During this event, Gregg and Jonathan, both spokespeople for the Ramaytush Ohlone, will share their perspectives on

• a short history of colonization and its aftermath

• an overview of the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone (ARO), including current projects such as rematriation of the land, Yunakin Land Tax, and revitalization of Ohlone culture,

• what it means to live on the ancestral homeland of their people in a place we now call San Francisco,

• settler responsibility and ways we as a community can be more informed and involved in pursuing justice and healing for Indigenous and other marginalized communities in the San Francisco Bay Area

About the Speakers:

Gregg Castro [t'rowt'raahl Salinan/rumsien-ramaytush Ohlone], has been involved in preservation of his cultural heritage for over three decades, for both his late Mother’s rumsien Ohlone heritage, and on his late Father’s side, the since ended ‘Salinan Nation Tribal Council’ (serving two terms as Tribal Chair) and currently the non-profit organization, Salinan T’rowt’raahl. Gregg is a member of the Society for California Archaeology (SCA). He serves on SCA’s Native American Programs Committee (NAPC) as Chairperson. Gregg is a Co-Facilitator for the annual California Indian Conference. He is assisting his relatives in the San Francisco Peninsula as the “Principal Cultural Consultant to the Ramaytush Tribal Chair’ in their homeland; within that role he is now on the Advisory Board of the San Francisco American Indian Cultural District. Gregg is a writer and activist within the California indigenous community, on issues regarding cultural preservation, protection, education and traditional practices.

Jonathan Cordero (Ramaytush Ohlone/Chumash) Chair of the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone. He is Assistant Professor of Sociology at California Lutheran University. Dr. Cordero has written several articles that revise previous scholarship on California Indian and Spanish relations during the Mission Period, and he works as a consultant in both the public and private sectors, especially in the arts. He serves as a leader, speaker, and activist in the broader Ohlone and Chumash communities.

About Donations:

80% of donations go to the Ramaytush Ohlone Yunakin Land Tax; 20% goes to SURJ SF, Action Network, and our fiscal sponsor to cover internal organizing costs (zoom accounts, speaker honorariums, credit card processing fees).

Tickets for this seminar are offered on a sliding scale that takes into account your financial situation and circumstances. The higher end of the scale is intended for those with stable incomes, those who own homes, and those with the ability to save. Your ability to support at the higher end allows this seminar to offer sliding scale tuition! The lower end of the scale is intended for students, and others who are getting by but don’t have much extra in their budget. If you find yourself between these two examples we suggest a mid-range rate. For those with little-to-no income, especially in these difficult economic times, no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Reach out to us at surjsfbasebuilding@gmail.com for a complimentary ticket.