Newsletter

Redbird 2011 Spring Newsletter

PDF Download of the Spring newsletter to print and share.

Children of Many Colors Powwow

Moorpark College, July 15-17, 2011

Redbird will host the 11th Children of Many Colors Powwow, returning to the new location at Moorpark College, which is flat and closer to the parking area. This year our head staff will be split on Saturday and Sunday, to allow some of the most talented young dancers in the arena today a chance to lead us into the arena. Kyle Laitenenan, Rachel Landry, Shandiin Yellowhorse, Monica Bartelt, Johnny Bartelt, Austin Hernandez, Susan Jackson and Ferdinand Salazar will compose our head staff for the weekend. Hale and Company, Wildhorse, Blue Star and, unconfirmed but anticipated, Crooked Hat will join us as northern and southern drums. Michael Reifel will MC the powwow.

Special events include the Friday evening Open Flute Circle and Potluck, beginning at 6 PM in the dance arena. All flute and wind instrument players are welcome to this evening of relaxed enjoyment.

On Saturday at 2 PM Margaret Morin of the Chumash Nation will once again host the Prayer For the Children in the dance arena. All children, and their parents, are welcome.

On Sunday, in the dance arena at 11 AM we will have a Veteran's Honoring as a part of the Gourd Dance Ceremony. All veterans, native or non native, men and women, are welcome and encouraged to take part.

Welcome New Board Members

We are very excited to add Lupe Villa-Bartelt and Gil Reyes to Redbird's 2011 Board of Directors. Lupe has worked quietly and tirelessly to promote Redbird for many years. Gil has also demonstrated his commitment to our educational and charitable goals for a number of years ... probably more than either of us remember. Both bring their positive energy and dedication forward just in time to be a part of Redbird's emergence as an organization committed not only to Native American cultural preservation, but to a better understanding of the ecology of our planet through the Forest Recovery Project.

US Forest Service and Redbird Partner for Environmental Education

Forest Recovery Project on U.S. Forest Service Website
Native American group collaborates with USFS in environmental education

Most of us have a simple understanding of fire. Fire is bad. The Station Fire of August 2009 was a devastating example, taking homes, the lives of two Los Angeles County firefighters, and charring a quarter of the Angeles National Forest.

Bad is not the only reality of fire, however, which is why the US Forest Service has a link on its official website to the Forest Recovery Project, a visual documentary of the natural processes taking place within the forest.

The US Forest Service, as well as Los Angeles County Fire Department Forestry Division and a host of other local non profit and environmental groups, believe the Forest Recovery Project is an excellent educational tool and resource to fulfill that goal.

Created by Corina Roberts, the Forest Recovery Project is nearly two years in the making. Examining all of the major habitats in the Angeles, including chaparral, riparian and hardwood/conifer forest, the Forest Recovery Project illustrates the less understood reality of fire; its power to rejuvenate natural biomes. The online version is under ten minutes long and documents the forest from September

2009 to January 2011. Live presentations run approximately one hour and are tailored to the age, education and interest levels of the audience.

The USFS web page link is http://tinyurl.com/4zkkbx3

To go directly to Redbird's website, visit www.RedbirdsVision.org

Chilao - Redbird's 2011 Raffle Horse

Redbird's 2011 raffle horse, Chilao, is a liver spotted leopard appaloosa gelding which will be finished with men's riding regalia. Chilao made his public debut on April 9 at the El Camino College Powwow, and will be at the Malibu Powwow on April 16 and 17, the Standing Bear Powwow June 3-5, and other locations where raffle tickets can be purchased. Last years' raffle horse, Sacred Smoke, which was dressed out in Plains-style womens' regalia including a loaded travois, was won by Kay Whitecloud (AKA Grandma Kay, Whitecloud Singers). Tickets are $1.00 each and can be purchased via mail or at any event where Redbird is present. If you make a donation to Redbird via Paypal before July 1, you will receive a number of tickets equal to your donation. (We cannot sell raffle tickets nor can the word raffle be used in any transaction).

Pinon Project looks for home

Pinon (pronounced and sometimes spelled pinyon) is a kind of pine from which we get the very delicious pine nut or pignolia. Pinyon grows at an elevation of 4,500 to 6,000 feet in California, needs the support of birds andother animals to spread its seed to new locations, is susceptible to drought, has a slow reproductive cycle and takes fifty to seventy five years to mature into cone-bearing, seed-producing trees.

Because of the high fat content of the nut, the US Forest Service cannot store pinyon in a seed bank for more than two years; after this time period the nut turns rancid and will not grow. Because of this, pinyon must be grown by planting the fresh seed, either at an elevation similar to their natural climate, or after three months of refrigeration to simulate winter weather conditions.

Native American people throughout the western hemisphere relied on pinon as a seasonal staple in their diet. The Pinyon Project seeks to reconnect people with this natural food source by raising a target of 2,000 two year old pinyon seedlings to be planted in the Angeles National Forest. We will start by planting 2,200 to 2,500 pinon seeds. The project was originally slated to be hosted by Haramokngna American Indian Cultural Center, but we are now seeking an alternate location, preferably between 4,500-6,000 feet in elevation, in the forest.

Everything We Do...

Depends on the ongoing support of our friends and tiospaye, our extended family. To book a presentation of the Forest Recovery Project or make a donation: redbirds_vision@hotmail.com
Redbird is a 501(c)(3) non profit association
P.O. Box 702, Simi CA 93062 (805) 217-0364

Redbird Summer 2010 Newsletter

The 2010 Powwow - Beautiful Memories

2010 marked the fifth year since we returned to Moorpark College, and our tenth powwow. It would appear that perseverance, and an incredible group of hard working supporters, friends and community members, have paid off. The powwow was described by a number of people as having the feel of a family gathering. That might be the highest compliment we can hope for. The images tell the story best.

Above: Susan Jackson, Head Woman
Top Right: Austin Hernandez,
Head Young Man
Bottom Right: Mike Watts, Blue Star
Left: Intertribal Saturday Night

Below: Saturday Evening Feed

Photos By Corina Roberts See More Images on Facebook - Join Redbird or Send a Friend Request to Corina Roberts

The Friday evening open flute circle continues to attract more participants every year. This year there were a number of new visitors as well as some accomplished flutists, and a few special ladies who made their debut Redbird appearances last year - Robin Bryant, a classically trained flutist who came for the first time in 2009 (and was floored by how friendly everyone was) and Debra Delahunty, who purchased her first flute at Redbird in 2009 and returned this year not only to play, but to bring many of her flutist friends with her.

Saturday's Prayer for the Children - something we did for the first time in 2009 at the request of Margaret Morin - was a beautiful thing to witness. Crooked Hat took up the first portion of a ceremony that lasted somewhere near an hour long and Blue Star took up the second half, singing non-stop until the last person had left the arena with such power that it was very hard to resist the urge to dance.

The Veterans' Honoring on Sunday went well. It was the first time we had actively invited all veterans, native and non native, to take part, and no one really knew what to expect. Larry Jurado, Victor Chavez and Phil Hale (Hale and Company) did a beautiful job of making it all come together smoothly. The Vet Center of San Fernando Valley attended and when it was done, said they would return next year if we did it again. Like anything you do for the first time, it takes a while for an idea to catch on. We will most likely do the Veterans' Honoring again in 2011, and it will probably grow, as the flute circle and the children's prayer have.

Station Fire Forest Recovery Documentary is On The Road

After ten months of documenting the environmental response to fire in the Angeles National Forest, August 4 marked the first presentation of the Forest Recovery Project at the La Crescenta Public Library. The purpose of this effort is to create a visual record of the forests' regrowth in the wake of the fire, both as a scientific reference and an educational tool.

Our attitudes about fire as a society are far from the understanding indigenous peoples the world over had about this natural element. If we can look at fire differently, prepare for it better, and know its role in the larger ecological picture, we can make decisions and choices that may save property and lives.

The ultimate goal of this project is to document and study the effects of fire over a two year period, and to present this documentary work throughout southern California, including audiences from grade schools to policy making bodies. Upcoming engagements include TUGNET (The Users' Group Network) on September 7, the closing reception of the Healing From The Ashes art exhibit on October 21 in Sunland, and the La Canada Flintridge Library at 2 p.m. on November 6. Presentations are being given on a donation basis. If you have a group, club or company meeting or event that would like to book this presentation, please contact Corina Roberts.

Toy Drive Set for December 4 at the Simi Valley Library Community Room

This years' blanket, toy and school supplies drive will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Simi Valley Library Community Room (same location where it has been held for the past three years).

In 2009 we were blessed with the presence of the northern drum Blue Star whose songs gave the day a distinctively Lakota feel; very appropriate, considering the bulk of what we gathered was sent to the Porcupine District of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Alex White Plume helped us distribute blankets, warm clothing items and soft toys in a good way, as gifts rather than charity.

The toy drive is a bit like a mini-powwow; there's a potluck, dancing, singing, educational displays and demonstrations, artwork on display�last year we even had a guest speaker.

The distribution of goods works like this: blankets (compact, lightweight, washable blankets - imagine shipping across-country whatever you purchase) and soft (stuffed) toys are shipped to the Porcupine District (Pine Ridge, South Dakota). School supplies and hard or boxed toys are given to Walking Shield, a southern California based non profit which has a distribution network far superior to our own that includes reservations as well as local community members. Usually, several local families or non profit groups are also included in the distribution of hard or boxed toys.

Substantially less expensive to produce than the powwow, the toy drive does have a price tag: $100.00 to rent the room, about $100.00 to produce fliers and other advertising to make sure people get there, roughly $100.00 for food, and the really big cost - $300.00 to $500.00 to ship blankets and toys to South Dakota and deliver the remaining items to their various destinations. If you cannot attend the toy drive, please consider making a donation to help us cover these expenses.

Our efforts are but a single drop of relief in an ocean of need. There will likely never be enough blankets gathered to cover all the people freezing on a South Dakota winter night. All we can do is the best that we can. We hope you will join us on December 4.

Redbird www.RedbirdsVision.org P.O. Box 702, Simi Valley, CA 93062 (805) 217-0364 contact email and Paypal donation email: redbirds_vision@hotmail.com Redbird is a member of the eScrip program - visit www.escrip.com Redbird is a member of eBay's Giving Works program We are listed on Guidestar - the premier site for non profit research, at www.Guidstar.org Join Redbird on Facebook - and to follow the Forest Recovery Project, send a friend request to Corina Roberts Redbird Summer 2009 Newsletter

The Children of Many Colors Powwow - A Circle of Strength

Another Redbird powwow has come and gone and with it, a whirlwind of activity. I struggle to recap the events of the weekend; there were many that I missed, particularly in the arena. I promised myself this year would be different, and I would spend more time and energy there in the circle. Compared to previous years, I succeeded.

For the first time I was able to enjoy the flute circle on Friday night for more than a brief interval. What a cool thing. As dusk fell and the temperature dropped, a host of talented musicians treated us to their unique styles of flute music. It was a calming, peaceful close to a hectic day of set-up. We were graced with what I believe is the largest circle of flute players we have seen yet.

I chose to devote Saturday to the business end of the powwow, and dance on Sunday, but as soon as Hale and Company began the first set of gourd songs, I changed my mind and hastily changed clothing. Such was my haste that I lost a really nice earring in the process. I have a sizeable collection of single earrings at this point. I always hope there is a secret place in the truck where the other halves reside and that someday I will find them.

There was one thing in the arena I did not want to miss; the grass dancers leading the way for us before Grand Entry. Once upon a time they served a vital role in preparing the physical ground for people to dance on. Today we often dance on manicured fields and the purpose of the grass dancers is forgotten. They still have a purpose. They recall our memories. They cleanse the place where we dance. They remind us why we dance... not only for ourselves, but for our ancestors, those who have gone before us, and those yet unborn. Those five young grass dancers who made the way good for us danced strong and proud, washing clean with their athletic rhythms anything negative in our path. That memory will stay with me when the others have faded.

Try though I might to stay focused on the beauty before me, I was aware of two troubling factors. My phone had stopped ringing at some point Friday evening, and the spectators outside the arena were few and far between. On the arena, the chairs in the visitors' canopy were nearly full. People were watching the powwow as opposed to shopping or eating.

Last year my phone rang non-stop until Sunday afternoon, with people needing directions and asking questions. There came a point where I simply couldn't answer it any more. This year the silence was eerie.

I was getting my first taste of the bitterness of economic fear. It wasn't just about the heat - we had a breeze and although it was warm, the weather was not unbearable. This was the reality of a recession in full swing.

But you could not feel it in the circle. There were some of the most generous give-aways I have seen in some time. There, in the dance arena, were people honoring their elders, warriors, drums and dancers graciously and repeatedly. There, within that inner circle, were few complaints about the heat.

I understand that Alan Salazar and Cecilia Garcia were a hit with the people who came to hear their lectures and story telling, and that Margaret Moran's prayer for the children drew over one hundred young people into the arena. I heard her, and longed to see what was going on in the circle, but it was time to prepare for the dinner break, and I was busy making a nuisance of myself while others cooked and organized the feed. I never did get to say hello to Cecilia, although twice I saw her from across the dance arena.

Exhaustion has finally caught up with me today. The energy you expend to put on a gathering is something that would be hard to explain to anyone who hasn't done it. There are all these different levels of things you try to make good and keep in balance. Vendors are the monetary backbone of a community powwow. You want them to do well. You want to respect them and treat them good. You want to do everything you can to support them, because they support you. Knowing most of them were not doing as well as we had all hoped took an emotional toll on me.

One thing I am still trying to wrap my brain around is the love and support of the people who came to run the powwow for us. Most of them came all the way from Bakersfield, from the Native American Heritage Preservation Council of Kern County. They handled everything. Parking, the Saturday night feed, assisting with the PA system, security, bringing the things we don't own, and literally taking care of me. They kept me hydrated, made me sit down, made me eat, put sunscreen on my face, told me when to chill out, and actually told Michael and I to get lost on Saturday night when he gave up the microphone for a while to help with the trash detail.

When Michael tried to assist with the trash, one of them told him to go away. �This is our powwow too, you know� they said.

So we did. We sat for a brief time in the spectator area. One of the dancers came and danced in front of us. She said in her traditional way you would dance in front of your guests to honor them. You would turn so they could see the crest of your clan on your regalia and know from where you came. It was one of those happy, peaceful moments I will cherish as a memory.

Our spectatorship didn't last long. Wildhorse began singing a song we both know and like, and off we went, drum-hopping. From Wildhorse to Crooked Hat to Mount Adams Lake to Blue Star, we enjoyed ourselves and refreshed ourselves with the joy and strength that is at the heart of a good powwow; singing, drumming, dancing, laughing, being among friends.

One of the highlights of Saturday afternoon for me was when my mom showed up. Many people remembered her from last year. She got to introduce her friends to Sam Bear Paw and Stephanie. Vendors gifted her with items. Somehow I missed bringing her to the Blue Star drum, who had asked if she was coming this year. For the time she was there, it was peaceful. There was nothing to attend to that other people weren't already handling, and it was so nice to make her part of the circle for a few hours.

She asked me repeatedly how we got so many people to help. I couldn't really answer her. The only thing I could think is, I don't know how, I just know how blessed we are to have such wonderful friends.

For fear that I would forget someone, and for knowing that most of the people who came to help did so with no desire to call attention to themselves, I will not even attempt to call by name all of those who made the 2009 Children of Many Colors Powwow possible. I will make one exception; Robert, Pat and Charlie, thank you for being there Friday morning and making the whole thing possible.

Sunday went by so fast I barely recall it. There were seven drums and so much going on in the arena that some of the drums only got to sing a few songs throughout the day. Was Sunday the day of the two-step? Sarita, Eddie, Kyle and Lizet lead us in one of the most fun two steps I recall. We thought the drum was never going to stop. We laughed and cheered and had a wonderful time. The next thing I knew, Victor told me to round up the powwow committee for the final song, an honoring for those who put on the powwow.

Many of the people from Bakersfield had left a few hours earlier. One of our committee members is also a vendor; others included the lead singer of our host northern drum and the MC. With less than a songs' time to gather everyone together, I dashed about finding the volunteers who cooked, cleaned, worked the parking lot, donated money and food, set up the arena and watched over me throughout the weekend. Not everyone was present in that line-up, and yet it stretched nearly to the center of the arena as well as behind me.

It takes a whole community to bring the circle together. It takes stamina, it takes dedication, it takes love. It takes knowing that without gatherings that bring us together and keep cultural values and knowledge alive, we will lose our identity in the frenzied pace of modern life.

I had mentioned to Michael how rich my life is and how grateful I am for it. I want to close with something he sent me that just seemed very appropriate.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melodie Beattie

Redbird Spring 2009 Newsletter

(inside: Saginaw Grant, Haramokngna, Standing Bear Powwow, Jesusita Fire, Redbird News, YouTube Video)

Community Events - Saginaw Grant Book Signing May 27

Dear Friends

I will be speaking and also signing my book, "As Long As The Drum Beats" at a CD/Book Signing event on Wed. May 27, 2009 at 7:00 PM.

I hope you can make it. The event will take place at the Little Old Bookshop in Old Town Whittier. (See address below).

Along with myself, flute players (Apache & Heidi) will also be performing.

Please pass along this information to all of your friends. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

LITTLE OLD BOOKSHOP
6708 GREENLEAF AVE.
WHITTIER, CA 90601
(562) 698-1934 (Book store phone number)

Many Blessings to you,

SAGINAW GRANT
saginawg@yahoo.com
Traditional Dancer- Actor- Mentor
Lecturer- Writer- Activist
www.myspace.com/saginawgrant
www.saginawgrant.com
"One who remains humble will never be humiliated"

June 20, 2009 Haramokngna American Indian Cultural Center Summer Solstice Celebration and Concert for the Waters

Haramokngna is located in the Angeles National Forest, 14 miles east of the 210 freeway in La Canada Flintridge. Take the Angeles Crest Highway exit from the 210 and head up into the forest. Performers, vendors and non profits welcome. For more information on this event as well as ongoing cultural workshops, visit www.haramokngna.org

Corrections
Apologies to Lizet Whitehorse, our head young woman for the 2009 Children of Many Colors Powwow; her correct tribal affiliation is Apache, Cherokee and Ohlone, which is not what it says on several hundred powwow fliers.

Standing Bear Powwow - Date Correction
This year's Standing Bear Powwow at Bakersfield Community College will be held June 5-7, which is not what it says on the Redbird website.

Jesusita Fire takes the Home of Chumash Family

The following message regards Ray and Sue Ward, part of what can best be described as the Tomol Family - the culture bearers who have revived and continue the Chumash tradition of using the tomol to cross the open ocean and return to Limuw, their homeland.

The attached powerpoint presentation of the fire is stunning, awe-inspiring, and terrifying. The images are very graphic. I am sending this to you in the event that you know the family, or even if you don't, might be able to help them or know others who can.

The original sender tried to avoid sending this to direct family members in an effort to keep charitable efforts anonymous; I apologize if in re-sending this I have crossed some of those familial lines. (Corina Roberts)

(portion below forwarded to Redbird by Corine Fairbanks)
What follows is what I've received from Deborah Sanchez today. Kiwa'nan for your help.

Teresa

I spoke with Ray Ward last night and he told me that he and Sue were able to return to the property to assess the damage. All three houses burned down, including the garage. The location is "red-tagged." The mobile trailer was spared. They were able to prioritize some of their clothing and other items during the evacuation but everything else was lost. Many of Ray tools were melted. He was able to save some when they were evacuated.

The jig to the tomol was spared as was some of the base redwood. The remaining redwood was burned in the fire.

For all of you who attended the Tomol blessing and who visited the land where Ray and Sue lived; for everybody that went to Limuw in March and tasted the sweet grapefruit and tangerines that came from that land; and for everybody that can imagine the beauty and the view of those hills, trees and life that surrounded their home, you can imagine the devastation left behind. You cannot help but feel personally affected even though it is indirect. I can't even imagine how surreal this may seem for Ray & Sue.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
What Ray and Sue need right now is cash to help them with first and last month's rent. They are staying with family right now but eventually will need to find a place to live.

If you can make a cash donation, in ANY amount, here is what I will do:

I will write you a receipt and give everyone an individual and full accounting of what was given. I would like to keep the amount of the individual donations anonymous, so if you could write the check or money order, payable to Deborah Sanchez, I will forward Ray a Cashiers Check for the total amount with the names of all the contributors unless you want to be anonymous. My address is:

Deborah Sanchez
4237 San Anseline Avenue
Lakewood, CA 90713

If anyone would like to donate but feels more comfortable writing a check or money order to Ray Ward, please do so just forward the check to me. I will not be offended.

In some ways, it will be hard for Ray & Sue to accept our help, but they really need us. We all love and care for each other, so I told him that when any one of us is down, the rest are there to lift them up. He would do the same for any one of us. I purposefully did not include any of Ray's immediate family on this email to avoid any hurt or embarrassment.

I would like to take or forward the donation to Ray within the next 10-14 days. Also, if you would like to send good wishes along with your donation through a card or a letter, I know that Ray and Sue would really appreciate the love.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help.

It was recommended that a PayPal option be created. You can pay online and with a credit card or through your bank account if you have a paypal account. You will also get a transaction confirmation. If anybody would like to contribute through paypal, just send the amount to my email address on the paypal website. The email address is poetfromla@aol.com.

By the way, thank you all for sending the original email out to all your friends and for your ideas to include this issue on Facebook. I got lots of love for you all. I love my community.

Kiwa'nan,

Deborah Sanchez

Author Harvest McCampbell donates Books to benefit Redbird

Native American author Harvest McCampbell has donated thirteen signed copies of her latest book, Food Security and Sustainability for the Times Ahead, to Redbird.

Easy to read and remarkably well referenced, Food Security and Sustainability For The Times Ahead helps us think about where we live and how we can improve our quality of living and security where we are. Harvest helps the reader understand what foods are good to store and which are not, how to prepare food for storage and store it safely, how to decide what an individual or family should have on hand, where and how one can grow a garden even if they live in an urban setting, the importance of a balanced diet, herbal and natural supplements and resources for obtaining them; there is even a chapter devoted to learning useful skills, and to the etiquette of becoming an apprentice to someone who has a skill you �d like to learn.

Harvest also ties our past to our present, weaving the teachings and visions of her grandmother into the reality of today in a way that connects us all to the wisdom of the elders and ancestors who could clearly see what the future would hold for us.

Copies are for sale for $12.00 (no tax) plus $2.00 shipping. Checks made out to Redbird or Paypal payments are welcome; please include your mailing address. Mail checks to P.O. Box 702, Simi Valley, CA 93062; send Paypal payments to redbirds_vision@hotmail.com

Redbird - Celebrating 15 Years in 2009

Redbird received federal recognition as a non profit association in 1994. We've had our ups and downs over the years but somehow, the enduring strength that has made the survival of native people possible has sustained Redbird as well. The 2009 Children of Many Colors Powwow will take place July 17-19 at Moorpark College with much the same program as the 2008 powwow. We will dearly miss the presence of our brothers who have made their journeys to the Spirit World, but I believe they will always dance and sing in our hearts and souls.

We were blessed in 2007 and 2008 with outside financial assistance through grants and awards from entities such as Bank of America, the National Geographic Society, Ventura County Community Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts and the California Rural Indian Health Board. As the powwow approaches this year, we do not have such outside support yet; a sign of difficult economic times for everyone.

We will have the potluck and open flute circle on Friday evening, and we will have a feed on Saturday evening, thanks in large part to the generosity of Gene Albitre of the Standing Bear Powwow. We also owe a debt of gratitude to Gary Pickett and his circle of friends who will be making a generous contribution to the powwow this year.

We will not be hosting breakfast Sunday morning, and we may not have a powwow program this year, or if we do it will be much smaller than those of the last several years.

Tough times call for creativity. The Redbird powwow is not sponsored by Moorpark College or the City of Moorpark, so despite the fact that there are now two electronic marquees as you approach the college and the powwow grounds, you probably won't see the powwow advertised on them. You will, however, find us on YouTube with a video announcing the 2009 gathering. To view the video press control and click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpbQq0I57xc

With the help of the Wildhorse Drum and photographer Charlene White, we hope to produce a video clip suitable for airing on local public access television channels, and we are pursuing every other advertising option available to us.

A note to those of you who play the flute; the flute circle is open to everyone, regardless of skill level. It's a chance not only to share your music, but to meet, learn from and share with others. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. We very much encourage all of you who make, play or simply enjoy the flute to come and join us.

If you would like to contribute to the Friday evening potluck and or the Saturday evening feed, you are welcome to do so. We can use food as well as volunteers to serve. It's a safe bet that water and juice will be welcome additions as well; these can always be used by singers and dancers throughout the weekend if we have more than we can drink during dinner. There are several grocery stores within a few miles of the college.

We always need volunteers to guide people into the parking lots and take donations, keep an eye on the trash cans, sell raffle tickets and help tear down after the powwow. While none of these are glamorous tasks, they are things that need to be done. Moorpark College has been impressed with us in past years for respecting their campus, and we hope to keep that respect and good relationship for many years to come.

There are also ways to support the work of Redbird that don't require emptying trash cans or spending money; these include joining the eScrip program, and for eBay sellers, Redbird is now among the charitable organizations you can support when you sell goods on eBay.

To join the eScrip program, go to www.escrip.com and register your store loyalty and/or debit/credit cards. The choose Redbird in Simi Valley, California as your charity of choice. When you make purchases with a participating merchant, they donate a percentage of their income to Redbird. It never costs you a thing. Registration is free and takes about five minutes on their secure website.

Redbird also has a Paypal account; our Paypal email is redbirds_vision@hotmail.com

If you would like a powwow flier or vendor application, please email us at redbirds_vision@hotmail.com

We look forward to seeing you on the powwow trail!

Corina Roberts, Founder
Redbird
P.O. Box 702, Simi Valley, CA 93062
www.RedbirdsVision.org

In Loving Memory

Henry Hale     Tom Lujan     Lupe Dancin Bear

Corina Roberts, Founder
Redbird
P.O. Box 702, Simi Valley, CA 93062
www.RedbirdsVision.org

Winter 2008

The Year in Review

2008 was a very busy year for Redbird. With funding through small grants from a number of Foundations, we were able to explore the issues of housing for urban Native Americans in ways that simply weren’t possible before. And in June, we came inches from purchasing, contingent upon funding from HUD, a property in Sunland, California. The amount of work that went into the arrangement was daunting and the time frame was remarkably short, but we were on the cusp of success when the property owner decided to take the facility off the market, literally the night before we were to sign a purchase agreement.

The 2008 powwow was by all measures a success. We were able to involve many families from the Chumash nation, on whose ancestral home we have the gathering. The flute circle really caught on this year, as did the Friday evening potluck. After seven years of putting the powwow to sleep and three years of struggling to bring it back, the 2008 gathering was probably as good as any we have ever had.

We face 2009 without funding. The powwow costs about $12,000.00 to produce. We are able to generate just under half of that on our own. In 2007 and 2008, the balance came from outside funding. The general consensus is that we need to carry on, with or without grant funding. We will. What it will require is a smaller head staff, less motel rooms, and more involvement from the powwow community. We will need more help with the food for the Friday night potluck and the feed on Saturday evening. We may want to consider not doing breakfast Sunday morning.

What we don’t want to do is raise vendor fees or increase the amount of vendors, which in 2008 was somewhere between 26 and 30. We have had as many as 45 vendors in past years, but the economy is not what it was in the 1990s, and we face a new obstacle; the erroneous concept held by many people that casinos have made all California Indians rich. This is a dangerous misconception that inspires resentment and has hurt many non profits working in the community.

If you work for or are part of a foundation, corporation, tribe or community fund that may be interested in supporting the powwow, now is the time to approach them. Please don’t hesitate to come forward.

We were able to do some cultural programs in the Ventura and Los Angeles county region in 2008, although less than we have in past years due to the incredible price of gas that we experienced through most of the year. We had a bobcat and a coyote to our touch and feel exhibit for young people, but the original “Spirits” exhibit is old and tattered and needs a makeover, and some new material. One thing I hope to purchase in 2009 is a digital photo frame that will allow us to use revolving images in stationary exhibits. It will bring a fresh dynamic to an otherwise static exhibit, and let viewers experience native culture in motion. It will also let us continually add new and historic images into an ever-changing and growing presentation.

The blanket and toy drive on December 6 was a success. We were able to donate toys, blankets, food and school supplies to a number of local native families, Walking Shield (who in turn has their own distribution network), the Porcupine District of the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, children in residence at the Tarzana Treatment Center, American Indian Changing Spirits, Toys for Tots (thank you to Michael Reifel and Elaine Meyers for getting the last bag of toys into the hands of kids before the holiday was over), and there are still a few items to be distributed. There was drumming all day long, and food throughout the day. Thank you so very much to everyone who came and supported us.

Looking Ahead to 2009

In 2009 Redbird will celebrate fifteen years of service as a federally recognized non profit association. This is probably a good time to reflect on where we have been and decide where we should be going in the future. While elder housing has been a priority for over five years, it has also been one of the greatest challenges we have ever faced as a small, all-volunteer based group. One suggestion for the years ahead has been to lend our energy toward cultural preservation right here, where we are, on Chumash land, and continue to look at ways to help urban elders as we do so.

Powwows are in integral part of the fabric of our lives. Important events happen there. Lifelong relations are forged. Children learn to dance and carry their culture forward. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how important they are when financial matters intervene. Then I am reminded that the Redbird powwow has had an important place in the lives of many people, and that it should continue. This year’s gathering will take place on July 17th through the 19th at Moorpark College, with the flute circle and potluck on Friday night and the powwow commencing with Gourd Dancing on Saturday morning.

We have also been given use of a piece of property in Acton, and are considering the ways that we can use the property to the best advantage for all involved. As this winter has already delivered some good storms and cold temperatures, we will come back to the property with new energy and new ideas in spring.

All non profit groups and even grant making foundations are feeling the pinch of our current economic conditions, and Redbird is no exception. There are several ways you can support Redbird without spending money. eScrip is one. When you register with eScrip, your normal shopping generates a donation from participating stores, such as Vons and Macy’s and many others, including restaurants. The donations come from the merchant, not from you, so it really is free. We are also a member of eBay’s Giving Works, so if you sell on eBay you can choose to give a portion of your proceeds to Redbird.

Wishing all of you a new year filled with peace, prosperity and healthy challenges. It is through overcoming adversity that we become strong.

Corina Roberts, Founder
Redbird
Promoting the Awareness and Celebration of Indigenous Cultures and People and Creating a Sustainable Future
P.O. Box 702
Simi Valley, CA 93062
(805) 217-0364
www.RedbirdsVision.org

 

October 2008

Acton Gathering

On October 18 and 19 we had our first gathering at Soledad Canyon Guest Ranch. Billed as a “wild west show” it drew a small crowd on, and Sunday was pretty quiet. The winds of the previous week had done quite a bit of damage, and one of the three tipis had to be taken down. The other two are still standing and still habitable. There was drumming, singing, dancing, flint knapping and on Sunday, an acorn cracking party.

The property is available to us to have cultural gatherings every weekend. We are working with the proprietor, Jerry Thompson, on some different ideas for the kinds of activities that are suitable for the ranch that will work with an “Indian Village”. This coming Saturday, October 25, services will be held for Liz Dominguez in Santa Ynez, and that’s where most folks will be. On Sunday the 26th we are going to have a picnic, clean-up and brainstorming day. Among the things that might work well are inviting boy scout and girl scout troops to use the property; Pat Seymour suggested we might also want to contact local 4-H groups.

We should be there around 10 a.m. on Sunday the 26th – feel free to join us and if you want, bring some food to share. The ranch is located at 4700 Crown Valley Road in Acton, behind Thousand Trails RV Park; drive through the park to the very end to reach Soledad Canyon Guest Ranch.

December 6, 2008

Redbird's Blanket, Toy and School Supplies Drive

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Rain or Shine
Potluck, Drumming, Good Friends Old and New

Simi Valley Library Community Room
2969 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley, California

What we are looking for:

Blankets
New, light-weight throw blankets that can be used for personal warmth. These are sent to places like Porcupine, South Dakota and need to be light and hand or machine washable (dry-clean only is not practical). These can be purchased from $3.00 to $7.00 at pharmacy stores and most major chain stores such as Target, WalMart and so forth. (Heavier blankets and gently used items stay local – they are given to United American Indian Involvement for distribution among their clients if they are new, and taken to places like Haramokngna American Indian Cultural Center if they are used. Thanks to last year's drive, all the beds in the barracks at Haramokngna now have comforters and a few even have sheets).

Toys
Stuffed toys are usually shipped with blankets to Porcupine. All other boxed, hard-edged or fragile toys stay locally in the Southern California area and donated to local groups serving American Indian (and other) families. (News Flash – I received a call this evening seeking toys for about 15 children, ranging from infants to five years old, from an employee at Tarzana Medical Center who works with these children. We will do our best to make sure they get some appropriate toys).

School Supplies
These are given to Walking Shield, which has a distribution network far superior to our own. They are brought to OCB Trading Post where Walking Shield collects them.

Donations for Shipping
Financial contributions to help offset the cost of shipping blankets and delivering supplies are always welcome, and this year we could really use the help. You can contribute via cash, check, money order, through paypal at the email address listed below, or by joining the eScrip program. Call, write or log on to our website.

Date Set for 2009 Powwow

The 2009 Children of Many Colors Powwow will take place July 17-19 at Moorpark College, and will follow the same program as the 2008 powwow, with a potluck and flute circle on Friday evening, and the regular powwow program, including Gourd Dancing, on Saturday and Sunday. We were very fortunate in 2008 to have three financial sponsors; at the time of this newsletter we have not secured any outside funding for the 2009 event, but there are still a few months to go and we are working on it.

Photos are up on our Website

Images from the 2008 powwow are now up on our website. They are designed in a d show format, and unfortunately all of the information about who is in the photo does not appear in the slide show. They are, however, no less beautiful for it.

For further information email redbirds_vision@hotmail.com or visit our website at www.RedbirdsVision.org
Redbird, P.O. Box 702, Simi Valley, CA 93062
Redbird is a 501(c)(3) non profit association

August 2008

Hard Drive Crash
On August 14 my personal computer, which has been home to everything Redbird since 2002, crashed.� I was able to restore the operating system but lost all of the files and data, including 269 addresses from the Outlook Express address book.� While many of the images and word documents can be retrieved from back up discs and other computers, the address book presents a bit of a challenge. If you would like to remain on our mailing list (we only send snail mail once or twice a year), please send your mailing address again...chances are I don't have it anymore.

Books Going to the Hoopa Reservation
The children’s books (about 300 pounds of them) which were donated to us at the powwow will be going to the Kim Yerton Memorial/Hoopa Branch Library.� They will be shipped via U.S. Mail beginning next week.� We are very happy to have found a home for them on Indian land, as their previous owners had intended.

Southern California Crafters Wanted
Redbird� has been approached by a southern California resort park to assemble native artists, craftspeople, vendors and possibly performers for weekend events, which will be open to the public.� We will know more about the details of the arrangement in several weeks, but this appears to be a good opportunity for people who make and display or sell crafts to have a space to do so, without having to pay vendor booth fees.� The� park is located in the northern Los Angeles County area.� If this is something of interest to you, it probably wouldn't hurt to get in touch with us now so that when we are ready to start, we can contact you.

Blanket, Toy and School Supplies Drive
Save the date of December 6 for our annual blanket and toy drive.� We have reserved the Community Room at the Simi Valley Library.� The event will take place rain or shine.

Powwow Notes and Links
You can add your photos, comments, ratings and reviews to the Los Angeles Times Calendar on the Children of Many Colors Powwow by going to the following link:
http://theguide.latimes.com/events-and-festivals/redbirds-children-of-many-colors-p-event

You can view some wonderful photos from the powwow by Theron Tan online at:
www.theron-photography.com/powwow�

�
We are on the campus calendar to have the Children of Many Colors Powwow again at Moorpark College, July 17-19, 2009.�

More Images Coming Soon
Bruce Hamilton, Charlene White and Debra Delahunty have contributed images from the 2008 powwow for Redbird's use. Look for them to be posted on MySpace within the week, and on Redbird's website� by early September.

Are You an eScrip Member?
eScrip is a wonderful way to support Redbird without spending a dime.� Go to eScrip.com and register your store loyalty, ATM and credit cards, and when you shop, the participating merchants you shop with will make a donation on your behalf to Redbird.� It's secure, it's simple and it's free.� If you have already signed on to eScrip with a Vons card, be sure to renew your membership.� Every little bit adds up!

Free Coloring Book
Our free coloring book "Powwow Time - When American Indian People Celebrate" is available as a pdf download from our website.� It is 21 pages of "NDN 101" geared toward young audiences.� Get your free copy online or, if you prefer a copy on cd, send us an email and we will get a copy in the mail to you.

Redbird
Promoting the Awareness and Celebration of Indigenous Cultures and People and Creating a Sustainable Future
www.RedbirdsVision.org
P.O. Box 702, Simi Valley, CA 93062
email: redbirds_vision@hotmail.com
www.myspace.com/redbirdsvision

 

 

June 2008

Taking Big Steps Toward Our Goals

Affordable housing is beyond the reach of 88% of Los Angeles area renters. For elderly Native Americans living in the City of Angels, these statistics are even higher. Redbird has chosen to address this issue by striving to create affordable, safe and culturally appropriate elder housing in a community setting.

It’s a dream we’ve envisioned for five years or more, but now we are taking steps toward making that dream a reality. We are applying for HUD funding to create the first “Redbird Ranch” facility. We have chosen a property that is for sale on the open market. In order to complete the application, we need to have a Phase 1 Environmental Review of the site, to be completed at our cost. We also need a letter of commitment from the seller and their listing agent, community support from both public agencies and Native American people, and confirmation that we can create an elder housing facility on the site, which has residential zoning and a special use permit.

To accomplish all of this by July 1, we need some very special assistance; particularly with the environmental review. We cannot use an old report. It must have been completed with the last 180 days. The subject property is located in Sunland in Los Angeles County. Please, please, if you or someone you know can assist us in completing the Phase 1 review, contact us immediately. We can offer some compensation.

What follows is a letter asking for support, not in dollars, but in words; in the HUD application package we need to include letters that demonstrate the need for elder housing, and our ties with the Native American community that will enable us to be good providers. If you feel that you can offer us such support, please do.

Dear Friends:

For the past five years, Redbird has been engaged in efforts to create an elder housing facility. At this time we are applying for funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development for a five unit Native American elder housing program.

Part of the application process involves submitting letters of support from the Native American community, as well as the neighboring community of the proposed site. We are seeking such letters now and hope that you will be willing to write and send such an endorsement.

The grant process is complicated, and the time frame is short. The completed application must be submitted by July 10. We would like to have all of our materials in hand by July 1.

We are hoping to purchase a special use property in the Sunland area which is currently being offered for sale. If we are able to secure HUD funding for the property and negotiate a sale, the property would provide us with a pre-existing structure to be converted into housing units, a community room, commercial kitchen, ample parking, and caretaker residence.

We are very hopeful that we will be met with cooperation by the seller and their listing broker, and are working with them now to secure a commitment.

In the meantime, we need your support to demonstrate the need for elder housing in the Native American community, and the confidence in Redbird as an organization to be able to provide such assistance and operate the facility.

Any facts relating to the need for elder housing that you can mention will be helpful. Any experience you have in dealing with aging populations, whether they be native or non-native, will also help. If you are able to put your letter on your organization’s letterhead, this too is always beneficial.

HUD is also looking to see that we have a relationship with the Native American community; a track record of service, in essence, so if you feel that you can mention a long-standing history of experience with Redbird, that will be important information.

These letters will be submitted with our grant package to HUD, but will also be kept on file for use as we seek matching and supportive grants, or simply other potential funding sources. As such, you may address them to Redbird and title them simply “To Whom It May Concern”. It is crucial that we are able to demonstrate the need for housing for Native American elderly, and our relationship to that community. We need your help to do so.

Redbird is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) non profit association. We received non profit status in 1994 and have undertaken educational and charitable endeavors within the Indian community as well as the general public since 1990. While we are probably best known for hosting the Children of Many Colors Powwow, we view the need for elder housing as an urgent and critical issue to which we must respond. The application we are submitting to HUD is a major step in this direction. If successful, it will allow us to turn a dream into a reality, and to serve an ever increasing number of Native American elderly and their care-giving families.

If you would like more specific information about this project, or Redbird, you may visit us online at www.RedbirdsVision.org, or call (805) 217-0364.

We wish to thank you in advance for your support, which will be critical in this process.

With sincere best wishes,

 

Corina Roberts,
Founder

Redbird
P.O. Box 702
Simi Valley, CA 93062

Email: redbirds_vision@hotmail.com

(Please note: this is a proposal to provide housing, not assisted living. Assisted living is a field unto itself, and while the property we are looking at could be an assisted living facility, our focus is the component of providing safe, affordable, culturally appropriate housing)

 

 

Winter/Spring 2008

Children of Many Colors Powwow
July 18-20

We have confirmed the dates of July 18-20 with Moorpark College for the Children of Many Colors Powwow. Friday night there will be a potluck and open flute circle. Saturday and Sunday will be devoted to gourd, intertribal and exhibition dancing. We are hoping to throw in a few fun contests this year.

We are working with the college now to find out what time we will be able to access the field on Friday; there is currently a football practice scheduled for Friday morning, so we may not be able to set up the circle until early afternoon.

If you would like a vendor application, feel free to email or call and please include your mailing address. Applications should be available to download from our website by mid-March.

Haramokngna Spring Opening and Equinox Celebration
March 22

Haramokngna American Indian Cultural Center will have its opening celebration on March 22. A number of authors and artists will have exhibitions at the opening. Paul Campbell, author of Survival Skills of the California Indians, will be giving an exhibition and sharing his latest book. Valena Broussard Dismukes will have her new book, The Red-Black Connection, available for sale. Corina Roberts, Redbird’s founder, will have an exhibition of multi-media works and the book Haramokngna Diaries – Portrait of a Forest available for sale.

Haramokngna is located in the Angeles National Forest at the intersection of Highway 2 and Red Box/Mt. Wilson Road, 14 miles north of the 210 freeway in La Canada Flintridge. For more information or to be a vendor at the event, go to www.haramokngna.org

Website Update is Complete

Redbird’s website has been completely refurbished, and includes photo galleries, our latest news, and a calendar of events which is updated monthly. If you have events to submit to the calendar please feel free to do so. Our website address remains the same:
www.RedbirdsVision.org

Native American Housing

Morongo Indian Casino will host a free two day training workshop for Section 184 American Indian Housing. This is a program through HUD (Housing and Urban Development) that extends home ownership opportunities to Native Americans with a CDIB (certificate of degree of Indian blood). Redbird will be attending the workshop for the purpose of exploring ways to use this innovative program to help us find, fund and begin our first Redbird Ranch Native American elder housing project. We would like to purchase a four unit property as co-borrowers with a qualified individual. This would give one Native American individual or family ownership of their own home, and provide three additional units that can serve as our first elder housing project.

Our primary goal is to provide safe, affordable and culturally appropriate housing for elders and their care-giving families; by working with this particular program, we can also offer native families the option of home ownership, which is the ultimate goal of the Section 184 program. The workshop is free and open to interested members of the Native American community. Contact information for Morongo Casino follows.

March 25-26 Section 184 American Indian Housing Seminar
Morongo Casino Resort and Spa
49500 Seminole Drive
Cabazon, California 92230
888-667-6646
www.morongocasinoresort.com

Firewood for Southern California Ceremonies, Lodges

Redbird has a special arrangement with the National Forest Service to assist those who conduct sweat lodge and other ceremonies in getting appropriate firewood. The wood is from National Forest land and includes cedar, sycamore, oak and various pine species. It has been cut and is in various stages of seasoning; some pieces will require splitting. Interested parties should contact Redbird directly to make arrangements. The wood is located in the Angeles National Forest, not far from the Haramokngna American Indian Cultural Center. It can only be accessed with prior permission, so please contact us in advance of when you anticipate needing to collect the wood.

Looking for a Home

Redbird’s founder, Corina Roberts, is looking for a new home. She has been the Caretaker/Artist In Residence at Haramokngna for the past year. The position ends in March. Corina comes with a small dog, large cat, and the primary personal computer that houses all of Redbird’s information. She got spoiled living in the mountains and is hoping to find another rural or semi-rural location somewhere in Los Angeles or Ventura County. She can be contacted through Redbird.
Redbird Promoting the Awareness and Celebration of Indigenous Cultures and People – Creating a Sustainable Future

A 501(c)(3) non profit association

P.O. Box 702
Simi Valley, CA 93062
www.RedbirdsVision.org
email: redbirds_vision@hotmail.com
(805) 217-0364

Support Redbird’s work at no cost when you shop; register with
www.escrip.com

 

 

-Back To The Top

 

Fall 2007

Keeping the Doors Open at the Porcupine Clinic – Please Help

Redbird is undertaking a campaign to raise $6,000.00 for the Porcupine Clinic on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Its doors closed for lack of heat as fires rage through Southern California and devastate local reservations, and its plight as the only independent American Indian Clinic in the United States has been swallowed in the smoke of our own local tragedies.

In the following article you will find information on how to send money directly to the propane company which services the clinic. You can also make a Paypal donation to Redbird and we will forward your contribution to the propane company, and provide a contribution letter to you for your tax records. You can make a contribution through our website at www.RedbirdsVision.org or directly through Paypal using this email address:

redbirds_vision@hotmail.com

Porcupine Clinic Out of Heat
Back To The Top
By Stephanie M. Schwartz, Freelance Writer
Member, Native American Journalists Association
October 26, 2007� Firestone, Colorado
�
Porcupine Clinic, located in the small community of Porcupine, South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota [Sioux] Reservation is out of heat.� According to Stella White Eyes, Administrative Assistant for the Clinic, the Clinic has closed its doors until it can find resources to fund their heating costs.
Porcupine Clinic is the only independent Indian community-controlled health clinic in the United States.� It is not connected with the Federal Indian Health Services (IHS) program and is funded primarily by grants and donations.� Unfortunately, those resources have become exceptionally rare this year.
Porcupine Clinic opened its doors in 1992 and serves the entire Reservation as well as the Porcupine District in which it is located.� Patients are billed according to their ability to pay and many patients, including low-income Elders and children, receive free health care there.
In 2004, the Porcupine Clinic opened its dialysis unit, saving countless lives of those diabetic patients who could not journey 120 miles away to Rapid City for needed dialysis treatment several times a week.� The only other dialysis treatment available on the 11,000 square mile (2.7 million acres) Reservation is located in the small IHS Hospital in the community of Pine Ridge.� But that facility hosts only a handful of dialysis beds, is up to 100 miles away from the more remote areas of the Reservation, and is completely unable to treat the vast need of the entire Reservation.
Recent statistics state that the diabetes rate on Pine Ridge is 800% that of the National average and the life expectancy rate is 52 to 58 years old.� It is said that 55% of the adults on Pine Ridge over the age of 40 have diabetes.
Ms. White Eyes states that the Clinic has been unable to pay their annual propane tank rental fees of $245 (for both the Clinic and dialysis unit tanks) or for the propane to fill them.� They have three tanks: a thousand gallon tank which services the main clinic and two five hundred gallon tanks servicing the dialysis unit.� The minimum propane delivery from their provider, Western Cooperative (WESTCO) out of Chadron and Hay Springs, Nebraska, is $360.
If all the tanks were filled, at $1.69 per gallon, it would cost well over $3,000.� Further, that will need to happen more than once this winter.� While the dialysis unit helps to fund at least part of its own propane use, the Clinic is out of funding now, just as winter is approaching fast.
Harvey Iron Boy, Porcupine District Vice President and Head Man, spoke of the vital role that the Clinic plays in the local district as well as the Reservation as a whole.� Not only are the health care services, bi-lingual assistance, diabetic education, and dialysis treatments all meeting critical needs on the Reservation but there are more basic needs met by the Clinic as well.� He pointed out that locals often come into the Clinic simply to get warm on days when they have no heat in their own homes.
Ms. White Eyes has contacted various non-profits and assistance organizations but has largely gone unanswered.� Link Center Foundation, a small all-volunteer non-profit organization out of Longmont, Colorado, was contacted this week and was also unable to help.� With their own heating assistance program for the elders and disabled on the Reservation struggling due to lack of donations, there simply was no funding available to help the Clinic.
However, Audrey Link, Founder/President of the Link Center Foundation (www.LinkCenterFoundation.org), personally paid the $245 out of her own pocket for the annual tank rental fees for the Porcupine Clinic and dialysis unit on Friday.� Largely retired and on limited income herself, Link stated that she couldn’t go to sleep tonight if she thought the dialysis patients and Clinic were going to lose their propane tanks.”� At least now, if they can raise any money at all elsewhere, they can use the money for propane to fill them.
Anyone wishing to donate towards propane fuel for the Porcupine Clinic may do so directly to the propane company.� Please contact:
Loretta at Western Cooperative (WESTCO)
170 Bordeaux St, Chadron, NE 69337-2342
Call Toll Free 800-762-9906
Credit Card and Bank Card donations by phone will be accepted.� Small donations are also welcome and will accumulate until the minimum delivery has been reached and then the company will make a delivery of propane to the Clinic.� Please clearly mark any donation “For Porcupine Clinic.”
Donations may also be sent directly to the Clinic.� For more information, please contact:
Porcupine Clinic
Stella White Eyes, Administrative Assistant
P.O. Box 99, Porcupine, SD 57772
Internet Information: http://www.lakotamall.com/porcupine/
Phone:� 605-867-5655
Note:� Due to lack of heat, there may or may not be anyone available to answer the phone at the Clinic at this time.� Please leave a message.
Stephanie M. Schwartz may be reached at SilvrDrach@Gmail.com
Visit other writings of Stephanie M. Schwartz at www.SilvrDrach.homestead.com

(On October 28 Corina Roberts joined Robin Carneen and Tamra Brennan on First Peoples’ Radio to discuss the California wildfires, the Porcupine Clinic, and ways for people to help fellow natives in need. First People’s Radio can be reached via the internet at
www.ksvr.org )

Hummingbird Creek – Environment versus Development
Back To The Top

On October 12, Pascaline Derrick from the Trust for Public Land met with Jim Keppler and Tom Evans of the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, and Corina Roberts of Redbird, to discuss the potential feasibility of preserving the area collectively known as Hummingbird Creek in Simi Valley.

Hummingbird Creek was once a beautiful region, with year-round water and an oak-studded meadow. It was home to the longest enduring Chumash village in Ventura County, and to a thriving population of wildlife who depended on the perennial source of water to survive.

Today the property looks very different. It has been scraped bare of its vegetation, and subdivided into parcels for single family homes.

The creek remains and the wildlife still rely upon it for their survival, particularly in these harsh times of hot weather and little rain. Their ability to utilize the creek and the adjacent wildlife corridor beneath the 118 freeway will be permanently jeopardized if development commences in the once-pristine oak meadow that acts as a buffer between the wild world and the urbanized one.

Whether or not the resources and energy needed to preserve this piece of land can be generated remains unknown, but the dialogue has begun, and we will continue to work towards a mutual understanding of the value of the natural environment and the need to preserve a place for wildlife in our increasingly urban lives.

Bank of America Names Redbird Founder “Local Hero”
Back To The Top

On November 5, 2007, Bank of American hosted its annual Neighborhood Excellence Initiative award ceremony, and among those chosen for the Local Heroes award was Corina Roberts, Redbird’s founder.

Bank of America supports the efforts of students, individuals and organizations in creating strong, healthy communities, and recognizes the significant impact that non profit organizations and individuals make in the lives of others, and in the livelihood of their communities.

Michael Reifel and Susan DeSantis accompanied Roberts to the awards ceremony, held at the Autry National Center in the Western Heritage Museum. The presentation took place near a mural that Corina fondly remembered standing in front of years ago, while western impressionist artist Neil Boyle painted her in native regalia for an enthralled audience of western art fans.

Roberts received a handsome award and Redbird received a donation of $5,000.00. This donation will help insure that 2008 is a productive year for Redbird. It has already been instrumental in allowing for the shipment of warm blankets, clothing and toys to the Porcupine District of Pine Ridge in South Dakota, as well as a number of individuals and families in need of some holiday warmth and cheer.

Toy and Blanket Drive a Success
Back To The Top

On December 1 Redbird held its annual toy, blanket and school supplies drive at the Simi Valley Library Community Room. There was plenty of delicious food, a drum that sang contemporary and traditional Chumash songs, and wonderful support. Approximately 60 blankets were donated; forty five of these were suitable for shipping to Harvey Iron Boy, head man of the Porcupine District, along with warm clothing items and some soft, cuddly toys.

Additional blankets were purchased by Redbird and sent to several families for whom a donation request was placed. Seven bags of toys and a large box of school supplies were given to Walking Shield; smaller quantities of toys went to the 28th annual CCIM Christmas Powwow, United American Indian Involvement, and four local families. Donated work attire went to UAII’s workforce development program, and the remainder of the donated clothing was distributed to local families. A few packages of men’s socks went to Changing Spirits in Long Beach, where the residents were quite grateful to receive them.

Heavy blankets that could not be shipped to South Dakota were distributed to Haramokngna American Indian Cultural Center and UAII.

If you like to shop, look for post-holiday sales on lightweight, warm blankets; we’ll be collecting them in July at the 2008 Children of Many Colors Powwow.

Elder Housing Project and Community Services
Back To The Top

We would like to acknowledge and say thank you to Shannon Nash of the City of Simi Valley, and Jenny Chadwell, two women who have taken the time to help us gather valuable information resources as we move slowly forward with the Redbird Ranch Elder Housing Project.

This is an effort which will require not only financial commitment, but professional knowledge as well. With so many causes competing for our time and attention, it is very encouraging to know that this project has not been forgotten, and that the resources we will need do exist. As Redbird continues to gain recognition as a valuable asset to the southern California community, those resources will become increasingly available to us.

The City of Simi Valley has a database of organizations which serve those in need, including minority communities, and we will be adding Redbird to that list and networking with other organizations to insure that we are able to reach the largest population possible; whether it be providing clothing donations or conducting educational and cultural workshops and presentations.

There is always a demand for Native American people to share about their culture, and often, too few people available to do so. We would like to improve our networking base in the Ventura and Los Angeles County areas so that when we are called upon to give a presentation, we can respond to that request with people who are well versed in their culture and capable of communicating that culture to others.

eScrip Update
Back To The Top

For those of you already enrolled in the eScrip program, thank you so much for your support. If you haven’t joined eScrip yet, please consider doing so.

With just two hundred supporters over the course of one year, we can offset a considerable portion of the cost involved with hosting the Children of Many Colors Powwow.

With five thousand supporters, we could generate enough donations over the course of two to three years to make a down payment on a property for the Redbird Ranch elder housing project.

The eScrip program is free. When you shop or dine out, and swipe your registered store loyalty, ATM or credit cards, the merchant you’ve spent money with makes a donation to the eScrip program for Redbird. The list of stores and restaurants that participate in this program is constantly growing, and it never costs you anything. To register securely, simply go to www.escrip.com

Wishing you a safe and peaceful season,

Corina Roberts, Founder
Redbird
P.O. Box 702
Simi Valley, CA 93062
Website: www.RedbirdsVision.org
Email: redbirds_vision@hotmail.com
MySpace: www.myspace.com/redbirdsvision

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