Our Story

Founded in 1987, the Indigenous Peoples Task Force began with a powerful mission: to create culturally relevant HIV education and direct services tailored to the Native community in Minnesota. We recognize that true healing is not just physical, it requires restoring the bonds between people and the Earth. Between past and future, and between culture and wellness.

Our approach is both holistic and innovative. It cannot be confined to a single category, for it weaves together diverse threads of care and prevention. Central to our work is the revival of first medicines, honoring the knowledge passed down through generations. We embrace the power of cultural arts as a way to foster youth development, guiding the next generation toward strength, resilience, and identity.

But our work doesn’t stop there. We are deeply committed to food security, not just as a matter of sustenance, but as a way to reconnect people to the land and waters. By restoring these sacred relationships, we create pathways to healing that benefit not only Indigenous communities but all people who share in this earth’s bounty.

At the Indigenous Peoples Task Force, we believe that lasting wellness comes from the renewal of our bonds—with each other, with the Earth, and with the wisdom of our ancestors.