- 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
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: Elizabeth Moon
Creating and building space for all members of the ANR community is an important tenet for our organization. Strong strides have been made in building out policy and procedures to build out equity and inclusion. As with any change, there are still pathways that need to be developed both as an organization and as individuals within the ANR community.
One change I would like to recommend is a shift from the acronym DEI to Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and limiting the use of the acronym EDI. DEI as an acronym has become weaponized politically and socially within our nation, oftentimes with some individuals not even understanding the actual meaning of the words the acronym represents. Another reason for the shift encompasses the need to highlight what is most important to having a culture of belonging.
If we start with “diversity” (meaning a multitude of lived experiences from a variety of cultures, religions, sexual orientation, gender, race, ethnicity, and ability) it may not lead to a sense of belonging. Research has shown that many public and private organizations have been increasing the number of hires to achieve parity within a community and have not put structures and policies in place to retain those diverse candidates - being an only or one of a few can be emotionally taxing to those employees. Diversity needs to exist within an equitable framework to be meaningful and sustainable.
The order of words often has a psychological impact on how individuals perceive and approach an idea. Starting with “equity” we prime our conversations to prioritize working to dismantle the barriers and providing access to historically marginalized communities and individuals. We highlight fairness and justice and ensure all have a fair opportunity to thrive in their communities. Also, by saying the full words and moving away from the ease of the acronym, gives a listener a nano-moment to digest the meaning of each word and limits the barriers brought on by the exclusive nature of acronyms.
“Inclusion” is the outcome of equity and diversity. We are able to create communities and programs where our full ANR community feels valued, respected and able to contribute their full self.
For many striving to create change, there is also an emphasis on “justice”. Many differing acronyms place justice at the front or end. Placement depends on what is being highlighted in the organization and where an organization can begin their work. Justice focuses on rectifying past and present wrongs, which often leads back to equity and the dismantling of systems and barriers.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (and Justice) are all vital and mutually reinforcing. When all these interconnected pieces come into balance this is where the sense of belonging forms a connected foundation. Belonging becomes the ultimate center we strive to build through our efforts in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. Thinking of a spirograph, different sizes of circles and colored pencils all working simultaneously to create a kaleidoscope of interconnected circles, this is how we can collaborate to continuously make steps to achieving greater belonging.
I am excited to build even more collaborations across ANR as we work to achieve our vision enabling all Californians to thrive.
DEI ADVISORY COUNCIL - CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Nominations are being accepted until October 17. to fill one vacancy on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Council.
Nominate yourself, a colleague, a direct report or other UC ANR staff or academic member.
Prior to completing the nomination, please confirm the nominee's interest in participating in the Council. Review member expectations and the Council's Mission Statement and Vision at https://ucanr.edu/sites/PSU/files/358281.pdf
Membership criteria:
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Experience and/or interest in advocating for change and moving forward DEI work.
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Experience and/or interest in navigating/negotiating for organizational change in UC ANR.
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Membership aims to represent the diversity of the UC ANR community and state of California, specifically including representation of marginalized racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and ability groups.
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Membership includes a mix of staff and academics, represents a cross-section of UC ANR offices and programs, and geographical distribution (north/south, urban/rural).
Submit nominations to deiadvcouncil@ucanr.edu with the subject line, “Nomination for DEI Advisory Council”.
For more information, contact Keith Nathaniel at kcnathaniel@ucanr.edu or Jairo Diaz at jdiazr@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Linda Forbes
University of California Cooperative Extension, 4-H Youth Development Program in Santa Clara County partnered with multiple community organizations to hold a 4-H Nature Explorers Day Camp at Escuela Popular Bilingual Academy in East San Jose from July 17 to July 21.
Organizers wanted to reach more participants this year than they had in the inaugural 2022 camp, so they structured the program for different K-8 grade levels to attend on different days. 79 campers participated, which was a 130% increase over the number of campers last year.
“Everything we did during the week was focused on environmental science,” said Susan Weaver, 4-H Regional Program Coordinator. “We partnered with Project Learning Tree, UC Environmental Stewards, UC Master Gardeners and CalFresh Healthy Living, UC– as well as community agencies related to the natural environment.”
Numerous activities engaged the youths such as field trips; demonstrations; and sessions themed around trees as habitats, birds and bugs, and being “leaf detectives.” 4-H Adult Volunteer, Laura Tiscareno, took charge of the hands-on Project Learning Tree sessions. Craft time included making nature-themed wind chimes and spinning paper snakes.
Bilingual teen camp counselors guided small groups of students for the duration of the day camp. In situations where the adult facilitator did not speak Spanish, teens translated information into Spanish for students with less English confidence.
“These kids call me ‘teacher' and it's awesome,” said Rodrigo, one of the counselors. “The camp benefits me a lot because I connect with children and in the future, I can even be a teacher if I wanted to.”
Another counselor, Andrea, learned about communication. “It's a bit different with kids at different age levels,” she said. “Since we had kindergarten through eighth grade, we had to switch our tactics from grade to grade so that they would understand us and we'd be able to understand them. Also learning how to bond with them so that they would pay more attention.
One highlight of the week was a field trip for third through eighth graders to the Master Gardeners location at Martial Cottle Park, where students learned about vermicomposting and made their own individual countertop worm habitat and composter.
Campers especially enjoyed the interactive demonstrations. “My favorite part is going on all the field trips because we went to a garden, and we've been catching worms and doing stuff about worms,” said one student. “It's really fun going on trips.”
Another camper said, “Something I would like to change about camp is having more time here.”
The program culminated in a Nature Camp Festival at Escuela Popular in partnership with community agencies. Youth enjoyed games, meeting reptiles, outdoor science activities, arborist crafts, a “Rethink Your Drink” table to make a fresh fruit drink, tamales, a nacho bar and more.
Representatives from the Silicon Valley Wildlife Center discussed animals that live in local neighborhoods and how the Center supports people to keep the animals safe. Victor Mortari of Vexotic Me talked about and showed snakes, spiders, scorpions, and other creatures, making the kids squeal while learning about them. As a fun added bonus, 4-H Community Educator Zubia Mahmood arranged to have a local team come to teach soccer skills as a healthy living activity.
The event increased the youth's interest in environmental education and involved Latino youth and adults who are new to 4-H – representing a community that has not historically benefited from the 4-H program. The teen teachers also increased their leadership and career readiness skills; post-camp surveys showed that all the teen counselors see 4-H as a place where they can be a leader and help make group decisions. Some campers noted in the survey that they wanted the camp to be every day, all summer!
National 4-H funded the camp in 2022 and 2023, allowing organizers to provide meals, T-shirts, water bottles and other items to foster belonging and promote healthy living. Community partners, crucial to the program's success, included the Boys and Girls Club of Silicon Valley, Escuela Popular Bilingual Academy, Silicon Valley Water and Silicon Valley Wildlife Center.
- Author: Elizabeth Moon
Celebrations abound in June: Graduations- Juneteenth- Pride Month - ANR postcard contest winners!
For myself, I look forward to this time to reflect on an academic/fiscal year and the promise of a summer to dive deeper and set the pathways for creating more opportunities to grow.
JUNETEENTH
With Juneteenth next week, I am looking forward to reflecting with our Black and Allied Employees Resource Group on their Webinar on June 14 (10:30 - 12:00 pm) to hear from Dr. Mary Blackburn and Dr. Keith Nathaniel.They will describe their journeys in agriculture and extension, how their experiences shape their work, and how their lives connect to present patterns of inequity that are commonly believed to be a thing of the past. (zoom: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/99024484120?pwd=b3hkeXBiMEhRNWJ1a1VrOWhVdHZFdz09 | Meeting ID: 990 2448 4120 | Passcode: 092774)
If you happen to be in the Bay area here is a list of 200+ Black-owned restaurants I helped to curate last year: 200+ Black-owned Restaurants Across The Bay Area.
PRIDE
In celebration of Pride, Ricardo Vela created this video celebrating the strides that have been made so far for LGBTQ+ rights. I also want to recognize that while we celebrate the advancements made, it is important to continue the progress and act to protect these rights. https://youtube.com/shorts/5CeomH5adO0?feature=share
2023 POSTCARD CONTEST WINNERS (photos of the postcards will be published soon).
- ThomasHarter, PHD, Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, Cooperative Extension
- Picture: Muted Colors of Browns and Blues
- Matthew Rodriguez, 4-H Youth DevelopmentAdvisor (Nevada, Placer, Sutter, Yuba)
- Picture: Heart with the words Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Elizabeth Bezark, Customer Service & Project Assistant, Business Operations - Davis
- Picture: Two trees in yellows and blues with roots intertwined with the words Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
- Bridgette Alvarez, Program and Events Specialist, Program Support Unit
- Picture: Earth with many people holding hands
- KelseyDugan, 4-H Community Education Specialist,UCCE San LuisObispo
- Picture: Ink drawing of crops with the words Diversity & Inclusion not just for enhancing our crops & soil
- SaoimanuSope, Digital Communication Specialist, Strategic Communications
- Picture: A variety of hairstyles with vibrant colors of blues, yellows, pink, brown and black
STATUS UPDATES
This will be a monthly update of ideas and challenges shared anonymously with me and the status of these requests.
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Learning Resource
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Gender Unicorn by Trans Student Educational Resources (An educational, interactive resource exploring the spectra of gender identity, gender expression, sex assigned at birth, and emotional and physical orientations.
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Once I have our website up and running there will be a special link to resources such as this.
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Webpage Language Change Request
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Worked with HR and Changed our Diversity Gender Inclusion page to the title: LGBTQIA+ Inclusion
Other requests submitted have been resolved through personal conversations with leadership and/or I am actively working with others to find ways to address the challenge shared.
DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OR CHALLENGE?
Interested in sharing ideas and challenges? Please visit the following feedback form: https://forms.gle/AWCinz3MYWGhzH5n9
Wish to discuss an issue directly with me, email: emoon@ucanr.edu , call 530-883-1174 (Ext 1612) or connect with me in-person.
