News & Announcements
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Karley M. Rojas (they/elle) of the Environment and Community Graduate Program has been selected as an ARI-NEXTGEN Fellow (USDA NIFA NEXTGEN grant to the California State University Agricultural Research Institute) for the 'Place-Based Learning Practices Project' in the amount of $25,000. This joins additional funding for the project from Save the Redwoods League, Humboldt Energy Independence Fund, and the Sustainability Department.
The ‘Place-Based Learning Practices Project’, a graduate project under the Native American Studies Department Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab and Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute (FSL), will make contributions at the intersection of Western academia and Indigenous science, imagining and realizing content, policies, and protocols surrounding two case studies, and the larger Cal Poly Humboldt (CPH) institution, which respect, honor, and uplift Indigenous sovereignty and resurgence in partnership with the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe and other regional tribal community stakeholders. Encompassing two projects internal and external to the institution, I aim to address the construction of controlled and protective environments for research with sovereign Indigenous sciences and traditional ecological knowledges (TEK), while also advancing the products and projects through Indigenous community-based participatory action research paradigms (ICBPAR) to realize material and functional applications for the partnered communities (Mauro and Hardison, 2000; Martens et al, 2016; Datta, 2023),. The Internal project of the institution addressed as a case study is ‘Landscape (Hi)Story of Wiyot Plaza’ which includes the ‘HSU Ethnobotanical Map’, and Wiyot Plaza Site History; Wiyot Plaza being an on-campus experiential learning laboratory and landscape allocated to the FSL. The protocol and processes surrounding access and engagement to associated resources, and the presentation, housing, and content of the products through the lens of Indigenous Data Sovereignty will be addressed. External to the institution is a second case study with the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe (BLR), the ‘Living Database and Indigenous Agroremediation project’ which may include, depending on Tribal Council and community conceptions, feedback, and oversight contiguous with ICBPAR paradigms, the production of a Living Database of Plant Relationality, and resulting informed projects in Indigenous agroremediation. Both of these case studies will contribute to the overarching work of establishing appropriate community collaboration protocols and best practices for the larger campus community regarding Indigenous knowledges and sciences in place-based learning and research rooted in Indigenous worldviews of relationality and reciprocity, which forefronts the health of relationships with the regional tribal community.
The ‘Place-Based Learning Practices Project’, a graduate project under the Native American Studies Department Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab and Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute (FSL), will make contributions at the intersection of Western academia and Indigenous science, imagining and realizing content, policies, and protocols surrounding two case studies, and the larger Cal Poly Humboldt (CPH) institution, which respect, honor, and uplift Indigenous sovereignty and resurgence in partnership with the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe and other regional tribal community stakeholders. Encompassing two projects internal and external to the institution, I aim to address the construction of controlled and protective environments for research with sovereign Indigenous sciences and traditional ecological knowledges (TEK), while also advancing the products and projects through Indigenous community-based participatory action research paradigms (ICBPAR) to realize material and functional applications for the partnered communities (Mauro and Hardison, 2000; Martens et al, 2016; Datta, 2023),. The Internal project of the institution addressed as a case study is ‘Landscape (Hi)Story of Wiyot Plaza’ which includes the ‘HSU Ethnobotanical Map’, and Wiyot Plaza Site History; Wiyot Plaza being an on-campus experiential learning laboratory and landscape allocated to the FSL. The protocol and processes surrounding access and engagement to associated resources, and the presentation, housing, and content of the products through the lens of Indigenous Data Sovereignty will be addressed. External to the institution is a second case study with the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe (BLR), the ‘Living Database and Indigenous Agroremediation project’ which may include, depending on Tribal Council and community conceptions, feedback, and oversight contiguous with ICBPAR paradigms, the production of a Living Database of Plant Relationality, and resulting informed projects in Indigenous agroremediation. Both of these case studies will contribute to the overarching work of establishing appropriate community collaboration protocols and best practices for the larger campus community regarding Indigenous knowledges and sciences in place-based learning and research rooted in Indigenous worldviews of relationality and reciprocity, which forefronts the health of relationships with the regional tribal community.
This project is under the mentorship of Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy as the Principal Investigator and Chair of Karley's Thesis Committee.
Karley is a Cuban Taíno-descendant maorocoti (two-spirit) person; they are also of French and Spanish descent. I am not a member nor affiliated with any tribe, but hold ancestral ties to the Taíno peoples of Camagüey and Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. I am an Indigenous-facing ethnobotanist and multimedia artist. I hold a B.S. in Botany from Cal Poly Humboldt with a minor in Studio Art; I am also an alumnus of the University of Chicago. I am employed as a Research Associate with the Native American Studies Department Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab and Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute (FSL).
(Posted January 2024)
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Amada and her E&C project were recently featured in Humboldt Graduate Studies' fall 2021 newsletter. See below for her profile (or here for the full newsletter).
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ENST DIGEST- 10/11/21: The Indigenous Peoples Week issue
Top billing for this Monday: It's Indigenous People's Day and week! There is a lot going on. Three significant sets of events are outlined in the following images and text: Indigenous People's Week, Decolonizing Sustainability, and Danza Azteca (Latinx Heritage + Indigenous People's week). These are all listed below, before the list of other events and activities.
It is essential, as a community that studies "the environment," that we recognize the ways that ecological values have been inherent in indigenous lifeways for time immemorial, that many indigenous communities continue to fight against colonial-capitalist forces to protect those lifeways (evidence of which is everywhere, but Humboldt county certainly), and especially, to interrogate the ways that indigenous values are appropriated or greenwashed for purposes other than their own, sometimes even in the name of "sustainability."
Such is the spirit of the "Decolonizing Sustainability" series that both Deepti Chatti and I are a part of, as well as the faculty of the NAS department and luminous outside speakers as well. If you haven't already got a sense of indigenous lenses on environmental issues, I hope you'll take the opportunity of these rich events to come to greater awareness around the challenges and values of bringing traditional ecological knowledge to the center of environmental efforts.
Indigenous Peoples Week Events!!
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More detail on Decolonizing Sustainability:
Description: This speaker series will highlight and unpack intersections of settler colonialism, white supremacy, and systems of power/privilege/oppression within the discourse and rhetoric of contemporary sustainability, environmental, and climate change movements. Each event will feature a broad overview of a selected sustainability topic delivered by Humboldt Native American Studies faculty, and then will move into an intimate panel discussion among experts from the field. Audience members are encouraged to engage with a parallel recommended reading for each talk and will be given time for questions at the end of each discussion. This series is intended to serve as a deep dive into problematic and harmful discourse(s) of sustainability with the goal of moving toward a decolonial sustainability movement that amplifies Indigenous sovereignty and experience.
Dates & times:
Each session will offer structured content from roughly noon- 1:15pm; the last 15 minutes of each session will serve as time for Q&A from audience members
Session #1
We Have Always Been Scientists: Western Science, Sustainability & the Delegitimization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems
(Indigenous Peoples Week)
Date/time: Oct 13, 2021 - 12pm - 1:30pm
Panel Chair: Kaitlin Reed (Assistant Professor, Native American Studies, Humboldt State University)
Panelists:
Zoe Todd (Associate Professor, Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Carleton University)
Deepti Chatti (Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies Department, Humboldt State University)
Recommended Reading: Deloria, Vine. Red earth, white lies: Native Americans and the myth of scientific fact. Fulcrum Publishing, 1997.
We will be giving away a copy of Vine Deloria’s book Red earth, white lies: Native Americans and the myth of scientific fact to one lucky participant!
Session #2
Nobody Asked You John Muir: Settler Colonial Environmentalism, White Supremacy & Sustainability
Date/time: Oct 20, 2021 - 12pm - 1:30pm
Panel Chair: Kaitlin Reed (Assistant Professor, Native American Studies, Humboldt)
Panelists:
Sarah Ray (Department Chair, Environmental Studies, Humboldt)
Heather Ponchetti Daly (Lecturer, University of California, San Diego, Muir College-Environmental Studies, Ethnic Studies)
Recommended Reading: Pulling Down Our Monuments by Michael Brune https://www.sierraclub.org/michael-brune/2020/07/john-muir-early-history-sierra-club
We will be giving a copy of Sarah Ray’s book The Ecological Other: Environmental Exclusion in American Culture to one lucky participant!
Session #3
Colonialism Is Not Over: Green Colonialism & Sustainability from the TMT to the Terra Gen Wind Project
Date/time: Oct 27, 2021 - 12pm - 1:30pm
Panel Chair: Cutcha Risling Baldy (Department Chair, Native American Studies, Humboldt State University)
Panelists:
Melinda Adams (Ph.D. Candidate in Native American Studies, UC Davis)
Iokepa Casumbal-Salazar (Assistant Professor, University of Texas Austin)
Recommended Reading: Goodyear-Kaopua, Noelani, Ikaika Hussey, and Erin Kahunawaika'ala Wright, eds. A nation rising: Hawaiian movements for life, land, and sovereignty. Duke University Press, 2014.
We will be giving away a copy of Noelani Goodyear-Kaopua’s book A Nation Rising: Hawaiian movements for life, land, and sovereignty to one lucky participant!
Session #4
Indigenous Knowledge Cannot Be Treated as a Back Up Plan: Indigenous Collaboration, Sustainability & Decolonization
Date/time: Nov 3 - 12pm - 1:30pm
Panel Chair: Cutcha Risling Baldy (Department Chair, Native American Studies, Humboldt State University
Panelists:
Brittani Orona (Ph.D. Candidate in Native American Studies, UC Davis)
Esme G. Murdock (Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies and Associate Director of the Institute for Ethics and Public Affairs, San Diego State University)
Recommended Reading: "The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth" by the Red Nation.
We will be giving away a copy of: The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save our Earth to one lucky participant!
Please register at hsu.link/DecolonizeSustainability
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LatinX Heritage Month and Indigenous Peoples Week Presents
DANZA AZTECA
Dance, Music, Regalia, & Cultural Program
October 14-17, 2021
Workshops given by Maestros
Juan Ruiz, Milagros Ayoltzin, and Raymond Ramirez
Schedule of Events
Thursday, October 14th6-8 pmLecture on Spiritual Aspects of Danza Azteca (Goodwin Forum) Nelson Hall East - Presented on Zoom and in person
Friday, October 15th12 noon Performance on quad (Juan, Raymond, Milagros, Frank)
ALL THE FOLLOWING EVENTS HELD IN THE JOLLY GIANT COMMONS ROOM 113
4 – 6 pmHeaddress/ Copili Featherwork, Assembly and Care (JGC 113)
7 – 9 pm Drumming and Dance Workshop (JGC 113)
Saturday, October 16th11 am – 1 pm
Drumming and Dance Workshop (JGC 113 3 – 5 pm)
Workshop on Regalia and Music (JGC 113) 7 – 9 pm
Dance and Drumming Workshop (JGC 113)
Sunday, October 17th11 am – 1 pmCulminating Workshop (JGC 113)
___________________________________________________________________________ENST EVENTS!
Second billing is ENST BA Events going on this semester-- you asked for it!! Peer Mentors and I have organized these events for you, based on your feedback and requests-- DARS, Grad Students, Alumni, Emphasis Areas, and Local Sustainability Networking. What do you need to feel connected? What do you need to know about to get involved? How can you learn more about being in ENST? These events are here to answer all of your questions. We're also launching a logo competition, so dust off your art skillz! More to follow, such as zoom links, more info about the competition, etc... For now, just put these in your calendar, get your creative juices flowing, and look for more info in the coming days.
Thanks to the Peer Mentors for their supreme help with these events, and for getting the instagram account active-- please help by following ENST!! @environmental.studies.hsu
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And of course, there's even more stuff going on too!
1. THIS IS TODAY!!! Introduction to the GRE
Thinking about graduate school? Registered to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)?
The GRE is a standardized test required by many graduate programs. Your GRE scores can play a role in admissions, fellowships, and financial aid.
This Zoom SkillShop will provide a broad overview of the GRE.
Learn about the three parts of the GRE
Focus on test-taking basics and strategies
Practice and learn from one another
Connect with others taking the exam to form study groups and share resources
Monday, October 11, from 4 pm - 6 pm. Free for Humboldt Students. Register here.
For information about registering for the GRE itself, visit www.ets.org/gre or talk to the Testing Center.
2. Humboldt Art Contest and Pundemonium Contest.
Contests sponsored by the Humboldt Biology Graduate Student Association. Art Contest:Send us your biology art work! Win a chance to have your artwork featured on BGSA t-shirts and more. Must be an Humboldt student to enter. No watercolors please (they do not transfer properly). Submit pdf entries to BioGrad@humboldt.edu by October 22; put “Art Contest” in the subject line. First annual Pundemonium Contest: Win a chance to see your punny humor on some Humboldt swag! Limit one entry per person. Must be affiliated with Humboldt to enter. Deadline Oct. 22. Email submissions to BioGrad@humboldt.edu.
3. Flu Vaccines!!
Student Health & Wellbeing Services has partnered with Safeway Pharmacy to offer the convenience of on-campus flu vaccinations for fully matriculated Humboldt students (free of charge) and for staff and faculty (at a cost of $34, payable by cash, credit card, or check).
Flu Vaccine Clinics
Wednesday, Oct 13 9-4pm Humboldt Quad
Thursday, Oct 21 9-4pm Humboldt Quad
Wednesday, Nov 10 9-4pm Humboldt Quad
Influenza vaccines — though not 100 percent effective — significantly reduce the risk of the flu and its complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age or older be vaccinated annually against influenza, and take these additional steps to help protect yourself from the flu and other viruses.
Getting the influenza vaccine will reduce the number of coughs and fevers on campus. It will reduce the burden on local health care resources including Humboldt Student Health and Wellbeing Services and on local hospitals. For individuals, getting the flu vaccine may prevent a fever and cough that will lead to quarantine and isolation while covid testing is pending.
Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water.
Use an alcohol-based sanitizer on your hands if soap and water aren't available.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth whenever possible.
Avoid crowds when the flu is most prevalent in your area.
Practice good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, exercise regularly, drink plenty of fluids, eat a nutritious diet and manage your stress.
You can also help prevent the spread of the flu by staying home if you do get sick. Individuals who miss one of the scheduled on-campus vaccination clinics are encouraged to contact their local pharmacy or primary care physician directly.
Please remember to wear a face covering and safety guidelines. Read the Health & Safety guide of the Campus Ready website for more details. And don't forget to bring your ID.
Contact Mira Friedman for more information mira.friedman@humboldt.edu or
https://wellbeing.humboldt.edu/coughs-colds-sorethroats
4. Halloween Haunted House at CCAT!! OCT 29
CCAT Haunted Garden, Oct. 29. Campus Center for Appropriate Technology is having a Haunted Garden event on Friday, October 29, at 7pm! All students & the community are welcome. Please wear a mask. See the attached flyer.
5. Registration season is around the corner! Get prepared...
If you haven't met with a peer mentor or Sarah Bacio to learn how to read your DARS and figure out how to plan your course schedule for the next three semesters, please do so! sarah.bacio@humboldt.edu. Sarah B. will be holding a DARS advising workshop as well (see above flyer), but nothing beats a one-on-one meeting with a professional advisor who can help you. It is NOT INTUITIVE to figure out the DARS and how to plan classes, and there are a lot of "pro-tips" insider scoops on ENST in particular. Please do not wait; once the spring schedule is released, we will all be crammed with appointments. Early bird gets the worm, here, folks. Make an appointment NOW. (Check your student center to see who your advisor is-- it may be me, Sarah B, Dr. Chatti, or Dr. Sherriff, and reach out to that person). A second perk for doing your course planner is that it helps me help you! I can tell other departments to make sure they're running classes and I can predict course demand in ENST based on the numbers that show up from the course planners students have filled out.... So, please fill them out, so we can be sure the classes you need are offered. This is all spelled out in much more detail in the previous digest, so refer to it if you feel confused...
_______________ and a video about dominant education systems and the way they oppress people and reinforce hierarchies, sent by an alumni who is getting a master's in education at SLO, which I thought you'd enjoy________________________
Follow the Humboldt Environmental Studies Department on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Humboldtenvironmentalstudies
Instagram: @environmental.studies.hsu
Students, what have you been working on? We invite you to share your accomplishments (publications, presentations, grants, awards, creative activities, academic competitions and the like) with the Humboldt community via Humboldt Now. Do you know any alumni doing interesting things? We'd love to know what they're up to! Ask them to submit an alumni update here. And if you have poems, songs, or other news or announcements you'd like to share with the ENST community, please email Sarah.Ray@humboldt.edu.
Faculty- please send your announcements to Sarah Ray for inclusion in the next Monday digest!
Sarah Jaquette Ray (she/her)
Professor & Chair, Environmental Studies, Cal Poly Humboldt