Truth and Healing Advocacy

By Rev. Isaac Mwase, PhD, University Baptist Church, Baltimore, Maryland

Just before Christmas 2025, the CBF Advocacy Team led by Rev. Jennifer Hawks informed those of us who participated in an advocacy trip to Oak Flat, Arizona about an advocacy opportunity planned by the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL). Four slots were reserved by FCNL for those associated with CBF Advocacy. I was one of the four selected to participate in the advocacy with FCNL. Other participants included two survivors of Indian Boarding Schools.

FCNL planned the advocacy for 2-4 February 2026. I chose to commute daily on the MARC train to and from Baltimore. The key presentation took place the evening of 2 February 2026, entitled “Quaker Indian Boarding School.” The presenter was Paul Palmer. The presentation added to my knowledge of what happened at Indian Boarding schools, knowledge gained during a visit to the Heard Museum in 2025. More than 60,000 Native children attended over 500 different schools. Their experiences at these schools were horrible and life scarring. The US government spent $26 billion in today’s money on these boarding schools.

FCNL trained me and the other eleven participants on how to advocate for S. 761 and H.R. 7325, legislation in both the Senate and House respectively that establishes a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies. The legislation seeks to appropriate $90 million to do the following:

·      Formally investigate and document the assimilation practices and human rights violations that occurred against Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

·      Hold culturally respectful and meaningful public hearings for victims, survivors, and their families to testify on the impacts of these policies.

·      Be guided by and Truth and Healing Advisory Committee with representatives from tribal organizations, tribal nations, experts, survivors, and the faith community.

·      Develop a final report with recommendations for the federal government due no later that five years after enactment on policies and commitments to address the impacts of Indian Boarding School Policies.

On Wednesday 4 February 2026, I made advocacy visits to the offices of Senator Angela Alsobrooks, Representative Kweisi Mfume, and Representative Johnny Olszewski. Senator Alsobrook was a co-sponsor of S. 761 during the 188^th Congress. It is crucial that S. 761 and H.R. 7325 be adopted during the 119^th Congress. Many of the survivors of Indian Boarding Schools are succumbing to old age and death. Justice demands that we set the stage for rectifying the wrongs related to Indian Boarding Schools.