Dear IFIP Members and Friends,

We hope you and your loved ones, your partners and your organizations are safe and healthy during this continued pandemic and the on-going fight for racial and social justice occurring all over the world.  Earlier this summer, IFIP collaborated with five Indigenous-led organizations to produce a funder focused webinar series which delved into the dire impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous Peoples and the opportunities for funders to use this current crisis as a springboard for change.  This current issue of our IFIP newsletter highlights how Indigenous communities are fighting to protect their communities as they continue to battle threats to their lands, waterways, and cultural identities.  IFIP will continue to work with our Indigenous partners to provide updates and learning opportunities regarding the pandemic’s impacts on Indigenous Peoples.  Please also access IFIP’s COVID-19 resources page for updates and information.

We are happy to announce that the IFIP team is growing.  This past month, IFIP welcomed Winnie Kodi as IFIP’s new Member Engagement and Communications Coordinator.  Winnie is from the Nuba peoples of Sudan and has been actively engaged on promoting indigenous rights on many forums. She’s a graduate of the Global School of Indigenous Women, a program led by the International Indigenous Women’s Forum. In 2018, Winnie was selected as a European Parliament Sakharov, as well as a Human Rights Fellow at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner. She brings expertise in communications and her educational background is in development communications. We are incredibly fortunate to have Winnie join our team.  Please join us in welcoming her; Winnie can be reached at winnie@internationalfunders.org.

In Solidarity,

The IFIP Team.