Huge changes and exciting announcements. 🌻❤️❄️

Greetings to all from the beautiful snow dusted Schoharie Valley.  It's been a while since we've sent a newsletter, and we apologize for the radio silence. 2025 marks the ten year anniversary of the Waterfall Unity Alliance. This has been a time of huge changes at the organization, and we have some exciting announcements and new projects on the horizon.

In 2024, we were honored to have Rowen White, founder of Sierra Seeds, join the board of the Waterfall Unity Alliance to support the transition of Skywoman's Forever Farm as it moves from being a project of the Waterfall Unity Alliance to it’s own independent not-for-profit organization, led by Kawenniiosta Jock, and fully under indigenous stewardship and control. It has been moving beyond words to experience the seeds of this dream blossom into a rooted reality of return.

We are also thrilled to share that Sheena Brown has just stepped into the role of Acting Director of the Waterfall Unity Alliance. Sheena brings with her decades of experience and a passionate commitment to transformative justice and healing. She is dedicated to supporting Black & Indigenous Farmers, Land Stewards and Water Protectors in their efforts to build collective political, economic, cultural and narrative power. We couldn't be more excited to have her on board.

Now that the center of energy of the Kanien'kéha:ka community has moved to Skywoman's Farm, the Longhouse will be also be moved there, back to the ancestral Turtle Clan Village by the Schoharie Creek, where the culture and teachings can be shared by the Original People to whom it belongs.  The Longhouse was meant to be a living symbol of the return of the Original People, and the Original Instructions of the Great Law of Peace, to Skóhare. The symbol remains as powerful as ever – and has already helped begin a great process of transformation.  Nia:wenkowa to everyone who helped firmly plant those cedar poles in the ground. The prayer is moving and is growing its own community. This is what rematriation and healing can look like.  

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES​

The foundational pledge of the Waterfall Unity Alliance has been fulfilled. After ten years of ceremonies, visioning, hard work and community support – together we opened the door for the peaceful return of the Kanien'kehá:ka to Skóhare. The Waterfall Unity Alliance proudly continues to support Skywoman's Forever Farm as part of its mission of protecting the Schoharie Valley and creating collaborative solutions to the existential challenges of our time.

We have also broadened our organizational scope and are sponsoring other projects led by traditional cultural leaders, like Bonga Jean-Baptiste (Haiti) and Lazaro Medina Hernandez (Cuba), who have been part of our Waterfall Unity Alliance family for many years.  It is an honor to support these original lineage holders and continue our ongoing efforts of building alliances across movements and cultures; continuing the work of healing, mutual respect and understanding; and working together to re-weave the sacred hoop of life.

We look forward to being in touch this year as we continue this process of transformation. And in this new time we may also need to return to our activist roots as we once again face the threat of massive fracked gas pipeline projects here in New York State. (more info on that coming soon).

These past ten years have been an extraordinary journey full of so many teachings – many mistakes, lots of forgiveness, lots of love, passion, creativity, and hope. The prayer of unity is never easy, but we are the generation here to heal.   If not us, then who? And if not now, then when? Thank you for believing in us and supporting us when all this was just a dream. And now the dream is alive and breathing, singing back to us across the Valley as it leads us into the next chapter....

With love from all of us at The Waterfall Unity Alliance.

🌻❤️❄️