NIWRC Specialty Institute 2026: Full Schedule

11:00am EDT

Yoga: From Doing to Being: A Nervous System Reset

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT

This 90-minute wellness experience invites participants to reconnect with themselves through movement, music, breath, and rest.

We will begin with an accessible, feel good yoga practice set to a thoughtfully curated playlist featuring diverse musical influences. Through gentle movement, mindful stretching, and breathwork, participants will release tension, improve circulation, and create space throughout the body.

As the practice unfolds, the pace will gradually slow, allowing participants to settle into longer held stretches and restorative postures that support relaxation and nervous system regulation. The session will conclude with a guided somatic & sound meditation, offering an opportunity for deep rest, reflection, and renewal.

Designed for all levels and abilities, this experience balances movement and restoration, inviting participants to care for themselves in the same way they so often care for others.
Expect to leave feeling refreshed, grounded, and restored.

Speakers

Kierra Woods

Twisted Yogi

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Camellia Room

Wellness

12:30pm EDT

Building the Warrior Within: Empowerment Through Self-Defense and Prevention

Tuesday July 28, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT

Camellia Room

Violence prevention begins with education, awareness, and empowerment. This interactive session explores how self-defense and personal safety education can serve as tools for building confidence, strengthening boundaries, and fostering resilience in individuals and communities. Participants will examine how movement-based learning and practical self-defense concepts can support prevention efforts by encouraging self-awareness, healthy communication, and personal empowerment.

Please complete the form below in advance of attending this wellness session:
https://forms.gle/gvTuAqU7UB8gjhJU7

Speakers

Jessica D. Newton

Warrior Heart

Tuesday July 28, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Camellia Room

Wellness

12:30pm EDT

Plate Shattering: Intentional Somatic Release

Tuesday July 28, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT

Camellia Room

In this immersive session participants will release what no longer serves them through intentional plate shattering. This empowering activity will deepen participants connection to self through personal reflection and mindful release. Please note closed toe shoes will be required to participate in this activity. Other safety equipment will be provided.

Speakers

Paloma Sánchez, MA, MSW

Director of National Training and Resources, NIWRC

Paloma Hąąpnąąžįwiiga Sánchez, MSW, MA (Ho-Chunk/Xicana Indígena), currently serves as the Director of National Training and Resources at the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. Paloma holds a Master of Arts in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, where their studies focused on... Read More →

Tuesday July 28, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Camellia Room

Wellness

2:00pm EDT

Cultivating Seeds of Healing - Session 1

Tuesday July 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

Camellia Room

The Cultivating Seeds of Healing activity was developed to strengthen our interconnections of community and land, and how it can support strategies for healing. It is based on Indigenous teachings that understand healing as a reciprocal process between these interconnections and that we do not heal or grow alone; all living things depend on each other and land.

Speakers

Kim Zahne

Program Specialist, NIWRC

Kim Zahne or “Sah-Povi” is Tobacco clan (Sah-Towa/ Pipwungwa) from the Village of Tewa, and a member of the Hopi Tribe. Kim is currently the Program Specialist for the National Indigenous Resource Center. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in American Indian Studies, with an emphasis on Federal... Read More →

Tuesday July 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Camellia Room

Wellness

3:30pm EDT

Cultivating Seeds of Healing - Session 2

Tuesday July 28, 2026 3:30pm - 5:00pm EDT

Camellia Room

Speakers

Kim Zahne

Program Specialist, NIWRC

Tuesday July 28, 2026 3:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Camellia Room

Wellness

9:00am EDT

Engaging Tribal Leadership through Advocacy and Strategic Communication

Wednesday July 29, 2026 9:00am - 11:00am EDT

Camellia Room

This highly interactive workshop is designed to strengthen program staff's capacity to navigate leadership spaces with confidence and intention. Frequently, domestic violence program staff operate at the intersection of community responsibility, advocacy, and policy engagement. Within tribal communities, advocates are often called to communicate directly with tribal leadership, federal partners, and other partner organizations about the realities facing survivors and the systems aimed to support them. These conversations require the ability to communicate community needs clearly, strategically, and responsibly while promoting survivor confidentiality.

This session will provide participants with the opportunity to explore how lived experiences, storytelling, and data can work together to communicate their communities' needs and inform policy decisions. Through a series of guided exercises, attendees will practice framing their experiences, articulating community challenges, and identifying clear requests that can be carried into briefings, tribal leadership meetings, consultations, legislative visitations, and other formal engagements. Additionally, it will introduce practical communication frameworks and grounding strategies to help advocates remain prepared, centered, and effective as they navigate high-stakes environments while continuing to uphold survivor-centered advocacy.

Speakers

Jantzen Hale, MPH

Program Specialist, NIWRC

Jantzen Hale, Diné, currently serves as a Program Specialist with the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. Previously, she worked with the National Congress of American Indians, supporting the development of communication strategies and sharing stories of impact and need about Tribal communities... Read More →

Paloma Sánchez, MA, MSW

Director of National Training and Resources, NIWRC

Wednesday July 29, 2026 9:00am - 11:00am EDT
Camellia Room

Breakout Session

11:30am EDT

Community-based Participatory Research and Tribal Leadership Engagement

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:30am - 11:45am EDT

Camellia Room

This session explores how community-based participatory research (CBPR) can provide a transformative framework for building effective partnerships between Tribal domestic violence programs and Tribal leaders. CBPR is a community centered research approach that builds the skills and capacities of community members through equitable long-term relationships built on a foundation of respect and autonomy. Participants will leave with practical tools and strategies to integrate CBPR into their work and utilize the data collected to address domestic violence in their communities.

Speakers

Olivia Anderson

Research Associate, NIWRC

Olivia Anderson currently serves as a Research Associate for the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. Olivia is also pursuing a Masters of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, where she is studying women’s health and interdisciplinary research methods. As a Research Associate... Read More →

Paloma Sánchez, MA, MSW

Director of National Training and Resources, NIWRC

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Camellia Room

Breakout Session

2:00pm EDT

Conversations with Community: Advocate Storytelling

Wednesday July 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

Camellia Room

We invite Tribal domestic violence advocates, Tribal leaders, and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) victim survivors to join us for an engaging session. This space is designed for open discussions where participants can share their personal stories and experiences. We will hold small group discussions to explore valuable lessons, challenges, successes, and the realities of victim survivors in Indian Country.

These discussions will help us develop important recommendations, identify key resource needs, and support the growth of Tribal domestic violence programs. By highlighting the voices of those who have experienced these challenges, this session aims to enhance understanding of the needs and successes of AI/AN victim survivors. Your participation will strengthen our commitment to addressing the needs of our communities.

Speakers

Paloma Sánchez, MA, MSW

Director of National Training and Resources, NIWRC

Wednesday July 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Camellia Room

Breakout Session

11:00am EDT

12:30pm EDT

12:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

3:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

11:30am EDT

2:00pm EDT

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