Honoring Indigenous Peoples' Day

Indigenous Peoples' Day honors the Indigenous peoples of the Americas and recognizes the ongoing impact of colonialism. Rather than celebrating Columbus we celebrate the many cultures of the peoples who have inhabited this land since time immemorial. Indigenous peoples are the original caretakers of this land, and we honor their ancestral knowledge and leadership.

“Indigenous people created complex systems to thrive off the land while caring for and maintaining it in turn. When European colonizers came to present-day America, they marveled at the seemingly untouched fertile landscape of possibility. But in truth, this landscape was a result of thousands of years of land management by Indigenous people. Our ancestors used frequent, low-intensity controlled burns to maintain a productive ecosystem and prevent wildfires long before our land was colonized. They employed regenerative harvesting (such as coppicing) and selective domestication in their methods of cultivating agriculture. Increasingly we are seeing countries around the world turning to their Indigenous people, seeking their knowledge on natural resource management to heal stolen lands.”
writes Kaitlin Grable of Native Women's Wilderness

Honoring Indigenous rights, in the United States and around the world, is critical to facing our current climate crisis. Let’s take this opportunity to educate ourselves and center Indigenous sovereignty in our conservation work and the environmental movement.

Things you can do:

• Spend time this week learning about the stolen land you occupy and about the Indigenous history of your community.

San Francisco: Ramaytush Ohlone land

East Bay: Chochenyo Ohlone Land

Modesto: Miwok Land

Upper Tuolumne Watershed: Miwok Land

https://www.modbee.com/opinion/article246304435.html

Find out more by visiting: https://native-land.ca/territory-acknowledgement/

• Have conversations with your friends and family about Indigenous Peoples' Day.

• Support Native authors, organizations, movements artists, or companies.

Below is a list of California based organizations you can support:

Sogorea Te Land Trust

Ohlone Shell Mound Defense Fund

American Indian College Fund

Native American Rights Fund

Survival International

International Work Group For Indigenous Affairs

Indigenous Environmental Network

Indian Law Resource Center

Coalition To Stop Violence Against Native Women

Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women USA

Partnership With Native Americans

Adopt a Native Elder Program

The Native American Heritage Association

The American Indian College Fund

Native American Rights Fund

Indigenous Literacy Foundation

If we missed something or you have other resources you have found helpful, please reach out to us!