This blog post, written by Juliette Beck and azade Minasian, with original artwork by Diana Almendariz (Good Fire and Water), contrasts indigenous stewardship of water in the Yolo bioregion against histories of corporate extraction.

Using Ooti Maxine’s evocative painting as a spring board, this blog post (written by azade minasian and other collective members) examines the concept of disabled ecologies against the gendered medical history of lobotomies, to understand how extraction and mega-development are being used to lobotomize the land in the Yolo bioregion.

Just Transitions are bottom-up, home-grown strategies that can bring about a socially and environmentally sustainable future. It’s an evolutionary process that communities are adopting to navigate the changes that are already in motion. In this blog post, we ask the question: How can we build a Just Transition here in Yolo? We begin by taking a closer, honest look at the local history of the land and examine the prevailing beliefs that led us into this hot mess.

In this month’s blog post, we share a painting by Diana Almendariz – The Articulated Creek, that draws attention to mercury contamination in the Cache Creek watershed. The painting is accompanied by a conversation with environmental toxicologist Charles Salocks, who engages the issue in greater detail.

I am of Patwin Wintun, Nisenan Maidu, Hupa, Yurok, Aztec, Cherokee, English and Irish origins. The federal government recognizes me as 3/8 Californian Indian. I am