Land Access, Webinar 2
Presentation Materials:
In this second in our series to support access to ancestral lands for California tribes and tribally controlled nonprofit organizations, this webinar presents how to identify and develop a tribe’s or tribal nonprofit organization’s vision and desired outcomes related to access to ancestral land and how to choose the best entity structure to help achieve them.
Entity structures covered include for-profit and nonprofit models, shared ownership and conservation models, and tribal consortium models. Two case studies will be presented highlighting the Mendocino County-based tribally chartered non profit organization, Kai Poma, and the Los Angeles County based, Tataviam Land Conservancy.
The webinar scheduled for Thursday, September 1, 2022, is postponed. Stay tuned for more details.
About the Speakers
Eddie Knight (Coastal Yuki, Little Lake, Shanel, Yokaya, and Pomo) is the Chairman of Kai Poma, a tribally charted non-profit organization. Eddie works with his Tribe, the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, as a Historic Preservation Officer and is a certified Tribal Monitor. For over 40 years, Eddie has been actively involved in advocating for the protection of ancestral Coastal Yuki land. Since 2011, Eddie has been in conversation with the California Department of Transportation, District 1 (Caltrans), to explore the possibility of a joint agreement for the protection of their ancestral Coastal Yuki archaeological sites. As a result of this work and in collaboration with the Round Valley Indian Reservation, the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians and Senator Mike McGuire, and Assembly Member James Woods, California Senate Bill- 231, Department of Transportation: Transfer of Property: Blues Beach to Kai Poma, was signed into law on September 24, 2021, by Governor Gavin Newsom.
In his spare time, Eddie enjoys hunting and traditional fishing at the ocean. Eddie also enjoys making Male Pomo dance regalia and a traditional Pomo singing instrument called a Clapper.
Kai Poma is a tribally chartered nonprofit corporation with representatives from the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, and Round Valley Indian Tribes.
On September 24, 2021, Governor Newsom signed SB 231 (sponsored by Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) and State Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) into law. This historic legislation authorized the California Department of Transportation (“Caltrans”) to transfer a 172-acre coastal property, (the “Blues Beach” property) located in the unincorporated community of Westport, to a nonprofit corporation. In response to this, Kai Poma was formed for the purpose of ensuring this area’s sensitive cultural, environmental, and archeological resources were returned to Tribal control and management.
Jesus Alvarez (Fernandeño Tataviam) is the President of the Tataviam Land Conservancy. He obtained a B.A. in Education in 1993 and spent his career after college working in early childhood education. He currently serves as a Financial Aid Administrator for California State University Northridge. As a lifelong resident of the San Fernando Valley, Jesus volunteers with various educational programs for the Tataviam Tribe and groups throughout the San Fernando Valley.
Jesus’ love of the land and enjoyment of the natural world led him to become a member of the TLC. Jesus would like to increase understanding of California’s native flora and to preserve it for future generations by developing programs that promote the use of locally native and regionally appropriate plants throughout Tataviam homelands in projects as small as personal gardens or as large as regional commercial projects. He is a member of the California Rare Fruit Growers and California Native Plant Society. Jesus spends his weekends gardening, grafting, and practicing other horticultural techniques. It is common to be given a plant he has grown from seed.
Tataviam Land Conservancy (TLC) is a non-profit organization focused on protecting the traditional territory of the Fernandeño Tataviam people through protective land management, cooperative agreements, and innovative cultural and educational programming. The Tribe remained active, despite the continuing loss of traditional territory, retaining its unique culture as a modern Los Angeles developed, a new urban landscape sprawled into the valleys and foothills, and the aerospace industry took hold in the mountains. In the 1970s, the Tataviam Tribe’s leadership again asserted its claims for return of territory. Tataviam traditional tribal leaders were adamant that the tribe should seek federal recognition and restoration of the Tribe’s land base.
Nicole Johnson is a California licensed attorney with nearly 20 years of experience in tribal policy and intergovernmental relations. She has worked with tribes throughout the U.S. on issues including cultural resource protection and lands restoration, public health, law enforcement, and economic development. Nicole serves as the Executive Director at the Tataviam Land Conservancy.
Neil Thapar (he/him) is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Minnow. Neil is an attorney licensed in California with experience supporting alternative legal structures of ownership that promote affordability, community ownership, and long-term sustainable stewardship. Prior to Minnow, Neil was the Sustainable Economies Law Center’s Food and Farm Program Director. Minnow supports the success of California’s farmers of color while in the broader frame of realizing indigenous sovereignty.
In September 2021, Governor Newsom signed SB 231. This historic legislation authorized the California Department of Transportation (“Caltrans”) to transfer a 172-acre coastal property, (the “Blues Beach” property) located in the unincorporated community of Westport, to a nonprofit corporation comprised of representatives from the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, and Round Valley Indian Tribes, (the “Tribes”). Minnow has provided legal support to the newly established non-profit organization “Kai Poma.”
Saul Ettlin is the Senior Advisor to the President at Community Vision (CV) and has over 20 years of experience managing and advising nonprofits. Over his time at CV he has worked with dozens of organizations to explore and implement sustainable real estate solutions. He has a strong interest in growing the amount of community-owned community assets as both power building and resiliency.
Community Vision promotes economic justice and alleviates poverty by increasing the financial resilience and sustainability of community-based nonprofits and enterprises. We are a nonprofit lender primarily providing financing to community-based real estate projects. Since our founding, CV has invested more than $350 million to projects throughout California, impacting the lives of more than 1.5 million neighbors. Our lending and consulting services support organizations that provide affordable housing, equitable and sustainable access to healthy food, community arts, and critical social, medical and youth services.
Access to Ancestral Lands Grant Q&A Webinar - January 24, 2021
California Tribes: Get Answers about Applying for the Ancestral Lands Grant
Through this California Tribal Fund opportunity, First Nations is awarding 12 to 15 grants averaging $35,000 to California-based tribes or tribally-controlled non-profit organizations to strengthen California-based Indigenous stewardship and protect ancestral lands. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2022.
To help more California tribes access this funding, First Nations is hosting informational Q&A sessions to go over the process.
Access to Ancestral Lands Grant Q&A Webinar - January 14, 2021
California Tribes: Get Answers about Applying for the Ancestral Lands Grant
Through this California Tribal Fund opportunity, First Nations is awarding 12 to 15 grants averaging $35,000 to California-based tribes or tribally-controlled non-profit organizations to strengthen California-based Indigenous stewardship and protect ancestral lands. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2022.
To help more California tribes access this funding, First Nations is hosting informational Q&A sessions to go over the process.
Land Access
Thursday, November 4, 2021
The premiere episode of this new series is hosted in response to the growing interest among California tribes in accessing state surplus lands, navigating private land donations, and engaging in land buyback. Speakers will provide an overview of the mechanics of land transactions, including foundational legal tools, how to set up land trusts and non-profits, and basic governance issues. Also covered will be a case study on the formation of an intertribal non-profit to protect and preserve sacred lands.
Links mentioned in the webinar:
