Native Hub Gathering in NorCal

This past month REZolution, Justin Rodriguez, Project Coordinator and Larisa Yarber, Community Engagement Representative, traveled alongside Research and Student Development Director Lisa Brucks to the second annual Native Hub gathering for CRDP/ California Reducing Disparities Project.

The Native Hub gathering was a three-day event that consisted of many different goals and opportunities to create and further enrich CRDP connections. The beautiful location was Arcata, California just outside of Eureka. Over the course of the weekend, we traveled through McKinleyville, Trinidad, and Sue-meg. These towns are home to the following Native Tribe known as Yurok.

Image above includes:

Lisa Brucks, Larisa Yarber, Justin Rodriguez and Juliet Lee

This past month REZolution, Justin Rodriguez, Project Coordinator and Larisa Yarber, Community Engagement Representative, traveled alongside Research and Student Development Director Lisa Brucks to the second annual Native Hub gathering for CRDP/ California Reducing Disparities Project.

The Native Hub gathering was a three-day event that consisted of many different goals and opportunities to create and further enrich CRDP connections. The beautiful location was Arcata, California just outside of Eureka. Over the course of the weekend, we traveled through McKinleyville, Trinidad, and Sue-meg. These towns are home to the following Native Tribe known as Yurok.

Image on left includes:

Lisa Brucks, Larisa Yarber, Justin Rodriguez and Juliet Lee

Image on the right includes a Redwood tree located in Sue-meg Village.

The Sue-meg Village is the Yurok Tribal land, and a fact about the Yurok Tribe is that it is the largest tribe in California with more than 5,000 enrolled members. They are known as great fishermen and storytellers. The primary food of the Yurok people is from the ocean such as mussels, seaweed and salmon. Their homes were crafted from fallen Redwood trees, and they respect the Redwoods as guardians over them.

The weekends agenda was filled with many presentations and team bonding activities. Special guest speaker Stephanie Weldon, Office of Health Equity Deputy Director. Spoke about the BHSA (Behavioral Health Services Act) and the importance of using one’s voice and utilizing resources within the community.

During presentations and workshops guests were encouraged to stay busy with table activities such as beading, note taking and or fidgets. Below you will find that Ernie, a local Yurok man, was working on a ceremonial necklace that is created collaboratively with the young men in the Young Bucks program.

Women in the photo on the left are dressed in ceremonial regalia such as bark skirts that are peeled from Redwood bark. Shaye, a Mental Health Clinician from Two Feathers and second from left, sang with others songs that could be heard during a traditional flower dance.

Photo on the right is a commonly worn skirt that is worn by the young woman during her flower dance ceremony. Mainly consist of beads and shells such as abalone and dentalium.

Ernie, Cultural Outreach Coordinator at Two Feathers, explained the importance of making these programs accessible to the youth to learn and eventually carry out the traditions. Ernie is a huge part of the program and has made lasting impacts on Native youth; one had mentioned that his motivation everyday was to make Ernie and the other Two Feathers staff members proud.

Photo on the left includes Justin Rodriguez, REZolution Project Coordinator, amongst others from the CRDP Native Hub. Location is in the Sue-meg Village, a ceremonial area where dances take place.

On behalf of REZolution, we want to thank PIRE (Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation) for planning and funding our trip to Northern California to build Native connections and broaden our knowledge of other tribal traditions.