The Development and Implementation of Gathering Grounds, a Virtual Community of Practice Rooted in Indigenous Praxis

Abstract

In a 2010 article, Traci Sylva, Pauline Chinn, and Charles Kinoshita note that Indigenous communities of practice generate solutions to “highly valued, real-world problems'” by connecting “science to culture, place, and community.” To provide Native American communities a collaborative space to address COVID-19, we developed Gathering Grounds, an Indigenous community of practice, or I-CP. Over one hundred individuals from Native communities nationwide participated in Gathering Grounds. We started with reviewing existing literature to identify existing approaches that honor Indigenous ways of building and maintaining relationships as well as best practices. This article discusses the I-CP’s development, shares community responses to COVID-19, and describes how the I-CP facilitates resource-sharing and growth opportunities.