, financial literacy, marketing, networking, portfolio building, and professional development. Collaborating with other indigenous organizations and non-Indigenous supporters to hold events is an important component in building community and healthy relationships. The more we build our capacity to bring people together the stronger our community will become.
We cast a large support net for our community to thrive in both the indigenous and mainstream world.