Ka’m-t’em Scholarship

Everett is a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe with Yurok and Karuk lineage. He is from the Hupa villages of Medildin, Takimilding, Diyshdang ading, and Tsewenaldin; the Yurok villages of Chapekw and Moreck, and the Karuk village of Chimikaniinaach. Everett graduated as an honor roll student from Hoopa Valley High School, published a book chapter in the Routledge Handbook of International Indigenous Resilience; and was selected as one the top 60 athletes and leaders to participate in the Indigenous Bowl in Minnesota at the Vikings Stadium. He is currently attending College of the Redwoods where he plays football and majors in Natural Resources. He plans to transfer to Cal Poly Humboldt in two years. Everett shares, “From my perspective, I feel like everyone makes a valuable contribution and education happens in many forms. However, a formal education is important to me because it will help me to build a deeper understanding of the history, laws, science, and cultural practices that influence the health of the river, forest, wildlife and ultimately our community…I know that as an Indigenous male that it is statistically unlikely for me to graduate from high school, to qualify for college, or to graduate from college. However, our culture has taught me discipline and how to face adversity… After college I intend to come back home to make a contribution to the healing of our people, the environment, and our community.”

Tahsa is a Yurok Tribal member and a Karuk descendant. She graduated with honors from Hoopa Valley High School and is currently majoring in Environmental Studies at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. Tahsa says, “I am thankful for the traditional knowledge, intuitiveness, and leadership skills that I have been taught by my family, elders, community, and our ceremonial teachings. I plan to gain knowledge and find opportunities that will benefit not only me but also my community. In the future, I plan on working with my tribes to advocate for creating a more sustainable environment for future generations.”

Tannah O’Rourke is a Yurok tribal member majoring in Pre-Med (Medical imaging technology). She hopes to go into midwifery in the future. Currently, Tannah attends Central Oregon Community College and is working towards an AAOT degree to continue her education at Oregon Institute of Technology. Tannah says that she “intends to come back home and work in my tribal community, incorporating our traditional medicines and healing ways into my work.”

Deja is a member of the Yurok Tribe. She attends Irvine Valley College and is majoring in Theatre Arts. Deja says, “Through the process of obtaining my educational goals as a performing artist, I will continuously advocate for my people through any platform or opportunity I am given. I believe that performing arts is a way that will help me connect with younger generations and with a goal to inspire all the upcoming generations to follow their dreams by pursuing what I love…and also represent our people on a larger scale. The beauty and importance of our world can be shared through the arts. There are many ways to gain education and help Native communities; however, I plan to use my love of performing to bring positivity to the community that raised me.”

Jayden is pursuing her Bachelor of Arts degree in history at Stanford University. She is a United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY) top 25 Under 25 Native Youth Leader, a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program award recipient, and Tribal Youth Ambassador for the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center. “I hope that by achieving my BA in history, I will be able to rewrite the curriculum that continues to undermine my ancestors today and inspire younger generations to overcome the struggle…”

Princess Jintcon is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Humboldt State University. She is a Senior Park Aid/ Interpreter for the California State Parks. “Going to college was always an expectation of my family, however it is about more than finding a high-paying job or a career. It means that when it comes to fighting for my culture, my people and our way of life, I will have the tools I need. I have learned to not think of myself when taking action but to think of the future. I have always been told that the health of the people is a reflection of the health of our environment. We have an understanding that we have a responsibility and accountability to how we treat people, our community, and our natural environment. This knowledge has been with our people for thousands of years, however new elements such as pollution, viruses, litter, diversion of water and global warming have since been introduced. To bring back balance, there is a need for both Indigenous knowledge and environmental studies. I plan to return home to provide a link between the Indigenous knowledge that our elders carry and different aspects of the environment from an academic perspective.”

Jada will be graduating from Hoopa Valley High School and has plans to attend the University of Oregon. She is a recipient of the Yurok Language Award, Art and Ceramics Top Artist Award, Mathematical Excellence Award, and Most Valuable Player in Basketball and Volleyball. Jada is actively involved in ceremony and community events and she is committed to the preservation of language and culture.

Angela is a graduate in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science/Health Promotion from Humboldt State University. She is pursuing a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West. “My goal is to be able to practice in partnership with Indian Health Services (IHS) clinics that provide healthcare to Native American/Alaska Native populations…I want to be the doctor that the IHS clinic refers to and provide care for my own people. I believe that integrating into the already established health care system that provides care for Native families will help decrease the amount of opioids prescribed and bring back balance to a community hit hard by the opioid pandemic. Hands-on holistic healing has always been part of the Indigenous culture and I feel the inherent need to carry forth these practices with chiropractic care.”

Sasheen completed her Bachelor of Arts degree from Humboldt State University and Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Claremont University. She is pursuing a Ph.D in Global Leadership and Change from Pepperdine University. “My Master’s thesis focused on Indigenous Leadership models in higher education as a means to create an equitable campus and support Native students. In my Ph.D program, I will continue to research Indigenous epistemologies and pedagogies that can transform higher education leadership practices. Indigenous principles create a culture of being relational, accountable, inclusive, and provide holistic support to students, faculty, staff, and community members. Higher education often utilizes Indigenous knowledge when it supports institutional goals but often uses information out of context or becomes exploitive. The culture of higher education juxtaposes that of Native peoples which often results in harm or poor Tribal relationships. I plan to use my education to protect Native culture from exploitation while upholding the vast and rich epistemologies of Native peoples to create an inclusive and supportive climate.”

“My inspiration to become a physician is highly driven by my desire and passion to serve my community and increase representation of my Native community in the health field. Through this journey, I hope to inspire and assist Native youth to follow their dreams by setting a positive example for them… This path that I walk is not only for myself, but it is to honor my ancestors as well. For generations my ancestors fought to survive the three waves of genocide that hit California. Their fight to live and resist colonization made it possible for me to be here today. Despite the survival of my community we still face disproportionate rates of health problems that are tied to colonization…Despite these issues stacked against my community, issues that are rooted in colonial violence, my community continues to thrive and work towards healing from the trauma of colonization… I know that in order to make a positive impact in my community I have to complete my path and become a doctor that will help my community heal.”

“Getting this education is the first step to contributing to K’am-T’em. That word itself now means a whole lot to me to say the least. It’s not just the treasure of knowledge, it’s a journey towards healing as it says on the cover of the book. It’s revitalization, it’s hope and its resiliency. K’am- T’em is ensuring that my kids have the knowledge and resources I have. K’am-T’em is teaching my grandchildren exactly what I learned from my grandparents, even if they are no longer living. K’am-T’em is growth for our community, it’s the condor returning home, and most importantly it’s the interwovenness of the sticks that make up the basket that provides for us. I will continue to fight for our people and help them grow so future generations don’t have to struggle like my ancestors did with colonialism and ceremonies/language. Until I pass on, I will continue to fight for my people so that we can continue to raise that white deer and allow our rock packers to cross in front of us.”

“Our traditional ceremonies are practiced in the context of our respect for, and responsibility to protect, the natural environment: the land, forests, tributaries/rivers, Indigenous food supplies, medicinal plants, birds, fish, and wildlife. I was raised knowing that taking care of the natural environment is critical to long-term sustainability on earth, and that the need to change the carbon footprint of humanity is urgent. The path that dominant human society has taken industrially has put the world in a critical position health-wise, and in turn has proved to be a great danger for all life on earth. The extinction of thousands of animal species in recent decades, and the well-documented correlation between climate change and human dependence on unsustainable energy sources like fossil fuels, offer compelling evidence that technological innovations alone will not be enough to reverse human caused pollution. To save what is left of the world, the attitude of global humanity needs to change immediately. I am eager to complete my education at HSU and to become a contributing member of environmental restoration sciences. I aspire to restore fresh watersheds and improve salmonid spawning habitat. This goal is vital to my identity as an Indigenous person, and I want to ensure future generations the opportunity to interact with the natural environment like I have in my lifetime.”

“Historically our people were physically and sexually abused and often killed by colonizers for speaking their native languages. This pain has spiraled into years of intergenerational trauma and loss… This has resulted in a cultural knowledge gap, which continues to grow as many elders begin to pass away. This was seen with my own language Wailaki, which after many years of “sleeping” was considered dead due to the lack of existing audio recordings. While in high school an initiative in my valley began to bring back the Wailaki language. Two Native American staff members and a handful of students, including myself, dedicated our time to learn and revive the Wailaki language. I am extremely grateful to be working in relation to this major issue. I speak the language throughout the community, my home, and my college. I am now able to teach my grandparents the language they lost, as well as teach my younger siblings their native tongue so they will also be able to pass it on when they get older. I plan on expanding my work with the Wailaki language by creating animated movies and clips that will teach and educate on the language. I also plan on working and supporting other tribes by creating media platforms and animations which will reflect tribal beliefs and creation stories. Learning language is a crucial step towards regaining cultural knowledge and honoring our ancestors.”