As we dream of and work towards land return and Rematriation in one of the most expensive “real estate” markets in the country, we are launching the Rematriate the Land Fund to support our efforts.
The Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, the first urban Indigenous women led land trust in the country, is working to Rematriate the land in Lisjan territory. Our programs and initiatives include reclaiming stolen land, growing medicine gardens, building Himmetkas (emergency response hubs), distributing fresh food to elders, and revitalizing Indigenous languages, cultures and practices in the East Bay Area.
“Two hundred fifty years ago, there was no concept of homelessness and hunger in this territory, today, we are homeless in our own homeland.”
–Corrina Gould, Traditional Spokesperson & Chair of the Confederated Villages of Lisjan
The Bay Area is home to diverse communities of Indigenous peoples. We are an intertribal Indigenous women-led land trust, working closely with the Lisjan whose land we are on. We work to restore reciprocal relationships with the sacred land we live on, and with the plants, animals and other human beings who we share this land with. We create opportunities for all people living in Lisjan Ohlone territory to work together to re-envision the Bay Area community and what it means to live on Ohlone land.
Together with our relatives, allies, collaborators and supporters who engage with our Shuumi Land Tax, we have built the first Ohlone ceremonial arbor in the territory in more than 250 years and are returning access to Indigenous land to Indigenous hands in innovative ways including the use of long term leases, cultural conservation easements, and agreements of all kinds. Still, Indigenous people have extremely limited access to land in the Bay Area.
Lisjan Tribal Members protect less than .0001% of their ancestral territory.
Sogorea Te’ Land Trust works predominantly within the territories of the Lisjan Ohlone, which includes 5 Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Solano and San Joaquin, close to 3 million acres of land. Right now, Lisjan tribal members and the Trust protect less than 0.0001% of this land base.
As we begin to heal and transform the legacies of colonization, genocide, and patriarchy and to do the work our ancestors and future generations are calling us to do, we invite those who have benefitted from stolen land and settler-colonialism to contribute to our vision of rematriation, to help us build Indigenous Sovereignty, and support our movement to rematriate the land.
Support Indigenous led land return
The Rematriate the Land Fund is dedicated to expenses associated with bringing land back into Indigenous stewardship including purchase and care of land, permits and fees, studies, surveys, remediations, restoration, and related needs.
For contributions over $1000, checks can be made to the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust and sent to 2501 Harrison St. Oakland CA 94612. Please write “Rematriate the Land Fund” in the Memo. If you encounter issues with or need to change your contribution, please contact rosa (at) rematriatetheland (dot) org. If you would like to discuss a significant contribution, please contact ariel (at) rematriatetheland (dot) org.
