On April 6th, over 500 community members came together for Intertribal Earth Day, an annual event hosted by the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians. We joined over 50 organizations in sharing resources and leading fun activities in support of this year’s theme, “Being a Good Ancestor”.
On April 6th, over 500 community members came together for Intertribal Earth Day, an annual event hosted by the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians at their campground. The Collaborative of Native Nations for Climate Transformation and Stewardship (CNNCTS) joined over 50 organizations in sharing resources and leading fun activities in support of this year’s theme, “Being a Good Ancestor”.
It was great to spend time in community with several CNNCTS partners. In addition to hosting this incredible event, the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians highlighted several of their climate initiatives including their work on bringing fire back to the land and how that can support resilience from threats like Gold-Spotted Oak Borer beetles. The Climate Science Alliance promoted the Stewardship Pathways workforce development training program, and hosted a Climate Kids activity area featuring their Up Down and All Around: The Pathways to Good Fire, which is part of their upcoming Climate Science and Fire Traveling Trunk for educators. At the Pala Band of Mission Indians booth, attendees took home their own native oak sapling and learned about the weekly planting days hosted at their community garden; Youth also had the chance to make their own instrument using recycled materials and performed in a parade for all attendees.
At the CNNCTS booth we shared more about the partners and projects that make up the collaborative, and how to get involved. Attendees who stopped by the booth spun our wheel of questions, sharing their reflections to questions like “How do you like to connect to nature?” and “Do you have advice for youth for earth day?”. We heard what brought them hope, their key concerns about climate change, and shared about the multiple projects led by CNNCTS partners that are building resilience to the impacts of climate change throughout southern California.
Thank you to the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians for hosting us, and to all of the host Tribes for making this event possible: La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeño Indians, Pala Band of Mission Indians, Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, and Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
Learn more about the Collaborative for Native Nations for Climate Transformation and Stewardship (CNNCTS) at cnncts.org.