- Author: Elizabeth Moon
- Contributor: Saoimanu Sope
Chris McDonald, Inland and Desert Natural Resources advisor, brought together 80 people from various federal, state, county, and university affiliations at the Pala Band of Mission Indian Administrative Building in Pala for the Southern California Tribal Partnerships Workshop. The Pala Tribal community graciously welcomed us to their community with a homemade lunch and an invocation by Pala Tribal Member, Eric Ortega.
The two-day event kicked off with foundational knowledge about Pala Tribal life, Tribal civics, and building partnerships with John “Bud” Machado, Cupeño Language Instructor for the Tribe, Shasta Gaughen, Environmental Director and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, and Heidi Brow, Water Resource Specialist in the Environmental Department.
For many in the audience, the knowledge gained was new and nuanced. For example, did you know that despite a Tribe's sovereignty, meaning they are recognized as an independent nation, the federal government is required to serve as a ‘guardian'? This reality is truly horrendous considering the genocide of native people and the stealing of their lands.
The nuance of this Civics 101 is a minimum foundation for how outsiders to the Tribe need to, first, do their own learning before attempting any partnership with a Tribe. Second, it is a reminder that partnerships must be based on what the Tribe needs and, third, that all efforts need to involve the Tribal community every step of the way. Overall, the presentations offered a clear example of what many of us in the audience believe to be missing in education.
We ended the first day with McDonald's advice on studying your organization's history. ]Knowing the history of your organization will help to identify how it has affected the Indigenous communities where you currently or will work, and offer guidance on how to avoid repeating a cycle of harm.
I spent the evening beginning to reflect on my personal and professional communities. I thought about how I could build out this living history and build safe spaces for exploration of how to create trust through training and composing questions that allow us to hear the words of the Native communities in California.
Day two started in the demonstration garden located outside the Pala Administration building. Attendees had the opportunity to take a walking field trip of the on-ground projects being accomplished with partnerships. Upon entering the garden, where cherry tomatoes were ripening and a few workers were shoveling dirt from one pile to another, we learned how the Pala Tribe gained access to this trust land and their vision to make it an educational space for both gardening and culture.
The demonstration garden is in the process of building out its composting structures and future goal for a turtle pond. Next on our tour was the aquaponics demonstration site, which I found to be the most interesting. Learning about the infrastructure and financial resources required to get the site off the ground was fascinating. I cannot wait to see it fully in action with its solar energy source and the proliferation of greens and reeds for use by the Tribe. We ended our tour with a walk around the sports complex adjacent to the Pala Administration Building to see the pollinator garden and the Trujillo Creek restoration project.
Perfect timing for us to return inside for another mouthwatering lunch provided by the Pala Tribe and a conversation around the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Pala partnership on a fuels reduction project. Our afternoon gave us the opportunity to learn directly from the following Tribal members and affiliates: Will Madrigal Jr. from Climate Science Alliance, Lisset Valencia-Pigman and Andrew Pigman from Condor Visual Media, Jeremy Zagarella from TriHydro, Lena Ortega from the Intertribal Agriculture Council, and Tina Fernandez from the Pala Environmental Department.
Each person freely gifted us their knowledge and expertise. Lena Ortega's presentation awoke in me the need for honesty in assessing my motives through the lens of my actions. “How many of you know the five tribes closest to where you work?” Lena asked. “How many of you have attended an open event in the tribal community you wish to partner with in the last month or two?”, “Do you know the history of the Tribe?”, she continued. More questions were calling us out for our passive expectations to gain knowledge and partnerships without the work, something I appreciated then and now.
We ended our time together in circles of learning and sharing - providing another opportunity to build connections, deepen learning, and find ways to collaborate and co-create as organizations with the Tribes in our communities.
I am looking forward to our NorCal Tribal Partnerships Workshop in August in Davis. I hope to see many more folks join in this learning and be challenged to learn more about the land where we reside and how we can show respect to those whose land and knowledge we aspire to partner with in the future.
- Author: Elizabeth Moon
Every day I feel pride in working for ANR. This organization continually inspires me with the work being done to achieve our vision of serving and supporting every Californian.
As a community, we have shown pride through our commitment to the Principles of Community 2.0. Over 23 county offices and business units shared their thoughts and creativity to further cement our commitment to show respect to each other. If you haven't already, you still have time to vote for the final refreshed version. The survey takes 10 minutes and can be found here.
Most importantly, at this time of the year, is the support and respect we provide in celebrating our LGBTQ+ community through PRIDE celebrations in June. At the core of this month is the celebration to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots and the strides being made to achieve equal justice and opportunity for LGBTQ+ Americans. Our LGBTQ+ employee resource group provided the following history and information to welcome us into PRIDE MONTH. To continue to learn more be on the look out for our employee resource group's virtual learning through ANR-wide emails.
Numbers in US, 2023
LGBTQ+ identification is at 7.2% in the latest U.S. estimate, up from 5.6% in Gallup's previous 2020 data.
Of those identifying at LGBTQ+, 58.2% identified as bisexual, 20.2% identified as gay, 13.4% identified as lesbian, and 8.8% identified as transgender. Other identities chosen include pansexual (1.7%), asexual (1.3%), queer (1.2%) and "other LGBT" (1.8%).
Real numbers are probably higher due to people feeling unsafe or not ready to identify.
Main reason LGBTQ+ identification has been increasing over time is that younger generations are far more likely to consider themselves to be something other than heterosexual. 19.7% of people from Generation Z identify as LGBTQ+.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/470708/lgbt-identification-steady.aspx
What were the Stonewall Riots?
June 28,1969 marked the beginning of the Stonewall Uprising, a series of events between police and LGBTQ+ protesters which stretched over six days at the StoneWall inn located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The Stonewall riots served as a catalyst for the modern gay rights movement in the United States.
Article:
Stonewall Then and Now:
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/06/harvard-scholars-reflect-on-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-stonewall-riots/ (10-15m read)
Videos:
How the Stonewall Riots Sparked a Movement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9wdMJmuBlA (3m:54s)
The Stonewall You Know is a Myth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7jnzOMxb14&t=86s (9m45s)
More Learning
Milestone in the Gay Rights Movement:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/stonewall-milestones-american-gay-rights-movement/
The first Pride march in New York City was held on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. https://www.loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/about/#pride-50th-anniversary (12m01s)
History of the Pride Rainbow Flag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMM-ybN3K5g (2m48s)
NYU Documentary celebrating 50 years of the Stonewall riots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31CX1Y0cen8 (27m56s)
The Day the Stonewall Riots Shook America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCFwOJcMjM0 (2m52s)
Wanda Sykes Take Us Through the History of LGBTQ+ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkzwDOCEDCo&t=57s (4m31s)
If you identify as LGBTQIA+ and you're interested in joining the confidential LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group, please email Belinda Messenger-Sikes bmsikes@ucanr.edu or Pia Wright pwright@ucanr.edu
- Author: Elizabeth Moon
I love this time of year. The weather is the perfect blend of cold and warm and the gardens are abundant with flowers and possibilities. It is also a time of many celebrations.
INAUGURAL WORKPLACE INCLUSION & BELONGING AWARD
In honor of the many celebrations the Workplace Inclusion & Belonging unit is establishing an annual award to coincide with the Staff Recognition and Award Ceremony on June 20th. This award aims to honor and celebrate individuals or groups who are leading the way in creating inclusive and equitable environments throughout UC ANR. Full information on the inaugural Workplace Inclusion & Belonging Award can be found here.
The time line to submit a nomination is April 30 - May 15. Think about a colleague(s), workgroups, employee groups, or others within ANR who have shown a continuous commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and nominate them today!
PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY 2.0 SURVEY
We are nearing the final stages of our refreshed Principles of Community. To build stronger shared language throughout UC ANR, I engaged in conversations and workshops across 23 counties/units, to identify the language, actions and definitions that best connected with how many of you see us upholding our commitment to our Principles of Community.
At our EDI Summit in January/February, the participants read through all the suggestions on the introductions, principle statements and conclusions, and through a process of rankings, the top four in each area were chosen for our final survey out to the UC ANR community.
Please take 10 minutes to choose the introduction, principle, and conclusion that most deeply resonates for you in the work you do within UC ANR. The survey will be open through May 31.
PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY 2.0 Survey Link
- Author: Adina Merenlender
This month's together@work blog brings you a special post exploring the background of the why, what, and hope in the LandBack movement in support of our tribal communities from Dr. Adina M. Merenlender and her co-contributor Beth Rose Middleton.
Tribal community members participating in the California Tribal Naturalist Course visit UC Blue Oak Ranch (Chitcomini 'Árweh Wallaka-tka) within the Thámien Ohlone (San Francisco Bay Costanoan) speaking territory. Photo by Adina Merenlender
The Berkeley City Council recently agreed to purchase a two-acre site (currently used for parking) known as the shellmound and a place of sacred ceremonies and turn over it over to the Sogorea Te' Land Trust, which is planning to restore the site to a place of gathering and ceremonies. This is an example of LandBack.
LandBack is a growing movement focused on returning land to Indigenous people, encompassing various actions to enhance their access to and stewardship of ancestral homelands. To fully grasp the movement's importance, one must understand the history of U.S. law, as rooted in the colonial Doctrine of Discovery, dating back to the late 15th century. This legal and theological concept was rooted in the idea that Christian European nations had the right to claim and control lands that were inhabited by non-Christians to justify European exploration, colonization and the dispossession of Indigenous peoples who were relegated to a non-human status. This worldview facilitated the colonization of new lands and the enslavement of Native people for extracting resources like minerals, animal pelts, forests, range and agricultural production.
The U.S. courts persist in upholding the belief that the U.S. government holds the ultimate right to own and control the land, regardless of the presence and claims of Indigenous peoples. This perpetuation leads to ongoing land dispossession and creates enduring barriers to land access, impeding Indigenous stewardship. Consequently, Native communities experience adverse effects on their well-being, cultural vitality and intergenerational knowledge transfer. LandBack is crucial for Indigenous people to steward the land in a manner that restores their reciprocal relationships dating back to time immemorial.
Some recent policies help enable the principles of LandBack. For example, California law (SB-18, 2004) recognizes tribes' ability to hold conservation easements on land in order to protect cultural resources, enable access and engage in stewardship; and requires state agencies to have tribal consultation policies. The Native American Ancestral Lands Policy (2020) facilitates tribal access, use and co-management of state-owned or controlled natural lands. Goals include prioritizing tribal purchase or transfer of excess land, establishing co-management agreements and providing grants for land procurement and conservation.
The LandBack movement is gaining momentum to address justice, promote Indigenous stewardship, protect the community of life and advance climate resilience thanks to tribal leadership and collaborations with a variety of entities, including individuals, religious institutions, land trusts, and local, state and national governments. Actions range from the full return of land without restriction to more limited agreements including enabling co-stewardship of land, especially on public lands such as federal or state parks, forests, and wildlife refuges.
UC's Tribal Lands Workgroup
Through leadership from the UC Office of President, a systemwide Tribal Lands Workgroup is focusing on the following topics. Members of the workgroup, with assistance from UCANR's Informatics and Geographic Information System, assembled a mapped inventory of UC lands as well as tribal territory and other land cover information. The workgroup has also researched existing systemwide memoranda of understanding or other agreements with tribes related to the use of UC land.
A good example is the memorandum of understanding developed between the UC Hopland Research and Extension Center (UCANR) and Hopland Band of Pomo Indians (HBPI) who manage neighboring lands. This agreement is designed to increase the educational, research, land stewardship and cultural exchange opportunities between HBPI and UCANR, and delineate areas where we can work together on specific projects. Given the interest in creating these types of collaborative opportunities, this agreement is likely just the first of more to come. This UC workgroup is also exploring the best way to develop and share guidelines for engaging with tribes about use of UC land consistent with tribal consultation processes and existing rules and regulations.
Participants of co-stewardship workshop listen to introductory remarks by Ana Alvarez, deputy general manager of the East Bay Regional Park District and California 30x30 Partnership Planning Committee member. Photo by Monica Hernandez-Juarez
Co-stewardship Workshop
To learn from existing co-stewardship models, several UC scientists including myself, Steve Monfort, director of UC Natural Reserves; and Patrick Gonzalez, executive director of UC Berkeley Institute for Parks, People and Biodiversity; worked with other California Biodiversity Council steering committee members and in partnership with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and with consultation from the Native American Research Institute to organize a workshop titled “Indigenous Co-stewardship of Public Lands: Lessons for the Future.” Funding was provided by the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund and Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
This workshop held in February 2024 was well-attended by tribal leaders, Indigenous culture bearers and staff from public land-management agencies, with a total of 536 registered for the livestream and approximately 300 in person.
Chairman Greg Sarris of Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria provided important context, examples of co-stewardship in action from Sonoma County and inspiration to do more. Samuel Kohn, senior counselor to Office of the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, explained the various federal policies and guidelines that relate to co-management with tribes. The heart of the workshop was a series of co-stewardship case studies from California, other states and Canada. These were followed by examples of Indigenous people in Mexico engaging in stewardship and sustaining their livelihoods. A real snapshot of the topic across North America!
We spent the second day together visiting places now known as Point Reyes National Seashore and Tolay Lake Regional Park that have long-term co-management agreements initiated by Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. A more thorough summary of the workshop can be found at News from Native California by Tavi Lorelle Carpenter.
If you are interested in working with tribes and tribal communities, please join the UC ANR Native American Community Partnerships Work Group. Contact co-chairs Jennifer Sowerwine at jsowerwi@berkeley.edu and Christopher J. McDonald at cjmcdonald@ucanr.edu).
- Author: Elizabeth Moon
Photo of Vice President Glenda Humiston during her presentation, taken by Evett Kilmartin
Reflecting on the inaugural EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Summit, “Creating Transformation,” held from January 31 to February 1, 2024, I'm inspired by a profound sense of hope and renewed determination. The two-day event was a dynamic gathering of 35 ANR colleagues who have shown and continue to commit to steadfast leadership in integrating equitable and inclusive practices and policies in our organization. We spent our time together addressing crucial issues within UCANR, and collaboratively charting a course for a more inclusive future. Throughout the summit, members embarked on a journey of transformative discussions and empowering insights.
Vice President Glenda Humiston's welcome address set the tone, portraying the evolution of EDI within ANR. Drawing from the collaborative effort that culminated in the release of the Principles of Community back in 2016, Glenda highlighted the importance of fostering an environment where every member feels valued. She outlined upcoming initiatives, including focus groups, career advancement for Community Educators, and enhancements to translation services, all aimed at fortifying the EDI landscape. Her vision of the DEI Advisory Council as ambassadors for our Affinity/Employee Resource Groups resonated deeply, igniting a spark of inspiration among attendees.
Our Keynote Speaker, Lady Idos, Chief Diversity Officer at Berkeley Labs, graced us with her invaluable expertise, offering insights into the transformative potential of EDI initiatives within organizational settings. Her guidance on building stronger groups to drive impactful change ignited a sense of purpose among participants.
The summit continued with a reflective journey, celebrating milestones and triumphs in EDI endeavors. Members compiled achievements on a physical time line, serving as a testament to progress and a reminder of the journey toward fostering a culture of inclusion.
Left Image: Elizabeth Moon, Director of Workplace Inclusion & Belonging in front of the time line as she facilitates discussion. Right Image: Esther Mosase, DEI Advisory Council Member & Urban Watershed Resilience Advisor, attaching an achievement to the time line. Photos by Evett Kilmartin.
Keith Nathaniel, DEI Advisory Council Member and LA County Director, led a candid discussion on EDI challenges within the organization addressing issues from budget constraints to issues of safety and collaboration. Over the two days, participants engaged in brainstorming both the originating problems, possible pathways to solutions, and priority setting.
Photo of Keith Nathaniel and Elizabeth Moon as they address the room, taken by Evett Kilmartin.
Keeping the theme of instilling communication throughout the workplace; Ricardo Vela, DEI Advisory Council Chair-Elect and NOS Program Manager, shared insights on establishing robust communication pathways sparking lively discussions on enhancing engagement, emphasizing the need for transparency, engagement, and resource allocation within ;and between our internal groups. The exchange of ideas underscored our collective commitment to fostering open dialogue and collaboration.
Eliot Freutel, DEI Advisory Council Member and Community Education Specialist for the California Environmental Stewards Program, prompted participants to envision ideal communities and the steps needed to realize them. Participants explored the concept of community beyond geographical boundaries, emphasizing the importance of spaces and relationships that foster wellness through a sense of support and belonging.
The summit concluded with a facilitated discussion on setting priorities for the year ahead. Initial collaborative dialogue began to identify themes from the challenges previously shared with a follow-up to be forthcoming.
The vibrant discussions and commitment demonstrated at the summit serves as a beacon of progress. Together, we're poised to continue our journey toward a more inclusive, equitable ANR. Challenges lie ahead, and it is through these collective efforts and unwavering dedication we will continue to propel EDI initiatives forward, ensuring every voice is heard and valued within ANR.
Photo of the Creating Transformation Summit's Handouts, taken by Evett Kilmartin. EDI Summit Logo created by Saoimanu Sope, Staff Assembly Delegate & Communication Specialist.
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