Land holds our stories. Join us with Jessica Intermill, a treaty rights & tribal law attorney and land history consultant, as we dig into the layers of story that can be held within a single parcel of land. While we know that 98% of private land in the U.S. is held by white landowners, the story of how indigenous land became white-owned property is often hidden.

Using one specific piece of property to demonstrate the multiple layers of story within a place, we’ll look into a parcel of land owned by one of our Focus Communities, the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls in Minnesota. We’ll dig into the stories of that land and how it came to be “owned” by the U.S. Government and settlers -- stories of Dakota and Ojibwe peoples, French fur traders and their children, the first Acts of Congress by a revolting republic, trading posts and Indian Agents, and ambitious local land speculators. With this land story as a foundation, we’ll delve into how this research process can be a step towards repairing generational wounds and offer tips to begin your own land justice journey.

Jessica's Bio:

Jessica Intermill is a land history consultant with over 15 years of experience as a treaty rights and tribal law attorney. She helps individuals and organizations look underneath their homes, schools, businesses, and congregations to understand the circumstances that formed the history of the land they stand on. As a Strategic Policy Consultant for Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light, Jessica also works to engage congregations in the work of reparations and repair. You can learn more about her work at https://www.intermillconsulting.com.