AIR Summer 2024
Theme: Climate Change and its effects on Tribal Land Preservation
Summer Theme
This Summer (2024) we look at climate change and its effects on the world, our nation, and our Tribes. This includes how our traditional lands that, extend beyond the boundaries of our reservations, are affected by climate change and its impact on Tribes. Already plant life, coral reefs, and various land-based animals are feeling the effects of climate change.
This summer we will discuss how we, as tribal people, are vested in our environment and how our cultural stories develop within the region and seek to create cultural approach in land preservation.
In the other aspect of our summer program, we will learn about pursuing higher education, meet our mentors and fellow Native students and simply have fun and enjoy each other's company.
Students Sign up on our online application:
What we've done
Over the last two years (post Covid), we have over 250 participants, 32 Tribal Nations, 21 Tribes, 12 organizations participating in working with our Native Youth.
This summer we look to understanding Climate change and its effects on our Tribal lands, its importance but also having fun and making new friends doing this.
Climate Change and the Ocean
Meeting 1
AIR Bulletin1 (meeting Instructions)
During our first meeting we will have our mentors & students jump start our interaction and socialization with one another. We will participate in designed activities at Mesa Rim Rock Climbing that will engage all our participants to work together and create our social network for summer. (Ensure you wear suitable clothing for this activity; we will use climbing shoes from Mesa Rim, so remember to bring socks.).
We will also visit CSUSM and the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC) that serves as a proactive hub for developing impactful programs and courses aligned with its core principles of responsibility, reciprocity, respect, and relationships.
Meeting 2
AIR Bulletin2 (meeting Instructions)
Our Second Meeting will define our theme for the summer "Climate Change in Indian Country". Here we are collaborating with Climate Science Alliance to define Climate Change and how it affects our planet. We will have a lot of interactive activities to assist us in understanding the damage of Climate Change and how this will define our future conversations on Indian Country.
AIR Parent/Guardian Consent Waiver
(Please have Parents fill out waivers for student participants)
Meeting 3
AIR Bulletin3 (meeting Instructions)
Our Third Meeting will look at how we define our Tribal Territories through our oral traditions (passing our cultural knowledge, which includes defining our lands, through language) and what happens when these defined areas disappear, and we can no longer point to them (visually and verbally). We have two guest speakers who will visit to discuss this with us.
Finally, dress for a campus tour...
AIR Parent/Guardian Consent Waiver
(Please have Parents fill out waivers for student participants)
Meeting 4
AIR Bulletin4 (meeting Instructions)
Our 4th Meeting will look at indigenous plants and the harm that comes from invasive plants and man-made development. Further, we will also look at Regional species that have become endangered due to man-made development.
AIR Parent/Guardian Consent Waiver
(Please have Parents fill out waivers for student participants)
Meeting 5
AIR Bulletin5 (meeting Instructions)
Our 5th Meeting will look at Climate Change as to our coastline. We will look at La Jolla Cove and how it became a designated cultural submerged site.
(Please have Parents fill out waivers for student participants)
Meeting 6
AIR Bulletin6 (meeting Instructions)
Meeting 6 is here and we are ready. Today will be a little field work and a little exercise and a lot of ocean to paddle our Kayaks.
So, (1) dress for the beach, (2) have a towel, (3) change of clothes for the ride home, and sandals that may get lost. We will have reef safe suntan spray (if you have your own, please use).
(Please have Parents fill out waivers for student participants)
(This meeting is closed to existing students)
Meeting 7
AIR Bulletin7 (meeting Instructions)
This is our last meeting before our student appreciation day. So, we are going to mix it up a little. We will have a presentation from Indian Health Council / Rincon and then a review of our summer. Finally, we will digest all the knowledge we gained in a mini-trial that will cover all the subject matter we covered this summer.
