The Interfaith Network for Indigenous Communities (INIC)* urges you to attend and support the 2026 Paddle to Nisqually Medicine Creek Potlatch hosted by the Nisqually Tribe July 31-August 5. Participation by people of faith and conscience extends our respect to and solidarity with Pacific Northwest indigenous peoples, cultures and communities.

Hosting the Potlatch and its thousands of guests is a remarkable undertaking requiring hundreds of volunteers. INIC is encouraging faith communities and individuals to volunteer before and/or during the event. 

Learn more about the event, volunteer opportunities, sponsorship, and paddle landings enroute here: https://www.nisqually-nsn.gov/heritage/Medicine_Creek_Potlatch_Journey

There are also ongoing opportunities to help with gift-making led by Nisqually tribal members noted on this flyer (we recommend you call first to confirm). These gifts will be given to Potlatch tribal member guests.

If you are not in the Nisqually area, connect with your local tribe to learn if you could be of help or witness at a paddle landing.

Download our flyer from the FAN website events page.

Please contact Faith Action Network (fan@fanwa.org) to let us know if you are planning to volunteer or attend.

From the Nisqually Tribe: "Canoe Journey 2026, Paddle to Nisqually Medicine Creek Potlatch, continues an inter-tribal celebration and annual gathering of Northwest indigenous nations... Canoe Journey gatherings are rich in meaning and cultural significance. Canoe families travel great distances as their ancestors did and participating in the journey requires physical and spiritual discipline. At each stop, canoe families follow certain protocols, they ask for permission to come ashore, often in their native languages. At night in longhouses there is gifting, honoring and the sharing of traditional prayers, drumming, songs and dances. Meals, including evening dinners of traditional foods, are provided by the host nations.

**Participants in the Interfaith Network for Indigenous Communities: Faith Action Network, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America WA, Interfaith Works, JUUstice Washington, Khimstonik, Learning Right Relations, Seattle Mennonite Church

Please Join FAN and Climate Solutions in Signing This Petition to Update and Improve our Building Energy Codes

"Our homes and buildings are an enormous source of often unseen pollution; not only from constructing them, but then using and maintaining them. Powering appliances, heating water, running HVAC systems – all of this takes energy, and produces emissions. We deserve clean-powered, high-efficiency buildings that keep us comfortable without burning toxic fossil fuel gas.

"Strong energy codes are one of the best ways to build thriving, climate-friendly cities from the bottom up. We’ve already done incredible work to make Washington’s buildings some of the healthiest, most climate-friendly in the country. It’s time to build on that work, make improvements, and keep Washington leading on the path to a clean, affordable, energy-efficient future." (from Climate Solutions one-pager)

This opportunity to update and improve our building energy codes comes up only once every three years. Please sign here.

Climate Solutions is also looking for folks to testify at the WA State Building Codes Council hearings:

• July 14: hybrid zoom/in-person in Olympia
• July 17: hybrid zoom/in-person in Spokane area – would really like as many folks as possible from the Spokane area in person

Please let Elizabeth know if you are interested in testifying. dickinson@fanwa.org

Want to learn more? Check out this article by Deepa Sivarajan at Climate Solutions.

Join Interfaith Works for a screening of the documentary FISH WAR co-sponsored with the United Churches of Olympia and the 2026 Paddle to Nisqually Medicine Creek Potlatch on July 9th. Hanford McCloud, Nisqually Tribal Liaison and Nisqually Canoe Family Skipper, will be our special guest and participate in a Q & A after the screening.

Thursday, July 9, 2026
DOORS: 6:30 pm
SCREENING & Q&A: 7 - 9 pm

The United Churches of Olympia
110 11th Ave SE

FAN workgroups/collabs gather folks from across Washington interested in helping to shape FAN legislative priorities in most of our major areas of commitment.

Interfaith Network for Indigenous Communities will meet Monday June 8, 11:00-12:15. Contact Elizabeth (dickinson@fanwa.org) for zoom link.

The Environmental Justice Workgroup is reconvening. Contact Elizabeth (dickinson@fanwa.org) if you'd like to be on the mailing list. 

Health Care for All-WA has invited *Clarence Spigner, DrPH to present “British National Health Service: racial and social determinants of Health” for our next 2nd Wednesday Speaker Series.

Dr. Spigner has a great deal to share about race, health and society in Britain and you're invited to join HCFA-WA for “British National Health Service: Racial and Social Determinants of Health,” this Wednesday, June 10 at 7:00 PM PDT on Zoom.

RSVP Here 

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