Borderlands
Donald Trump ordered the children of migrants and refugees to be forcefully removed from their parents and placed in concentration camps, resulting in numerous deaths. These atrocities represent a small fraction of an ongoing border crisis fueled by a hyper-capitalist economy historically rooted in genocide and slavery. This panel presents heartbreaking stories about and hopeful solutions to the border crisis from an Indigenous perspective. We will hear first-hand accounts of what it feels like to have a border cut through your ancestral territory, explore ways to reduce the need for migration through traditional economies, and discuss how re-indigenization offers a pathway of hope for migrants after they settle in the U.S. Hosted by: Cara Romero (Chemehuevi). With: Josue Rivas (Aztec); Nany Zepeda (Maya); Stanley Rodriguez (Kumeyay); Ofelia Rivas (O’odham).
Indigenous Forum
October 20th | 2:45 pm to 4:15 pm
Panelists
Cara Romero
Program Director
Bioneers Indigenous Knowledge Program
Cara Romero (Chemehuevi), Program Director of the Bioneers Indigenous Knowledge Program, previously served her Mojave-based tribe in several capacities, including as: first Executive Director at the Chemehuevi Cultural Center, a member of the tribal council, and Chair of the Chemehuevi Education Board and Chemeuevi Headstart Policy Council. Cara is also a highly accomplished photographer/artist.Josué Rivas
Founder
Standing Strong Project
Josué Rivas (Mexica/Otomi), founder of the Standing Strong Project and co-founder of Natives Photograph, is an award-winning visual storyteller and educator working at the intersection of art, journalism, and social justice whose work challenges mainstream narratives about Indigenous peoples and builds awareness about issues affecting Native communities. His work has appeared in many publications including National Geographic, The Guardian, and World Policy Journal.Stanley Rodriguez
Tribal Councilman
Santa Ysabel Tribal Government
Stanley Ralph Rodriguez, Ph.D., a Tribal Councilman for the Santa Ysabel Tribal Government, Director of Kumeyaay Community College, board member for Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival, faculty member at Cuyamaca Community College, and a navy Desert Storm veteran, is an award-winning educator and fluent Kumeyaay speaker dedicated to preserving the language and indigenous songs of his people as well as a renowned Kumeyaay singer and musician.Nany Zepeda Sanic
Ofelia Rivas
Founder
O’odham VOICE Against the WALL
Ofelia Rivas, an O’odham traditional seeds gardener from southern Arizona, in 2003 founded O’odham VOICE Against the WALL, a grassroots organization that seeks to defend O’odham cultural and human rights, which include, because her people’s ancestral lands and population straddle the U.S./Mexico border, their right to unfettered access to historical crossing routes along that border.
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