#9 Frontlines Are Everywhere | Gerry Ambers, Grassroots Activism and the Formation of the NARP

featuring Gerry Ambers (‘Namgis Nation, Kwakwaka’wakw)

In this episode, Jeff and Gerry discuss the formation of the Native Alliance for Red Power (NARP) and grassroots activism in the 1970s, the recent Kwakwaka’wakw mourning ceremony to commemorate the loss of non-human kin, the role of emotions, and more.

Gerry Ambers is Kwakwaka’wakw from the ‘Namgis Nation in Alert Bay, and the mother of five children and six grandchildren. Gerry was one of the founding members of the Native Alliance for Red Power (NARP). The group formed in 1967 in Vancouver, BC (Coast Salish / Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Səl̓ílwətaʔ and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm territories). NARP’s reach extended beyond state borders, interacting with the broader Red Power movement and the Black Panther movement. Today, Gerry supports the work of art galleries, Indigenous organizations and post-secondary institutions on Vancouver Island as an Elder, mentor and healing worker.