Over $2 Million State Grant Awarded To Tuolumne Band Of Me-Wuk Indians
Veronica Cortina, left, and Janell Bunch, right, share how the $2.4 million grant to the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians will benefit tribal youth and educational programs.
Sonora, CA – The California Conservation Corps (CCC) has doled out $10 million between five tribes for youth programs, including the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians.
The tribe has been awarded $2.4 million out of those funds for the creation of a tribal youth conservation corps over the next three years. The goal is to establish educational and career pathways linked to project work on tribal lands with jobs like wildland firefighting, forestry, and land management.
“This is a major investment,” said Andrea Reich, chairwoman of the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians. “And it’s not just an investment in our youth; it’s an investment in our natural resources and in the protection of our lands. It will allow us to restore and bring back that natural harmony that we had when our ancestors originally resided on these lands.”
Grant proposals were required to include components focused on workforce development and features that implement sustainable land management practices as they relate to climate change and climate adaptation and resilience.
“The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians is dedicated to developing Tribal Corps members into citizens with character, educational and professional credentials, and commitment to their community,” said Janell Bunch, Education Manager for the Tuolumne Me-Wuk Tribal Council. “That is really the driving force behind all of this.”
To learn more about the CCC, click here.
