Bending the Arc

Land Justice Futures works with Catholic sisters, and other religious landowners who seek to pursue land justice - centering racial repair, ecological healing, and community power into decisions about how land is loved, used, and governed. While it can take many forms, at its core, land justice is about interrupting the story of land as commodity, and living instead as though repair and reciprocity are possible.

On July 7, 2026, Sarah Bradley, from Land Justice Futures (LJF), led a special webinar called, “Unmasking the 250th: The Indigenous Roots of U.S.Democracy and A Call to Interdependence.” Guests Mohawk Clanmother, Mommabear Louise Herne, Baratunde Thurston and Rev.Jolena Wolcott joined Sarah as they applied a critical, historical lens to the 250th anniversary and discussed the unfinished work of truth-telling, repair, and right relationships for the next 250 years.

Mommabear reminds us that the U.S. was founded on the glorification of war and war heroes (all men). Women and mothers are often left out of our history, and even still today, but they are absolutely necessary for the birth of anything. She calls our country to perform a maternity test. Listen to the full, thought-provoking webinar in this recording.

Before or after watching the recording, you are also encouraged to read this essay from LJF’s Sarah Bradley and/or consider these reflection questions. May we learn and practice that which is foundational to the future we need:

• Women at the center of governance
• Humans living in reciprocity with the natural world
• Every decision considers seven generations ahead
• Peace, which is the presence of justice and absence of abuse, is the people’s preferred way of life, and the highest calling of government
• Law is rooted in the sacred and in the alignment with and appreciation for all life, from people to Mother Earth to the sun and cosmos

Further recommended reading and learning is here:

• Rematriated Voices with Michelle Schenandoah on PBS (2025)
• The book American Indigenous Democracy: A Call for Interdependence by Oren Lyons, John Mohawk, Katsi Cook, and other contributing authors (2026)
• The book Sisters in Spirit: Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Influence on Early American Feminists by Sally Roesch Wagner (2021)
• A Call to Mother Law essay by Sarah Bradley and Brittany Koteles of LJF
• Read this Forge interview on the 250th anniversary and Haudenosaunee democracy as “the Great Goodness” with our friends Baratunde Thurston & Claire Maracle (Mohawk)
• Check out this helpful cheatsheet of historical dates and quotes from Sara Jolena