Current Issue

Highlights from First Nations, Gratitude for You

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the December 2023 issue of Indian Giver. We look back on this year with gratitude for all of you and the stories you’ve helped make possible.

In this issue, we’re sharing news from a community partner through our California Tribal Fund, Sherwood Valley Tribal Youth Program, and their first-ever Acorn Conference held last month. We’re also sharing recaps of First Nations’ Conservation Planning Sessions and our just-completed Climate Change and Environmental Justice project.

This issue, we spotlight First Nations’ supporter Andrew Williams, vice president of Soapbox Films, who hosted a “GATHER” film screening and panel discussion this month in California. Also featured is 2023 Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellow Sara Merrick and her steady commitment to preserving the Hupa language.

Thank you, again, for your interest throughout the year. We’re looking forward to sharing more stories in 2024.

Happy New Year!


The December 2023 Indian Giver features:

Acorn Conference Teaches Natives Traditional Acorn Practices.  The Sherwood Valley Tribal Youth Program hosted the first-ever Acorn Conference to teach the Pomo Indian community how to harvest and prepare various acorn dishes. This conference was inspired by tribal elders and sponsored by First Nations’ California Tribal Fund.

Conservation Planning Builds Skills and Opportunities for Native Land Stewardship.  In this story, First Nations’ Senior Program Officer Leiloni Begaye (Diné) describes the comprehensive five-day, hands-on sessions that are guiding land stewards in developing conservation plans and improving participation in USDA programs, as well as how place-based learning is helping land stewards nurture the ecosystems of the Southwest and foster relationships with their sacred homelands.

A Year of Advancement for Environmental Justice. This year, First Nations helped bolster the efforts of many tribal communities in addressing the impacts of climate change. We shared strategies, supported climate programming, and brought attention to policy and funding barriers. In all, we awarded 56 grants totaling over $3.8 million and visited several communities to see firsthand the results of our grant support.

Knowledge Makers, Knowledge Sharers.  2023 Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellow Sara Merrick (Hoopa Valley Tribe) has devoted much of her life to preserving the “dormant” Hupa language and creating more fluent speakers. With help from the fellowship, she is piloting the first cohort of a Hupa language immersion school. “It’s best to start young, with a small group, and grow from there,” Merrick says.

A GATHER Event to Celebrate Food Sovereignty. Longtime supporters of First Nations facilitated a screening of our collaborative film GATHER” to spotlight the amazing work being done on food sovereignty in Native communities. Andrew Williams, vice president of Originals for Soapbox Films, and his wife, Sarita, invited friends, family, and members of the film community to the NoHo Theatre 68 Arts Complex in North Hollywood to watch First Nations’ award-winning documentary.

Read the full issue here.