Looking Back to Move Forward with Chief Adam Waterbear DePaul

Restorative Works!

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Chief Adam Waterbear DePaul to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Adam speaks with us about the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania’s relational culture of communal input, a multidimensional leadership that seeks council from many members, not just a single or small group of leaders. This leadership model platforms various voices that span gender, age, experience, and expertise. Thereby it creates a holistic approach, leading to more inclusive decision-making that better serves the group's needs. He notes the intersections between restorative practices principles and those of the Lenape nation, noting how they overlap in several ways. Adam reminds us that the issues of the past are influencing our present and being informed about the past is crucial to making positive changes in the future. Time, healing, and facing shame are all part of experiencing and building community.

Adam is a Chief of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, where he serves as Tribal Storykeeper and Director of Education. He collaborates with academic institutions on initiatives related to the Lenape people, including land acknowledgments, mascots, and representation, programming, and curriculum development. He is a Ph.D. candidate at Temple University and a Scholar-in-Residence at Arcadia University, where he currently teaches classes in Indigenous Studies, World Mythology, and Punk Rock. He co-curates the Lenape Cultural Center in Easton, PA, and the Lenape “Enduring Presence” exhibit, which is now traveling from Haverford College to Arcadia University.

Tune in to learn more about the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania and Adam’s amazing work with youth leaders and learners.