NAES College Honorary Desk

OUR SPACE:

The Coven designs radical spaces for changemakers to connect, learn, and thrive. Our physical co-working and digital communities allow members to pursue growth, confidence, and connections in a world that doesn't often take them seriously. In addition to co-working, we facilitate personal and professional on-demand content for radical leaders charting new paths. Our East Lake location is dedicated to those making dramatic change in the world and need an HQ space to stay focused.

Collectively, our goal is to raise funds to support multiple entrepreneurs throughout the year, providing them dedicated desk space at our location at no cost, along with free digital membership to The Coven and access to hundreds of hours of Leadership and Entrepreneurial Training. Access for Entrepreneurs will include not only their own dedicated desk but mailing address, no-cost printing, free healthy snacks and coffee, access to conference room, parent & prayer space and private phone rooms. 

OUR HOPE:

Our Entrepreneurial Dedicated Desk is named after NAES (Native American Educational Services) College. NAES started in Chicago in 1974 and was “the first urban American Indian institution of its kind, a college run by and serving a Native population in a major US city”. NAES grew and expanded to include several satellite locations including the Twin Cities which had its classrooms just a few blocks down Lake Street from our Coven location.  Though NAES stopped offering courses in 2005, its legacy will continue to live on. Our Entrepreneurial Dedicated Desk is one small way we hope to contribute to the legacy of NAES.

OUR CONNECTION:

In 2001 and just married, we moved to Chicago. Angie continued her education at Northwestern University, now in Graduate School, while Dan discovered NAES, enrolling in language, history and public policy courses there. Dan was drawn to NAES by his own grandparents' history of directly working alongside Native people for 25+ years. After Angie completed her program, the couple moved back to the Twin Cities to begin their careers and be near to family. 

Dan continued to take classes from the NAES Twin Cities campus on East Lake Street.  NAES was a foundational life experience for Dan, opening his eyes to the deeply disturbing, rooted and systemic history of atrocities against Native people. Throughout his experience at NAES, he found himself surrounded by gracious and inspiring changemakers.  Teachers and fellow students who welcomed him, went out of their way to include him, and time-and-time again demonstrated their collective resolve for the work of healing the collective and enduring trauma of history, while upholding and empowering the strength of their identities and cultures.

OUR ASK & COMMITMENT:

Please join us in honoring the legacy of NAES College and specifically the way it resourced, equipped and connected Native changemakers on Lake Street. 

We remain ever-committed to the reconciliatory work against the wrongs done to Native people. We respectfully acknowledge we are on Dakhóta land and seek practical, honoring and contributive ways to bring forward and support the voices, leadership, cultures and opportunities of and for Native people.