The Food Sovereignty Lab is a space to facilitate research, but we are not doing this without Indigenous input that foregrounds Tribal autonomy and self-determination. This lab is about ensuring Indigenous sovereignty is upheld, and that Indigenous communities maintain self-determination over how their knowledges are approached, researched, engaged with, represented, and managed. Community voice and representation is prioritized in this lab. Indigenous knowledge is not a monolith, and Traditional Ecological Knowledges are specific to each originating community- these knowledges are localized and place-specific. As such, they need to be housed and represented with and by those communities. The work of the Food Sovereignty Lab must be done with the guidance and support of community members, scholars and organizations that can help us to develop informed, decolonized, leading approaches to food sovereignty and engagement with Indigenous Sciences.

The FSL Steering Committee is the primary advisory committee for the planning, development, and realization of the Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab and Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute. The committee provides guidance and feedback on lab materials, policies, procedures and plans; helps to fundraise and assist with grant applications; provides and informs on best practices in food sovereignty, cultural workshops and Traditional Ecological Knowledges, and supports or helps to organize community events and community outreach opportunities. The Steering Committee is also working to provide insight and partnership building with other organizations, institutes, institutions and businesses interested in engaging with Food Sovereignty and TEK. We seek to maintain representation appointed by each of the tribal nations in Humboldt/Del Norte Counties. In addition, student representatives and representatives from Food Sovereignty focused tribal organizations.

Commitment: Seats are set aside for organizational representation, with indefinite terms. Organizations will assign a representative, which may change based on the needs and structure of each organization. Representatives may step down at any time, to be replaced by an alternate representative from their affiliated organization. There is no limit to the number of seats on the Steering Committee, and seats will fluctuate based on the number of affiliated organizations.

Schedule: Every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month (excluding July, in which no meetings are held), 12 p.m. PST (Subject to change based on committee availability and majority consensus)

Steering Committee Members:

Co-Director: Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy (Associate Professor, Native American Studies, Cal Poly Humboldt), Tribal Affiliation: Hoopa Valley Tribe (Yurok, Karuk)

Co-Director: Dr. Kaitlin Reed (Assistant Professor, Native American Studies, Cal Poly Humboldt), Tribal Affiliation: Yurok Tribe (Hupa, Oneida)

Organizational Representation:
Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria: Bonnie Parker, Tribal Garden Coordinator.

Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe: Daniel Holsapple (Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe Community Garden Manager, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer)

Cal Poly Humboldt- Sustainability Analyst:
Katie Koscielak (Sustainability Analyst, Cal Poly Humboldt)

Cal Poly Humboldt:
Dr. Sarah Ray (Department Chair, Environmental Studies, Cal Poly Humboldt)

Dr. Daniel Lipe (Assistant Professor, Environmental Science and Management, Cal Poly Humboldt), Tribal Affiliation: ​​Western Band Cherokee

Dr. Aaron Gregory (Assistant Professor, Native American Studies Department, Environmental Resources Engineering (Faculty Affiliate), Cal Poly Humboldt)

Dr. Cinthya Ammerman Muñoz (Assistant Professor, Native American Studies, Cal Poly Humboldt)

Hoopa Valley Tribe:
Raven Wilder-Surber (Hoopa Valley Tribe, Planning Department), Tribal Affiliation: Hoopa Valley Tribe

Karuk Tribe:
OliviaRose Williams (Karuk Department of Natural Resources Pikyav Technician), Tribal Affiliation: Enrolled Fallon Paiute/Shoshone, Karuk, Pit River, Wintu

NDN Collective:
Dr. PennElys Droz (NDN Collective), Tribal Affiliation: Anishinaabe

Resighini Rancheria:
Fawn Murphy (Tribal Chair for Resighini Rancheria), Tribal Affiliation: Resighini Rancheria

Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation:
Elena Sisneros (Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation), Habitat & Wildlife Division Manager

Trinidad Rancheria; Native Women’s Collective:
Rachel Sundberg (Trinidad Rancheria & Native Women’s Collective), Tribal Affiliation: Ner-er-ner (coastal Yurok), enrolled member of the Trinidad Rancheria

United Indian Health Service:
Jude Marshall (United Indian Health Service Community Food Garden), Tribal Affiliation: Hoopa Valley Tribe

USFS:
Dr. Frank Lake (Research Ecologist for USFS), Tribal Affiliation: Karuk Descendant

Wiyot Tribe:
Adam Canter (Wiyot Tribe, Natural Resources Specialist)

Yurok Tribe:
Louisa McCovey (Director of the Yurok Tribe Environmental Department), Tribal affiliation: Yurok Tribe

Additional Seats :
Undergraduate Student: vacant

Graduate Student: vacant

Founding Cohort:
Carrie Tully (M.A. Social Sciences, Environment and Community Alumna, Save California Salmon)

Cody Henrikson (Undergraduate Student, Cal Poly Humboldt), Tribal Affiliation: Ninilchik Village Tribe (Dena’ina and Sugpiaq)

Evie Ferreira (HSU Alum, American Indian Child Resource Center), Ancestral Heritage: Yaqui, Mestiza Mexican American

Marlene' Dusek (M.A. Social Sciences, Environment and Community Alumnus), Tribal Affiliation: Payómkawichum, Kúupangawish, and Kumeyaay

Previous Steering Committee Members (organizational affiliation during time period served):

Yurok Tribe:
Taylor Thompson (Food Sovereignty Division Manager Yurok Tribe), Tribal Affiliation: Cherokee Nation

Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe:
Jason Ramos (Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Council), Tribal Affiliation: Blue Lake Rancheria

Undergraduate Student:
Kim Megois (Undergraduate Student, HSU)

Graduate Student:
Moxie Alvarnaz (Graduate Student, Environment and Community, HSU)