To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Health Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Tina Rivera 707-565-4774
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): District 5
Title:
Title
Funding Agreement utilizing 5th District Community Infrastructure Fund
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the Director of Health Services, or designee, to execute a funding agreement with Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds, for the County to provide funding in support of an Indigenous Peoples Center Pilot Youth Training Program in an amount not-to-exceed $100,000.
B) Adopt a Resolution authorizing budgetary adjustments to the fiscal year 2023-2024 adopted budget increasing appropriations in the amount of $100,000 to reflect revenue and expenditures associated with the funding agreement to support the Indigenous Peoples Center Pilot Youth Training Program. (4/5th Vote Required)
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Executive Summary:
The Sonoma County Department of Health Services (hereinafter, “DHS” or “the Department”) is proposing to program $100,000 from 5th District Community Infrastructure Funds FY 2023/24 set aside, as supporting contributions to an Indigenous Peoples Center: Pilot Youth Training Program run by and located at Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds (hereinafter, “ARCG” or “Alliance Redwoods”) 6250 Bohemian Highway, Occidental.
Discussion:
Alliance Redwoods is launching a pilot program in partnership with the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians. The Kashia were the first inhabitants of the coastal Sonoma County area, living in lands that extended from the Gualala River in the North to Duncan’s Point south of the Russian River, and extended west-to-east from the Pacific Ocean 30-miles inland to the confluence of the Warm Springs Creek and the Dry Creek.
The pilot program will commence building an indigenous (a population living naturally in a particular area) leadership development program for tribal youth with two specific learning tracks:
1. Indigenous peoples living cultures; and
2. Indigenous youth training program.
Initially, Kashia youth will be recommended by their tribal council and cultural liaison, and then the pilot program will broaden out to include all Sonoma County tribes, and then eventually to our Black and Spanish-speaking communities. Miguel Hilario, PH.D., Director of Strategic Initiatives at Alliance Redwoods, who is indigenous to the Amazon basin (and at one time ran for President in Peru) is acting lead for the pilot program at Alliance Redwoods. Established in 1946, ARCG is located at 6250 Bohemian Highway in Occidental, and serves over 32,000 guests each year, providing a faith-based camping experience to the public including church and non-profit agencies. Alliance Redwoods offers overnight experiences, day experiences and retreat opportunities in the natural beauty of Sonoma County’s redwood forests. For more information about ARCG visit www.allianceredwoods.com <http://www.allianceredwoods.com>.
The ARCG pilot program will help to empower indigenous youth with access and opportunity to meaningfully succeed in life. The pilot program includes two learning tracks. Learning track #1 (Living Cultures) will cover indigenous cuisine, indigenous art craft, indigenous traditional ecological knowledge, learning the true history of indigenous people’s lands, indigenous dance, indigenous language, and experiential education. Learning track #2 (Youth Training Program) will cover cultural identity strengthening, spiritual identity strengthening, learning the primordial role of indigenous peoples’ lands in bringing ecological balance, and contributions of Native Americans’ knowledge of plants (including medicinal uses) and forest regeneration.
The Youth Training Program will have leadership and integrity components including keys of leadership from a faith-based perspective, leading with integrity, servant leadership and stewardship, and keys of accountability in leadership. The Youth Training Program will also include an entrepreneurship component including basic understanding of economics, management, marketing, and a basic understanding of making a business plan. At the end of the Youth Training Program, each trainee will have gained job experience to take back to their communities and/or continued employment opportunities at Alliance Redwoods. During the training program each trainee will have a mentor for personal growth, spiritual growth, leadership growth and business/marketing/entrepreneurship development. After the completion of the program, each trainee will continue to have a mentor to assure that the goals, vision, and mission, as well as the business plan adopted are fully implemented.
To ensure the success of this pilot program and to assure the trainees are fully successful in their entrepreneurship objectives, small funds will be secured as a loan through partnerships with foundations, governments, and private sources. Fifth District Supervisor Hopkins has approved the allocation of $100,000 from District Infrastructure Funds to kickstart and support this pilot program effort. While this funding will go to support the pilot project (which is a program and not a physical infrastructure) the ultimate vision is to eventually support the building of a living Indigenous cultural center at ARCG. The goal of this pilot program is not looking at our County tribal society and culture as simply historical, or something which belongs behind glass in a museum, but in active stewardship of Sonoma County’s indigenous culture and looking towards an inclusive future. ARCG Executive Director James Blake is working closely with Dino Franklin Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at Pinoleville Pomo Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program and Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor (formerly Chairman of Kashia), and Martina Morgan, a Kashia culture keeper as well as ARCG’s cultural consultant to facilitate the success of this pilot program.
Statistics demonstrate that the need for a program like this one is great. According to the US Bureau Census of 2020, the Native American population in California is approximately 660,000 with a Sonoma County population around 8,855, not including 81 groups still seeking federal recognition. The Native American population still struggle with inordinate problems in the US including higher infant mortality rates, shorter life expectancy, higher adult suicide rates, higher youth suicide rates, higher teen pregnancy rates, higher substance abuse rates, higher rates of diabetes, lower high school graduation rates, lower success rates moving into Higher Education, higher poverty rates, higher unemployment rates, lower medium income per capita rates, and a higher rate of homelessness. This community infrastructure investment would be an important effort to fund social infrastructure in our community and combat these significant disparities.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
None
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY23-24 Adopted |
FY24-25 Projected |
FY25-26 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
$100,000 |
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Total Expenditures |
$100,000 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
$100,000 |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$100,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The $100,000 cost for the pilot program will be paid for in FY 2023-2024 from Sonoma County’s District 5 District Infrastructure Fund.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Agreement
Attachment 2 - Budget Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None