A Riverton group that works to break down barriers between Natives and non-Natives is attending a training that will hopefully help them do just that.
The Riverton Peace Mission will be attending the Small Town Summit in Missoula, Montana this week. Leaders from small, rural towns across America will talk about how to engage communities and organize actions.
Riverton Peace Mission’s and Northern Arapaho tribal member Allison Sage said the mission's goal is to learn how to work with the Riverton City Council to address two main issues: affordable housing options for those who don’t have a home and preservation of tribal life.
“Since 2015, we have already lost two Arapaho men that were killed by city employees,” said Sage. “And so we want to go do cultural sensitivity training. We want to have some kind of organization to resolve issues that come up. So we can work things out.”
Sage said they want to use what they learn at the summit to break down barriers with the Riverton City Council.
“We haven't had a voice in their council and we have 2,000 people that live in Riverton. We need to organize some kind of a voice to be at the City Council to address issues that come up every day, every week,” he said.
The group plans to take action as soon as they get back from the summit.
