­
­
Marcie Lopez, TERO Director for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, reviews development plans for the Sun Bear Solar Project during the first day of the Tribal Lands Southwest Project Coalition convening, Wednesday, Aug. 13.
Attendees broke into work groups to reflect on the presentation and share personal experiences of working in Native communities, sparking deep conversations that will continue beyond the coalition meeting and grow through the leadership of Native tradeswomen.
Ervin Jackson, President of the Nal-NiSHii Federation of Labor, joins Native women leaders in the trades for a fireside chat on union solidarity, equity, and expanding opportunities for Native workers in sustainable trades. The conversation underscored the cultural relevance and importance of Native trade workers in strengthening their communities.
Nichole Foster, co-founder of International Native Women in the Trades (INWIT) and Lead EPIC Organizer, welcomes attendees with a powerful message about her work with INWIT and EPIC, highlighting the importance of Native women’s leadership in the trades.
Photo Credit: Trennie Burch | Colorado Jobs with Justice
Photo Credit: Trennie Burch | Colorado Jobs with Justice
Photo Credit: Trennie Burch | Colorado Jobs with Justice
Photo Credit: Trennie Burch | Colorado Jobs with Justice
Thumbnail image of
Thumbnail image of
Thumbnail image of
Thumbnail image of
­
­

Tribal Lands Southwest Project Coalition advances stakeholder, coalition goals

Friday - August 22, 2025 by Staff report | The Southern Ute Drum

The Tribal Lands Southwest Project Coalition (TLSWPC), in partnership with the International Native Women in Trades, Colorado Jobs with Justice, and local organizations, successfully concluded a three-day convening aimed at gathering stakeholder feedback, refining coalition goals, and building a shared work plan for the coming year. Union workers, trade workers, and Native people from across the Southwest came together to discuss energy projects, workforce development, and Indigenous-led organizing, creating a collaborative foundation for the coalition’s next phase of work. 

The International Native Women in Trades (INWIT) — a grassroots organization co-founded by two Native women and built in partnership with tradeswomen from nations across the United States and Canada, played a central role in shaping the convening. Established in 2023, INWIT works to strengthen opportunities in the construction and building trades by fostering community resilience, building networks of support, and advancing professional development and peer-to-peer mentorship. Their involvement ensured the convening’s discussions remained rooted in community priorities, cultural knowledge, and the lived experiences of Indigenous workers, with a vision of ensuring that Native women and Two-Spirit people not only enter the trades but thrive as leaders within them. 

The program kicked off on Wednesday, Aug. 13, with an immersive site visit to Sun Bear Solar project in Towaoc, Colo. Offering participants the opportunity to see energy projects in the Four Corners region, in action and discuss how these efforts align with both tribal priorities and coalition objectives. Feedback from attendees underscored the need for workforce training programs that center cultural values while expanding economic opportunities. 

A Fireside Chat & Community Outreach was held at SunUte Community Center in Ignacio on day two of the program. A powerful fireside chat brought together Ervin Jackson, President of the Nal-NiSHii Federation of Labor, the only AFL-CIO body solely dedicated to representing Indigenous working families in the Navajo Nation, alongside Native women leaders in the trades. Their discussion highlighted the importance of union solidarity, equity in the trades, and expanding access for Native workers to emerging opportunities in sustainable trades. Stakeholders built on the conversation by sharing ideas for coalition priorities, such as strengthening apprenticeship pipelines and developing culturally relevant training opportunities. 

The TLSWPC Regional Convening took place at the Southern Ute Museum & Cultural Center in Ignacio on Friday, Aug. 15. The final day served as the coalition’s main planning session. Through facilitated discussions, participants identified shared goals, prioritized action items, and began shaping a collective work plan. Topics included advancing Indigenous representation in policy decisions, expanding partnerships with unions, and coordinating efforts to secure funding for workforce and energy projects. 

“One of the biggest highlights I wanted to make sure we touched on during our convening was connecting with local tribal TERO’s to be able to have a conversation with them about future work, current work.” said Nichole Foster, INWIT Co-Founder. “Being able to hear about other organizations like, NAL-NiSHii that is doing work on the Navajo Nation and then thinking about how we can bring that type of advocacy to our own people – our own tribes.” 

The Tribal Lands Southwest Project Coalition remains committed to building economic sovereignty, advancing collaborative partnerships, and creating workforce opportunities for union workers, trade workers, and Native people. The feedback and action steps from this convening will guide the coalition’s collaborative work in the year ahead. 

 

About the Tribal Lands Southwest Project Coalition: Goal is a coalition of tribal stakeholders, labor unions, employers, educational institutions, workforce organizations, federal, state, county, and regional partners to innovate pathways for workers on/off tribal lands in the Southwest in the target industries of energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, and critical minerals. 

 

Call to Action: TLSWPC invites community members, union representatives, trade workers, and allies to join our coalition. Whether you’re interested in participating in future site visits, contributing to workforce training initiatives, or lending your voice to advocacy. Your involvement matters! To learn more, collaborate, or join the coalition’s mailing list, visit cojwj.org or email nichole@cojwj.org or ethan-lee@cojwj.org. 

 

Tags: , , , ,
To top