Race Against Hate 2023
For the fourth year, Thor's Oak Kindred has a team walking in the Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate. We invite you to join us or donate to this worthy cause.
Thor's Oak Kindred is is a diverse organization dedicated to the practice of the Ásatrú religion in Chicago. We come together to honor the Norse gods and goddesses, the spirits of the land, and the departed people who inspire us. Since 2016, we have been building and nurturing a face-to-face community of practitioners in Chicago and the greater midwestern region for ritual celebration, group events, and mutual support.
Our members are kindred by choice and have chosen to embrace each other as family. We are proud of our diversity, and we stand against all discrimination on the basis of race, sex, orientation, identity, origin, ancestry, age, or ability.
With the poison of white nationalism spreading worldwide and using Ásatrú as a propaganda vehicle, it is no longer enough to issue declarations and denunciations. We must join with other people of positive intent, push back on resurgent hate, and promote productive change.
On June 18 in Evanston, the YWCA hosts the 24th annual event in memory of Ricky Byrdsong, the Northwestern basketball coach murdered by a white supremacist in 1999 while walking in his neighborhood with his young children. On the same day, the shooter wounded six Orthodox Jews. Over the subsequent weekend, he killed a Korean-American graduate student and wounded an African-American minister before taking his own life.
All proceeds are used to further the YWCA's mission in the areas of racial justice and violence prevention. Their programs assist children in schools and youth organizations to challenge their own prejudices and foster healthy, violence-free relationships among their peers; support teenagers in examining their own relationships and practicing constructive ways to handle conflict and differences; and encourage adults to engage in constructive dialogue, interactive activities, and meaningful action as related to racial justice.
Help make a real difference in the real world. Register today and join us on the walk. If you don't live in the area, you can donate any amount small or large. Sign up to join our walking team or donate by clicking here.
Race Against Hate 2022
For the third year, Thor's Oak Kindred has a team walking in the Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate. We invite you to join us or donate to this worthy cause.
Thor's Oak Kindred is is a diverse organization dedicated to the practice of the Ásatrú religion in Chicago. We come together to honor the Norse gods and goddesses, the spirits of the land, and the departed people who inspire us. Since 2016, we have been building and nurturing a face-to-face community of practitioners in Chicago and the greater midwestern region for ritual celebration, group events, and mutual support.
Our members are kindred by choice and have chosen to embrace each other as family. We are proud of our diversity, and we stand against all discrimination on the basis of race, sex, orientation, identity, origin, ancestry, age, or ability.
With the poison of white nationalism spreading worldwide and using Ásatrú as a propaganda vehicle, it is no longer enough to issue declarations and denunciations. We must join with other people of positive intent, push back on resurgent hate, and promote productive change.
On June 19 in Evanston, the YWCA hosts the 23rd annual event in memory of Ricky Byrdsong, the Northwestern basketball coach murdered by a white supremacist in 1999 while walking in his neighborhood with his young children. On the same day, the shooter wounded six Orthodox Jews. Over the subsequent weekend, he killed a Korean-American graduate student and wounded an African-American minister before taking his own life.
All proceeds are used to further the YWCA's mission in the areas of racial justice and violence prevention. Their programs assist children in schools and youth organizations to challenge their own prejudices and foster healthy, violence-free relationships among their peers; support teenagers in examining their own relationships and practicing constructive ways to handle conflict and differences; and encourage adults to engage in constructive dialogue, interactive activities, and meaningful action as related to racial justice.
Help make a real difference in the real world. Register today and join us on the walk. If you don't live in the area, you can donate any amount small or large. Sign up to join our walking team or donate by clicking here.
December 7, 2021
Supporting Indigenous Peoples' Day Coalition
Members of Thor's Oak Kindred have unanimously voted to support the Indigenous Peoples' Day Coalition and its call for the Columbus Day holiday to be changed to Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Reconciliation Day in Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois.
We believe that this nation’s diversity is a source of strength, and we know that this country has a long way to go to achieve racial equity and justice. We look forward to working with the other supporters of the coalition on this and related projects.
The proposal for a Cook County Resolution is long and detailed, but key sections include the following:
WHEREAS, the County of Cook in the State of Illinois occupies territory that many Sovereign Nations, including the Council of Three Fires: Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Odawa, as well as Ho Chunk, Miami, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Illini, and others consider a part of their historical and modern-day homelands; and
WHEREAS, the Indigenous peoples’ of the Americas who were the original inhabitants of the land, experienced broken promises, violence, deprivation, and disease due to the acts of European colonizers; and
WHEREAS, Native Americans in Cook County make up the ninth largest Urban Native community in the country, a community that continues to practice their cultural traditions, caretaking of the land and educating others about their history and contemporary challenges; and
WHEREAS, Cook County acknowledges a responsibility to support diversity, equity and inclusion in all communities and this effort must acknowledge that Indigenous peoples’ were systematically removed from their homelands, maligned for their values, and killed to provide economic opportunities to European colonizers; and...
WHEREAS, Cook County recognizes our many different cultural groups, races, ethncities as a source of strength, but many of these groups have faced prejudice, hate and violence, reconciliation to and for those groups is an important step towards healing, shared identity, and unity...
Now, therefore, Be It Resolved that Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Reconciliation Day will be the Second Monday in October, replacing Columbus Day. On this holiday Cook County government remembers the mistreatment and acts of violence against Indigenous peoples’ and other groups of oppressed people, committing to education and sustained efforts towards ending the ongoing harm and trauma caused by present-day oppressive systems...
Therefore, Be It Further Resolved that the Cook County Board of Commissioners shall establish the following.
Section 1. A Native-led working group to explore the creation of a Reconciliation process, study the meaning of reconciliation, research different models of truth and reconciliation commissions, and understand the impact that such a process might have on Cook County and its residents. The objective of reconciliation is to navigate the racial healing process by documenting and addressing the harms that have perpetuated racial disparities by implementing specific solutions with a prioritized focus on healing...
The full text of the proposed resolution and the organization support form can be found by clicking here.
March 19, 2020
Coronavirus Concerns
This is the time of year when Thor's Oak Kindred celebrates the arrival of springtime with Vanir Blót and makes offerings to Njörð, Nerthus, Frey, and Freyja for peace, prosperity, and love.
Since some of our members are in high-risk categories for coronavirus, we've reluctantly made the decision not to gather together in person for blót this month. Instead, we celebrate in our separate homes and hope that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy during this time of uncertainty and worry.
We lift our horns and make our offerings to the Vanir, Sun, Moon, spirits of the land, and those that have come before us. As always, we say the ancient words that open our celebrations:
Heill dagr!
Heilir dags synir!
Heil nótt ok nift!
Óreiðum augum
lítið okkr þinig
ok gefið sitjöndum sigr!
Heilir æsir!
Heilar ásynjur!
Heil sjá in fjölnýta fold!
Mál ok mannvit
gefið okkr mærum tveim
ok læknishendr, meðan lifum.
In the old Bellows translation:
Hail, day! Hail, sons of day!
And night and her daughter now!
Look on us here with loving eyes,
That waiting we victory win.
Hail to the gods! Ye goddesses, hail,
And all the generous earth!
Give to us wisdom and goodly speech,
And healing hands, life-long.
Be well, everyone, and may the Powers watch over you and yours.
May 6, 2019
Race Against Hate 2019
For the second year in a row, Thor's Oak Kindred has a team walking in the Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate. We invite you to join us or donate to this worthy cause. With the poison of white nationalism spreading worldwide and using Ásatrú as a propaganda vehicle, it is no longer enough to post memes on social media and jump on hashtags. We need to act.
On June 16 in Evanston, the YWCA hosts the twentieth annual event in memory of Ricky Byrdsong, the Northwestern basketball coach murdered by a white supremacist in 1999 while walking in his neighborhood with his young children. On the same day, the shooter wounded six Orthodox Jews. Over the subsequent weekend, he killed a Korean-American graduate student and wounded an African-American minister before taking his own life.
All proceeds are used to further the YWCA's mission in the areas of racial justice and violence prevention. Their programs assist children in schools and youth organizations to challenge their own prejudices and foster healthy, violence-free relationships among their peers; support teenagers in examining their own relationships and practicing constructive ways to handle conflict and differences; and encourage adults to engage in constructive dialogue, interactive activities, and meaningful action as related to racial justice.
Help make a real difference in the real world. Register today and join us on the walk. If you don't live in the area, you can donate any amount small or large. Sign up to join our walking team or donate at events.ywcae-ns.org/goto/oak.
March 2, 2019
Leaving the Troth
As of December 19, 2018, Thor's Oak Kindred has ended our association with the Troth. We left the Troth Kindred Program, our goði (priest) left the Troth Clergy Program, and our members who belonged to the Troth canceled their individual memberships. We voted unanimously to leave the Troth due to irreconcilable differences over the organization's legal status, response to racism, issues with diversity, theology and practice, and board member roles.
We remain committed to being a diverse Ásatrú community in Chicago and reaffirm pride in our diversity as we stand against all discrimination on the basis of race, sex, orientation, identity, origin, ancestry, age, or ability. Frustrated by options at the national level, we are working on forming a limited liability company (LLC) in the state of Illinois. As we formalize our legal status, we will reach out to the many Heathens who have asked about joining us.
March 21, 2018
Celebrating Springtime
On Friday, Thor's Oak Kindred celebrated Vanir Blót. In our Ásatrú practice, this annual event centers on peace, prosperity, love, and springtime. We honored deities Njörð, Nerthus, Frey, and Freyja. We thanked Sun, Moon, and land spirits. We performed our version of the Old Norse dramatic poem Skírnismál ("Sayings of Skírnir"). We remembered those now gone whose deeds have shaped our lives. We made personal offerings into the fire.
You can see photographs from the event on the new Thor's Oak Kindred Facebook page. Be sure to follow the page to learn more about who we are and what we do!
October 29, 2017
Our First Kindred Wedding
Today, the members of Thor's Oak Kindred celebrated a wedding together for the first time! Our goði (priest) worked with the couple to design an Ásatrú rite that reflected their love for and commitment to each other. At the center of the ceremony, the bride and groom held our oath ring and made formal oaths before Thor, Vor, kindred, and family. It was a beautiful ceremony on a perfect day.
June 20, 2017
A New Beginning on Midsummer
Today, the new Thor's Oak Kindred website goes live! We encourage you to click around and read our content. We've designed the site to introduce the kindred, share our news, let you know about our events, explain a bit about the Ásatrú religion, share links to sites we recommend, and provide a way to contact us. We hope you enjoy your visit, and we look forward to hearing from you!