Wisdom Keepers, Inc.

Wisdom Keepers, Inc. (WKI), was founded as a grass-roots organization in 1997, filed for its non-profit state charter in approximately 2000, and received its 501-c-3 determination of status in 2003. Since its creation, it has worked to provide cross-cultural, intercultural and intra-cultural educational opportunities in Tennessee, provide support for other organizations in and out of Tennessee, and to provide broader delivery of its educational resources to a global audience via the Internet.

The primary mission of Wisdom Keepers, Inc. has been the creation of educational opportunities that preserve cultural traditions and the creation of opportunities for indigenous people and cultures to improve their current conditions and increase skills that will ensure they enjoy a stronger "tomorrow."

Following a two-year formative period that began in 1997, WKI focused its efforts on cross-cultural educational projects that alleviated myths and stereotypes and increased cultural awareness.

In 2003, we modified our mission in response to requests for technical assistance in the form of fiscal sponsorship, consultations, and community organizing that came from grassroots native organizations on and off reservations, and began to work more earnestly on increasing awareness and understanding of American Indian culture, values and issues on a local, state and national level.

Today, WKI continues to maintain four of its existing projects and to respond to community education referrals as we begin to work toward a new focus on initiatives and projects that will identify and address social, political and economic disparities suffered by indigenous peoples, especially AI/AN residents of Tennessee.

We look forward to continuing our work with our existing initiatives and partners, identifying new partners, and collaborating to create yet more opportunities!