The Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth & Reconciliation (TRC) Selection Panel, the group tasked by the Wabanaki Tribal Governments and the state of Maine to select five commissioners to serve on the TRC, invites the public to nominate people for the Selection Panel’s consideration.

The Selection Panel seeks individuals of recognized integrity, empathy, stature and respect with a demonstrated commitment to the values of truth, reconciliation, equity, and justice. Nominations must be received by Oct. 1.

The Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth & Reconciliation process is a first-in-the-world effort of indigenous peoples and a political subdivision of a state to examine what happened to Wabanaki People in the state of Maine child welfare system, to develop a common understanding of what happened, to support healing of everyone affected by the system and to identify possible system reforms to create the best child welfare system possible.

On May 24, 2011, the five Wabanaki Tribal Governments — the Aroostook Band of Micmacs, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkmikuk, Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik and Penobscot Indian Nation — joined the state of Maine to sign a Declaration of Intent committing the signatories to undertake a truth and reconciliation process exploring what happened to Wabanaki People in the child welfare system focusing on the period since the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The governments followed that initial step by signing the TRC Mandate on June 29, which provides the instructions for how the TRC will be carried out.

People can nominate other individuals or themselves to serve on the TRC. To nominate an individual, people should use the commissioner nomination form created by the TRC Selection Panel. Nominations may also be submitted by going to the TRC website, www.mainetribaltrc.org. Any questions about the TRC nominations process or the TRC in general can be directed to Interim Director Carolyn Morrison at 207-896-3042 or [email protected].