Wisdom of the Elders, Inc.

An important annoucement from Wisdom of the Elders: As the Executive Director of Wisdom, I regret to inform you that Wisdom of the Elders must temporarily suspend all programs. Due to funding cuts, we also need to postpone all work for our Wisdom Workforce LLC crew. For our ITEK Internship partners, we will stay in communication as we are looking forward to being able to re-structure and continue our internship program. Due to this temporary setback, we are seeking additional funding opportunities to restart our programs and return to full operations as quickly as possible. Wisdom applied for and received partial funding from the PCEF (Portland Clean Energy Fund). This portion will help Wisdom Workforce Dev. (Conservation and Restoration) LLC. to purchase EV Trucks, however, we did not receive the other portion to continue operations. According to OPB news* May 2024: Portland City Council tentatively approved a $8.2 billion budget Wednesday, setting the city on track for a fast-approaching government overhaul. Wisdom will continue working with our partners and funders to re-align and continue our work for our communities. In the meantime, we will hold fundraisers such as our annual Give!Guide Campaign with Willamette Weekly, and are preparing to have other events and create opportunities to help support our important work for our shared communities and our staff. Wisdom will be providing monthly updates about our programs and projects, and we appreciate the institutions that have already responded to offer their support. Please reach out to our teams and stay in touch as we move forward. Sincerely, Teresa Montana Executive Director

"There is significant inequity in funding for tribal forest management compared to other federal agencies."

Spread the word for the monthly BIPOC farmer digital meet up! The next one is Wednesday August 28th from 7-8pm.    Fill out this form to receive the Zoom Link!

This September 15, join us for a lyrical and delectable program of food and drink featuring celebrated local restaurant group República & Co.. Enjoy culinary and cultural storytelling, live music, small bites, and cocktails while strolling through the Upper and Lower Gardens. Then take your seat on the Manor House East Terrace for an unforgettable meal and program. Guests will be invited to participate in both Live and Silent Auctions, as well as a Paddle Raise. All funds raised go directly to support horticulture and programming at Leach Botanical Garden, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors. About República & Co: Mexico-Forward, an idea, a purpose, a belief. That is what drives the vision of this small but mighty restaurant. When they opened their doors in November of 2020, they had an idea that would change the way people perceived Mexico's food, culture, and stories of etymology. Fast-forward three years, and República has become the most admired and accomplished Mexican restaurant in the Pacific Northwest, earning just about every nomination and accolade in the industry, along the way. Get your tickets at http://https://lnkd.in/gAUNA2gh

My mind is still reeling—in the best possible way—from this week’s Grantmakers in Health conference here in Portland. It was inspiring and rallying to be in community with such smart people, hearing from practitioners and policy-makers and learning from experts and innovators. Sessions were excitingly expansive, including community-based violence intervention and prevention, efforts to restore and expand access to gender-affirming care, why health funders should be engaged in census reforms/protections and pro-democracy initiatives, health workforce challenges and opportunities (especially CHWs, elder care, and culturally specific providers), Medicaid expansion, food systems and security, housing security, the urgency of funding comprehensive supports as the nation ages, expanding access to mental and behavioral healthcare, recent and hopefully future gains in reducing drug pricing, consequences of November election results, rural health crises and resources, climate justice and the intersection (or from our perspective, the giant, unquestionable overlap) between the climate crisis and health outcomes, and so much more. It was great to see some Oregon institutions and leaders on the agenda (Northwest Native American Center of Excellence at OHSU , POIC + RAHS , Oregon Humanities , Roundhouse Foundation and Erin Borla , Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. , Albina Vision Trust , NAYA PDX , Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility , Ecotrust , Monica Super, Erik Brodt ) and to celebrate some of Ronald W. Naito MD Foundation ‘s nonprofit partners, including Coalition of Communities of Color , APANO Communities United Fund (CUF) , and others! I’ve come away with many resources and recommendations to investigate; a sense of both despair at the magnitude of the challenges and hope at the ingenuity and perseverance and sheer breadth of people working to change hearts and systems; and gratitude for Grantmakers In Health ‘s continued emphasis on the importance of funding policy and advocacy as a path to health equity.

📣🚨 Applications for our Fall 2024 ITEK Internship are now OPEN! 🎉 🌱 Wisdom of the Elders is proud to offer paid internship opportunities that give environmental education, job skills and career pathway support to people who want to work in the environmental sector. We focus on environmental restoration and Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) specific to our staff and interns. The program is 12 weeks long, every Spring and Fall. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we will meet online and in person each week to gain hands-on experience in the field with partner organizations. Each Wednesday will be a class day in NE Portland, where WOTE TEK Instructor, Dawn Lowe (Hawaiian, Apache, Mohawk), will hold space for us all to learn together about: 1) Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Native peoples (also known as ITEK) 2) Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) related concepts 3) Native American cultural arts and medicinal/edible plants 🌱 🔗 Apply NOW at the link below!!! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gUAz3fCh 🏷️ . . . . . #native #internship #PNW #nonprofit #indigenous #environment #traditionalknowledge #indigenousknowledge #jobopportunity #nowhiring #applynow #applytoday #applicationsopen #recruiting

Please help us spread the word! We are hiring a highly organized Project Coordinator to support the Executive Director and community partners in the development of the Lake Oswego Oregon White Oak Strategic Action Plan. This position will also coordinate stewardship volunteer engagement in natural area restoration at 10 sites within the City of Lake Oswego. This is a full-time position. Salary: $58,240/year ($28/hr) Benefits: health and dental insurance, flexible paid time off, 13.5 paid holidays per year, mileage reimbursement, and technology stipends. Applications close on Tuesday July 16th at 11:59pm https://lnkd.in/g4M4_Twf

🎊 🎉 *Exciting News! Wisdom of the Elders Unveils Fresh Look with New Logo and Re-brand!* 🎊 🎉 We are eager to finally be able to share with you all our new logo for Wisdom of the Elders! This new logo reflects our organization's re-commitment to preserving and sharing the oral histories, cultural arts, language concepts, and traditional knowledge of Native American elders, storytellers, and scientists. Join us in celebrating this rebranding milestone as we continue our journey in collaboration with diverse institutions, agencies, and organizations. While our appearance may evolve over the years, our dedication to Native American cultural sustainability, multimedia education, and cultural reconciliation remains unwavering. A HUGE thank you to our logo designer, Kevin Coochwytewa (Isleta Pueblo/Hopi), a visionary artist with a deep reverence for tradition and an innovative spirit. Kevin brings a unique blend of heritage and contemporary flair to his work, and his profound respect for the wisdom passed down by our elders promises to infuse our organization’s identity with renewed vitality and resonance. Together, we strive for a brighter, more inclusive future for all. . . . . #wisdomoftheelders #wisdomoftheeldersinc #rebrand #newlogo #nonprofit #nativenonprofit #native #indigenous #portland #portlandor #oregon #environment #culture #indigenousculture #nativedesign #design #logo