Ongoing Advocacy
CNA strives to build bridges between Indigenous communities, allies, legislators, faith-based and non-profit organizations, state agencies, school administrators and educators in order to cultivate respect and end racism. CNA is an education and advocacy resource for the communities it serves.
Right: Two AIM members before advocating at a public school board meeting.
Behind the Advocacy
Donna Fan-Boyle
Choctaw-Cherokee
Donna Fann-Boyle is a Choctaw-Cherokee mother of two sons. She has devoted her life to caring for the young and elderly. She cares for all aspects of nature, raises organic honey bees and free-range chickens for eggs.
Donna alerted the Neshaminy School District that using R*dsk*ns for their sports mascot was a damaging racial slur. Both her sons attended that high school. She was confident they would cease and desist. Instead, the district has spent $500,000 defending their right to keep a symbol that denigrates Indigenous Peoples.
Donna has been working to eliminate Neshaminy’s and all school’s racist mascots. Inspired by her courage, CNA formed, a Coalition of Natives and Allies, to support this quest: 1) rid Pennsylvania of racist sports mascots 2) promote the education of accurate Native American history. Donna is a member in good standing with the American Indian Movement. Donna serves on the board of the Middletown Township Human Relations Commission.
Ramona Ioronhiaa Woods
Kanien’kehá:ka
Ramona Ioronhiaa Woods is a Kanien’kehá:ka woman from Kahnawake, Quebec. She is a proud Mother, Caregiver, Traditional Artist, and a business owner.
Over the years, Ramona has served on various boards in the arts, healthcare foundations, and Ministry. She is the Founder of the Little Blue Sky Foundation which serves to promote the educational, physical, and spiritual well-being of Native American Indians. Ramona is an active member in good standing with the American Indian Movement.
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Kelly Bova
Dakota Sioux
Kelley is a a mother to 4 beautiful kids: 2 boys and 2 girls. She lives in Abington, PA.
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Kelley was born in Sisseton South Dakota on the Lake Traverse Reservation with the Dakota Sioux and was put up for adoption at birth. At 3 months old, she was adopted by a couple who were told they could not have children.
Kelley was brought to Glenside, PA where she was raised by a white family.
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When Kelley turned 50, she started looking for her birth family and found them within a few months. She is the second youngest of 9 and the only one who was adopted out. Until she met her family, she never really never met another Native American -- for 50 years!
Since meeting her family, she has gone on a Spiritual journey of what it means to be Native American. Kelley is learning our ceremonies and ways. The one she most proud of? Becoming a Sun Dancer.
Having the experience of being removed from her culture and people and being raised in a different one has had a profound effect on her.
Kelley is excited to share this journey with others.
Lynne Arzarchi
Ally
Founder and past Executive Director of the Kidsbridge Youth Center in New Jersey-- Lynne has spent the last 21 years creating programs and interactive learning experiences teaching empathy, empowerment, respect and anti-bias, anti-racism for more than 35,000 students and hundreds of teachers. The Center is a unique immersive ‘small group discussion’ learning lab for both youth and teachers.
Her first book “The Empathy Advantage: Coaching Children to be Kind, Respectful and Successful”, published in 2020 is now available in paperback. Her latest book, “Countering Antisemitism and Hate” was published in 2024. Lynneazarchi.com
Arla Patch
Program Coordinator
Arla Patch is an artist, writer of two award winning books and a certified PA teacher. Raised in Bucks Co. PA, she lived in Maine for 30 years where she was part of the Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as the Community Engagement Coordinator for Maine Wabanaki REACH. Arla is the recipient of two grants from the NJ Council for the Humanities for developing educational programming on Indigenous concerns with NJ tribal collaboration.
Arla uses art as a tool for healing and has worked with incarcerated women, breast cancer survivors, at risk teens, domestic abuse and incest survivors. She received a Quaker grant to offer mask making workshops with the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribal communities in Maine. She is a member of Doylestown Friends Meeting (Quaker) and is a grandmother to Anders and Vera.