#62 Amazing Story of How to Fund Indigenous Communities Well with Geneva Wiki, Senior Program Manager, The California Endowment

Philanthropy has served as a vehicle for change and created opportunities to become deeply engaged with our communities. There is great power in forging relationships and creating a space for community-driven change.

Joining me for this episode is Geneva Wiki, Yurok Tribal Member and Senior Program Manager of The California Endowment. Coming from a long lineage of leaders and activists who continuously fought for the rights and freedoms of Indigenous Americans, Geneva shares how she continues to follow in their footsteps through her storied journey into mainstream philanthropy. She will also speak about philanthropy in Indigenous communities and what communities can do to help them drive transformative change.

Join us for this relevant and timely conversation where we challenge ourselves to re-think funding and work to become better funders for Indigenous communities and many more communities across the world. 

Episode Highlights:

• Geneva’s family background as part of a member of the Yurok people and how it plays an influential role in becoming the philanthropist she is today.
• The California Endowment’s grant-making strategy.
• How the philanthropy world can be more effective and supportive of Indigenous communities.
• Geneva’s words of wisdom and resources for philanthropists looking to better support Indigenous communities.

Links referenced in this podcast:

• Listen to Do Your Good’s episodes #26 and #35 featuring Jim Enote from the Colorado Plateau Foundation where he talks about how funders can support indigenous communities with respect.
• Visit Illuminative’s website and join the movement to help amplify the voices of Native Americans and re-educate Americans on Native culture and history.
• Check out NDN Collective’s website to learn more about this Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power.
• If you are searching for more ways to directly support Native American communities, visit Native Americans in Philanthropy’s website.
• Join the Decolonizing Wealth Project’s giving circles and discover more on their efforts to disrupt the existing systems of moving and controlling capital.
• Check out the California Native Vote Project’s website and read more on the movement to engage Native American communities to build political power through an integrated voter engagement strategy.
• Discover more about Native Voices Rising, a capacity-building collaborative created by Common Counsel Foundation and Native Americans in Philanthropy.
• Visit Liberated Capital’s website and become a part of their community aimed at moving untethered resources to Black, Indigenous, and other people-of-color communities for liberation and racial healing.
• Discover First Nations Development Institute’s collaborative pools and their mission to support and invest in healthy Native communities.
• Visit KCET’s website to watch a short film telling the story of prescribed cultural burns.
• Watch this short documentary about Native families organizing to improve education outcomes.
• Watch “Teens Put A Cap on Alcohol Thefts”, a short youth-produced film sharing the story of youth organizing to curb teen drinking.

If you enjoyed this episode, listen to these as well:

• #61 Strategies to Give Abundantly with Lisa Holtan, Wellness Coach, High Vibe Life
• #60 Sybil Speaks: Recap of My Conversations about Diversity Equity and Inclusion in Honor of Martin Luther King Day
• #59 Sybil Speaks: Conversation with Her Son to Inspire the Next Generation of Givers

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