Description
Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community Honoring Indigenous Wisdom, with Val Lopez
Honor of Indigenous People’s Day and the upcoming National Native American Heritage Month
“Creator gave us a responsibility to take care of all living things…It’s our culture, it’s who we are” says Valentin (Val) Lopez, Chair of the Ahmah Mutsen Land Trust. Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. Paloma Pavel will interview Val Lopez on Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community on October 24th at 6pm Pacific. We will hear of opportunities to support the preservation of sacred lands from extractive quarry plans, a site that is one of only two places in the Santa Cruz Mountains where wildlife can connect to other populations in the state, making it a critical migratory corridor. We will learn of a new government/ tribal band partnership engaging ancient Ohlone wisdom to prevent massive forest fires and examine a new culturally-informed curriculum to tell the truth of the California Mission system written by their community and introduced into the Santa Cruz, California school district.
As part of their ongoing restorative vision, the Ahmah Mutsen tribal band is delivering trauma-informed training sessions to their members, resulting in intergenerational healing. The youth are now engaged with their elders in preserving their sacred sites, culture and language. Val will share a ceremony for keeping balance with our Sacred Earth.
Our musician will be Ronald Braman who serves as Lay Minister and Director of Music at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church on the Shoshone-Bannock Indian Reservation in Fort Hall, Idaho. Ron is Shoshone and he serves as one of the church’s indigenous representative to the United Nations. Click here to read a recent article about his work in Episcopal News Service. He studied music at Idaho State University and has won several singing awards.
For more information and to see past recordings, click here.
Co-sponsored by the Center for Climate Justice and Faithat Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, a graduate school of California Lutheran University and member of the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA. The PLTS Center for Climate Justice and Faith equips leaders to cultivate the moral, spiritual, and practical power to be effective advocates for climate justice. Through certificate programs, community organizing trainings, and a concentration in climate justice and faith for MDiv students, the center has prepared 124 people from 26 countries to address the climate crisis while simultaneously advancing racial and economic justice. Sign-up for the monthly newsletterto receive updates on application deadlines and events.