Welcome to the Earth Summit 2026! Hosted by WETCC Extension on May 27th and 28th
We will be going live from our YouTube channel both days of the event!
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Greetings to all and thank you for looking into the Earth and Fire Summit being held at the White Earth Tribal and Community College May 27th and 28th, 2026. This is our third effort to bring people together to talk about life on Earth. We will be gathering to articulate some of the challenges we all face and what are some solutions. Participants are urged to be part of the discussion. We hope you will join us.
This series of Summits was originally conceived to take a deeper look into the relationship we have with Earth and shine light of issues related to Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. We have completed two, Water (2024) and Earth (2025). In 2026 we will focus on Fire. Specifically, fire as an entity that helps give life to certain of our non-human relatives as well a brief look at ceremonial fire.
This year we will be joined by experts on ecocultural and prescribed burns. They will be discussing the use of fire to support and maintain certain types of wild foods (including berries) as well as beneficial impacts for critters and vegetation. Some will discuss Fire and prairies. Fire is also used in numerous Anishinaabe ceremonial applications.
Capping this off will be some discussion on Ojibwe food systems. Fishers, hunters, berry pickers, sugarbushers and others will discuss their experiences with taking care of their relationship with Earth and how Earth takes care of us.
Draft agenda will be posted as it becomes available.
Please join us. The registration form is below. This event is free and open to the public.
Agenda Event Sheet
AGENDA
Earth Summit 2026 AKI – GIIZHIG – ISHKODE – NIBI May 27th – 28th 2026
WHITE EARTH TRIBAL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE Mahnomen Minnesota All presentations are in the Drum Hall
May 27th 11:00 AM – 11:45 Opening Ceremony Bidaabanmikwe (Kimberly Anderson) 11:45 – 12:15 Welcoming and Opening Remarks 12:15 PM – 1:00 Lunch provided 1:00 – 1:45 Baaga’adowewin (Ojibwe Lacrosse) or Yogachigedaa (Ojibwe Yoga) Elizabeth Strong, The Great Outback (of the library) 1:45 – 2:45 Invited Speaker Vern Northrup, Returning the Spirit of Fire to Minnesota and Wisconsin Point; retired Wildland Fire Operation Specialist and Nature Photographer, citizen of the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation 2:45 – 3:00 Afternoon Break 3:00 – 4:15 Panel Discussion Fire and Food for the Body and Spirit, Panel Moderator - Elizabeth Strong Ozaawaawi-bines (Raeanna Conner), Vern Northrup, The importance of Collaboration in Prescribed Fire; Naabekwa Liberty 4:15 – 4:30 Announcements and closing of day one
May 28
8:30 AM Refreshments and breakfast snacks Drum Hall and Poster Room 9:00 – 9:15 Opening Remarks and Housekeeping 9:15 – 10:30 Invited Speaker Ozaawaaibines; Living on Earth Anishinaabewi inaadiziwin 10:30 – 10:45 Morning Break – Poster Room 10:45 – 12:00 Panel Discussion; Panel Moderator - Elizabeth Strong Eco-cultural and prescribed burns - Calla Olson The Nature Conservancy Field Steward for the Tallgrass Aspen Parklands office in Karlstad, MN; The Nature Conservancy; Jeramy Londo, White Earth Reservation Wildlands Fire; Bidaabanikwe Naytahwaush Fire Department 12:00 – 12:45 Lunch provided 12:45 – 1:30 Baaga’adowewin (Ojibwe Lacrosse) or Yogachigedaa (Ojibwe Yoga) Elizabeth Strong, The Great Outback (of the library) 1:30 – 2:30 Invited Speaker; Audrianna Goodwin; Audrianna is a citizen of the Red Lake Nation and holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. 2:30 – 2:45 Afternoon Break 2:45 – 4:00 Panel Discussion; Protecting Manoomin: Current thoughts and efforts from young leaders - Erika Bailey-Johnson, Director, Minwaadizi Center, Sacred Bundle; Panel Moderator - Kat Schmidt, A Masters student in Applied Plant Science at the University of Minnesota. She works in Kimball Lab focused on transparency, outreach, and accountability within the Wild Rice Breeding/Genetics Program. - Taylor Fairbanks UMN-TC Alumni, Sociology BA '26, American Indian Studies BA '26 4:00 – 4:30 Talk Back - Guests are invited to give responses, ask questions and provide feedback on the Summit 4:30 - Closing
Event is Sponsored by The Community Extension of the White Earth Tribal and Community College with generous support from USDA NIFA, Ganawenindidaa, and The Nature Conservancy.
