Native LAnd is Burning

In early January 2025, catastrophic wildfires swept through the ancestral homelands of the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples. National media coverage largely overlooked how our Indigenous relatives were responding, and coping amid the uncontrollable flames, and how they were recovering after.

To document these stories from an Indigenous perspective, we sent our teammate Francisco “Panchó” Sánchez, a Xicano filmmaker and journalist, to Tovangar.  In this episode, he sits down with community members, activists, and organizers so we can hear their experiences and understand this climate crisis from an Indigenous perspective. We are honored to be in conversation with:

– Jessa Calderon (Chumash and Tongva), poet, musician, author of Sisterhood, and Director of The Land, Water and Climate Justice for Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples

– Jolie Varela (Tule River Yokuts and Nüümü), founder of Indigenous Women Hike.

– Vinecea Edwards Esq (Mvskoke), Senior Director of Operations and Strategy at Urban American Indian Involvement (UAII).

– Amy Stretten (Chickahominy), Director of Marketing and Communications at UAII.

– Alexia Palomino Cortez, PhD candidate and Altadena fire survivor.

– Katherine Guerrero-Yañez, adopted Tongva tribal member and Altadena high school teacher.

If settler-colonialism’s land mismanagement is the root of our current climate catastrophe, then the path forward is rooted in Indigenous land stewardship, for we know fire as a relative, water as life, and earth as home. The stories shared in this episode remind us that the work ahead requires us all — not just to respond to crisis, but to return to relationship. To steward, to protect, to show up for each other like family. Because relatives keep us safe.

Learn more and support the work of our guests:
 – Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples: sacredplacesinstitute.org
– Indigenous Women Hike: indigenouswomenhike.com
– Urban American Indian Involvement (UAII): uaii.org

Credits
Reporting, field production and film work by Francisco “Pancho” Sánchez (@videosdelsancho)

Editing by Teo Shantz

Produced by Matika Wilbur

Co/hosted by Temryss Lane

Social Media by Katharina Mei-Fa Brinschwitz