Bagami-ayaa
Building ethical, relational systems rooted in Indigenous values and equity.
Boozhoo and welcome to Bagami-ayaa!
We are a consulting practice grounded in Anishinaabe teachings, dedicated to guiding organizations and communities through paths of healing, equity, and relational accountability.
"Bagami-ayaa," meaning "come to be," reflects our journey: honoring those who came before us, healing our relationships, and building a future where all generations can thrive.
Our Story
Inspired by the Anishinaabe creation story of Turtle Island, we believe that even the smallest acts, when rooted in love, humility, and purpose, can shape a new world.
Like the muskrat who brought the earth from the depths, Bagami-ayaa exists to help lift up communities, organizations, and leaders with heart-centered action.
About Bagami-ayaa
We help organizations, professionals, and individuals strengthen practice through integrity, relational accountability, cultural wisdom, and lived experience. Our work is rooted in Indigenous values, strengthens equity, and supports systems that serve communities — including behavioral health, substance use services, child and family serving programs, and agencies seeking culturally grounded leadership or strategic planning.
Whether you’re looking for consulting, meaningful training, strategic guidance, or specialized support, we offer a grounded partnership built on decades of experience in both professional and traditional spaces. Our focus is simple: protect dignity, honor culture, and build relational systems worthy of the people they serve.
We work with:
Tribal nations, government partners, nonprofits, behavioral health programs, substance use providers, community organizations, family and children serving systems, educators, courts, and service-based businesses.
Who We Work With
Relational practice. Cultural integrity. Systems that honor people.
Culture isn’t a strategy, its a responsibility.
Our Services
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Consulting
We support organizations, teams, and professionals in building ethical, relational, and culturally grounded systems. Our consulting is tailored for agencies across sectors, including behavioral health, substance use services, child- and family-serving programs, nonprofits, government partners, and tribal nations.
Focus areas can include:
- Relational system design & service-culture development
- Strategic planning grounded in values & equity
- Policy design, implementation, and cultural alignment
- Program development with community-centered outcomes
- Cross-system collaboration and program improvement
- Organizational transformation rooted in cultural values
- Curriculum development and design
Let’s work together to build systems that reflect truth, equity, and culture.
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Training & Workshops
Our workshops help professionals strengthen practice through Indigenous values, relational accountability, and equity. Sessions are interactive, discussion-rich, and tailored to the context of your team — whether you serve in education, behavioral health, social services, justice systems, nonprofit programs, government agencies, or tribal nations.
Popular training topics include:
- Ethics & relational accountability
- Indigenous values in service delivery and leadership
- Trauma-responsive practice without punitive control
- Service-culture communication, conflict, and dignity
- Child welfare practice, including ICWA & MIFPA, and MAAFPCWDA
- Leadership Development, Relationship Building, and Culture-Centered Practice — Strengthening leadership skills, building relational trust, and embedding culture as a core of team and system transformation
Practical tools that strengthen how people lead, serve, and relate.
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Specialist Support & Expert Services
For organizations requiring in-depth or case-specific support, we offer services grounded in cultural integrity, lived experience, and professional expertise. This includes consultation and expert support across systems, including child welfare, courts, substance use, and government agencies.
Services may include:
- Qualified Expert Witness testimony
- Culturally informed case reviews & consultation
- System or program practice audits with recommendations
- Relational support between agencies and tribal nations
Respectful, relational, and solutions-focused.
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Entrepreneurship & Wealth Building Services
We provide culturally grounded entrepreneurship coaching, financial literacy education, and wealth-building support to Indigenous individuals, families, and communities.
Our services are designed to empower new entrepreneurs, promote economic sovereignty, and build pathways to lasting prosperity rooted in cultural values and community resilience.Support includes:
- Financial literacy workshops tailored for Indigenous communities
- Entrepreneurship coaching for new business owners and startups
- Wealth-building education focused on generational healing and empowerment
- Culturally responsive financial planning and empowerment trainings
What People Are Saying
“I appreciate this training; you need to do it more in other communities.”
— Ethics in Substance Use Disorders Participant
“This training shifted how I engage with Native families.”
— Child Protection Worker
“This was the best ethics training I have ever attended.”
— Ethics in Substance Use Disorders Participant
