Launch of “Seeing Our Native Students”, in Partnership with Four Winds of Indian Education

SONS is a guide for educators that seeks to improve education and health outcomes for Native youth.

We do this by:

-Helping educators understand the social, political, and economic contexts in which Native people live.

-Providing dozens of concrete ways that educators can better support their Native kids and families.

-Suggesting ways to improve curricula to more accurately represent Native peoples and cultures in the classroom.

In this celebration we will be hosting a panel discussion exploring the following topics:

-The need for reform in education, particularly around the way Native culture is represented.

-The steps non Natives can take to support this reform.

-The ways our Native communities are already leading the way.

Panel Participants:

He-lo Ramirez (Machoopta)- He-Lo is a TEK Practitioner and student, and has a B.S. in Biology from Chico State and a California Single Subject Teaching Credential in Biology and Life Sciences. He is a published ecological researcher whose work has focused on the Valley Oak tree. He-lo is a proponent of interdisciplinary place-based problem-based learning within a framework of social- ecological justice.

Rose Hammock (Wailaki, Maidu, Pomo)- Rose is a cultural leader and educator. She is also a traditional dancer, and beader. Rose has worked in Indian Education for years, supporting youth across tribal communities. Rose is currently an educator with the Big Picture Learning Native American Initiative.

Irma Amaro (Yaqui, Chicana)- Irma is the Interim Executive Director at Four Winds of Indian Education Inc. She is Yaqui and Chicana. She has worked in Indian Education for the past 15 years. Working with Native families in traditional, cultural, and academic education is her passion. Irma is also a skilled jewelry maker.

Taylor Pennewell (Maidu) - Taylor, the co-founder of Redbud Resource Group, earned both her BA in English Literature and her MAT from the University of San Francisco. Taylor has worked as a public school educator for the past seven years, and her experience ranges from English, Humanities, Math and Science teaching.

Enter a raffle for the chance to win Native made items created by Irma Amaro!