In July of 2021, we convened our community face-to-face for our Explore-A-Thon 2021 in-person event. Explore-A-Thon is Justice Outside’s annual summer campaign to raise funds for our racial justice work and celebrate Black, Indigenous, and People of Color’s joy in the outdoors.
This unique in-person event featured alumnx and leaders from the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust. THE EAST BAY IS TRADITIONAL LISJAN OHLONE LAND. The Sogorea Te’ Land Trust is an urban Indigenous women-led land trust that facilitates the return of Indigenous land to Indigenous people. We heard the insights of Sogorea Te’ Land Team Member Nazshonnii B-A, who led a discussion about the history of Ohlone People, Indigenous cultural revitalization, and how non-Native people can contribute to Indigenous sovereignty.
As part of the event, all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) attendees were welcomed to take a brief tour of the Gill Tract Community Farm, a collaborative community project between the University of California Berkeley and the local community, focused on food justice and urban farming. (This part of the event was reserved specifically for BIPOC-identifying participants, as Saturdays are a BIPOC-only space on that section of the space.)
We offer our sincere appreciation to Sogorea Te’ Land Trust for hosting us and deepening our understanding of Indigenous land stewardship.