Indigenous Community Wealth Building (ICWB) Training
About the ICWB Training
The Indigenous Community Wealth Building (ICWB) Training is a 3-day immersive learning experience designed for Indigenous community leaders, organizations, and changemakers. Rooted in sovereignty, sustainability, and cultural restoration, this training equips participants with the tools to reclaim and redesign local economies through an Indigenous lens.
Rather than imposing mainstream economic frameworks, the ICWB model draws from traditional knowledge systems and offers a place-based, community-led approach to development that centers people and the planet. This experience is not just about economic strategy — it is about healing, reconnection, and the reclamation of Indigenous power.
Training Overview
This three day training introduces participants to Indigenous Community Wealth Building (ICWB), a framework which is designed to promote long-term, sustainable economic sovereignty through culturally grounded, community-led approaches.
Day 1 – Overview of the ICWB Framework & Indigenous Translation
Day 1 introduces participants to the ICWB framework through immersive sessions and other participatory exercises.
Day 2 - Decolonization & Care for Self and Community
Day 2 focuses on healing and decolonization, exploring the impacts of settler-colonialism and capitalism through historical analysis and interactive activities.
Day 3 – Integration
Day 3 emphasizes integration and application. Participants will analyze baseline economic data, reflect on community conditions, and engage in asset mapping to identify local strengths.
Support Future Trainings
Seven Fires is committed to offering transformative, relationship-driven learning opportunities. To ensure the sustainability and accessibility of future trainings, we are actively seeking funding partners. If you or your organization are interested in supporting this work, please reach out to us at sgutierrez@sevenfirescommunity.org. Together, we can continue building spaces for collective growth, healing, and action.
October 2025 Training
“Cahokia Mounds – UNESCO reconstruction,” courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Wednesday, October 1 - Friday, October 3
The ICWB Training will be held at the historic Cahokia Mounds site in Collinsville, Illinois — once a thriving city larger than London in AD 1250 and a powerful center of Indigenous civilization and economy. Gathering here offers more than a backdrop; it is a living reminder of Indigenous innovation, governance, and stewardship before colonization.
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
Collinsville, Illinois
(Across the river from St. Louis)
Our October 2025 ICWB Training is currently at capacity. However, Seven Fires will be hosting future trainings. If you’d like to be the first to hear about upcoming dates, sign up below to join our email list.