Progress 09/01/14 to 08/31/16

Outputs
Target Audience:During the reporting period, September 2015 to August 2016, the target audience reached included several Native American stakeholder groups: Lummi tribal youth between ages of 14 and 16 years of age, Northwest Indian College students, Lummi tribal community members and various other tribal communities. Changes/Problems:There were changes in the staff of the Northwest Indian College Cooperative Extension staff during the last year ofthis grant. Early in2016 the P.D. changed from Chelsea Ross to Dionne Adams andMiss. Adams took ona new title of Traditional Plants Coordinator.Also, Tami Chock left her positon as the CommunityOutreach Program Coordinator and in January2016 Christina Grendon was hired in her place. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training and professional development continues to occur in three parts: Direct mentoring from the Elders and Cultural Experts in gardening, growing, harvesting, processing, preserving and cooking using traditional methods and protocols.This also includes learning about traditional plants and medicines. All staff are enrolled in advanced degree programs and will continue to complete their degree work.Staff will continue to have opportunities for training in the effect of health disparities related to the tribes we serve - and how our work can contribute to a healthier life style. Through the grant funds and Institutional funds, we will continue the practice of internships that engage students in classes, workshops, and especially hands off experiences related to traditional plants and foods. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Traditional Plants & Foods Coordinator and the Food Educator collaborated with the NWIC Communications committee to update and revise the Cooperative Extensions webpage. This is a place that our partners, clients, students, and community members gain access to information pertaining current events, past events, workshops, classes, articles, services, and general announcements. The next step is to update staff biographies and access to the curriculum. Social media is one platform that we use to disseminate information on our Cooperative Extension Facebook page. The staff also accesses informal tribal communication networks such as the Canoe Journey and Canoe Family web pages. This is an area will are working to improve by writing articles and sharing curriculum with K-12 schools. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During the 2016 grant period, over 85 people annually were provided training and ongoing support which exceeded the goal of servicing 75 people annually. The traditional plants and foods coordinator worked in the Program Food Educator, Tribal Elders, and other cultural specialists to deliver trainings utilizing our traditional plants curriculum and newly developed resource materials This was done in a series of 21 workshops where participants were trained to gather traditional plants and then use new modern methods to prepare lotions and salves for topical remedies in addition to items such as, bath salts for daily cleansing. Step by step instructions were given to each participant so they would be able teach what they learned to others. Development of instructional materials for Traditional Plants and Foods curriculum continued throughout the 2016 grant year. Examples of new curriculum and resources developed are: Classroom lessons and resource materials on harvesting, processing, preserving traditional berries of the Lummi people. The materials are also used for workshops.The method for researching and developing these materials will be replicated at each of our sites to develop place based educational materials for each of the 6 tribes we serve. The Program Food Educator has also produced new instructional materials, including articles and an outline for a new cookbook focusing on a healthier diet for a target population related to the Coast Salish Canoe Journey. Our Cultural Experts provided education and hands on support to eight (8) local community gardens and over 50 individual gardens. This hands on education in traditional plants included growing, harvesting, processing, preserving/canning/ drying, and cooking. This work was enhanced by the Elders sharing their knowledge of harvesting by field experiences to locations in the San Juan Islands, Mt. Baker forest etc. to identify traditional plants and in some cases transplant to their gardens those traditional plants that no longer grew in this area. This aspect of the program provided education and information directly to the Lummi Food Sovereignty project. Our participation included the working on the draft Food Sovereignty Code with the Lummi Nation. The program Food Educator has established a new Facebook page which has two-thousand one hundred five (2,105) followers. The Facebook page has established a connection to not only the Northwest Indian College communities (6 sites - Swinomish, Tulalip, Port Gamble, Nisqually, Muckleshoot, & Nez Perce and the main campus - Lummi), but also with food educators from different communities around the region, including the tribes, youth and elders who participate in the annual Salish Sea Canoe Journey. This platform is providing a space for everyone to share their traditional plants and foods curriculum, knowledge, recipes, events, and workshops. Our training the trainers had a goal of 3-5 participants in a teaching internship project. The Traditional Plants and Foods program partnered with NWIC Science Department and Indigenous Service Learning Department to offer this opportunity to eight (8) students. The project internships are on-going in: <!-- --><!-- --> Booklets that identify native plant species on the Lumi campus gardens Gardening Research and writing on the Lummi's twelve moons to identify the traditional plants growing, harvesting and gathering cycles, to be incorporated into the local gardening projects. A children's booklet highlighting plant names in the Xwlemi Chosen [Lummi language]. In total, over the course of the grant our target was to serve 300 Lummi community members annually. In the grant period a minimum of 500 community members were served annually with 31 workshops and hands on activities in growing, harvesting, processing, preserving and cooking traditional plants and foods - exceeding our goal by 67%. Classes on how to shop for healthy foods on a fixed budget was offered to NWIC students and 36 high school students each summer session. Training on how to teach others in the benefits of a traditional based diet occurred each summer over the grant period. Fifty-three (53) adults and thirteen (13) Elders participated with 90 youth. The Traditional Plants and Foods coordinator worked with the Lummi Nation on the annual community dinner. This year over 500 Elders attended the dinner representing 15 tribal communities. Our target for working with community cooks is 15 annually. Over the project period the staff worked with 21 community cooks to increase their knowledge of traditional plants, foods, and the benefits of nutrition. All 21 participants were successful in incorporating what they learned into their menu planning.

Publications

Progress 09/01/14 to 08/31/15

Outputs
Target Audience:During the reporting period, September 2014 to August 2015, the target audience reached included several Native American stakeholders groups: Lummi tribal youth between the ages of 14 and 16 years of age, Northwest Indian College students, and Lummi tribal community members. Changes/Problems:During the first year of the grant period, the Extension Office underwent a transition of leadership and staff. This included a new Director of Cooperative Extension and new key staff for this project. Those initially responsible for the dissemination of educational resources, year-long internships and training of trainers in various tribal communities and organizations have moved on to pursue other opportunities. In addition, before they can be disseminated, the educational resources identified in the proposal must first undergo a review process to ensure tribal intellectual property rights are respected. This is being managed by Sharon Kinley, Dean of Indigenous Education/Director of Cooperative Extension and coordinated by Chelsea Ross, the new PD for this project. In the meantime, traditional food technology workshops and classes have continued within the Lummi tribal community, specifically at the Lummi Nation School, Northwest Indian College Coast Salish Institute, and NWIC Cooperative Extension Office. The new PD, Chelsea Ross is currently working with the Traditional Plants and Foods Educator and community members to develop Train the Trainer workshops for this fall and winter. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Chelsea Ross, PD and Dionne Adams, the Traditional Plants and Foods Educator have both begun training with community elders to further develop their knowledge and skills regarding traditional plants and foods specific to the Lummi community. On July 7th-10th, 2015, they attended the Food as Economic Development Conference, as sponsored by the First Nations Development Institute in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Their participation in the conference provided them with resources relevant to their partnership with the Lummi Commodity Foods - Food Sovereignty Project and the development of a community traditional foods safety manual. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We are sharing our work informally with tribal community partners. This coming year, we will share the results of the project, as well as way to get involved, on the new NWIC webpage's Cooperative Extension section. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?2015 Objectives and Activities Goal 1: Increase the capacity in tribal communities to provide education in traditional plants and foods. Since the Plants Program's beginning, interest in the program has grown consistently and dramatically. With demand exceeding the direct-service capabilities of our small staff, we are finding new ways to serve our stakeholders. One of the most promising strategies the plants program has pursed is the development of curricula and other educational resources, with the intent to train tribal community members the content and how to implement in various settings (i.e. classroom, workshop, home-like setting). However, to ensure proper tribal protocols were followed with respect to each tribe regarding the protection of intellectual property, before any curricula or additional resources can be implemented on a large scale, all works will be submitted to the Northwest Indian College Institutional Review Board (NWIC IRB). There it will then be decided by community members of the Board as well as the Cultural Commission, if and where any revisions are needed. A plan has been established and the PD will work closely with the NWIC IRB and Dean of Indigenous Education to ensure a thorough review takes place, followed by proper revision of any material deemed necessary and implementation of trainings within Lummi Community. During the proposed project period, the PD and Traditional Plants and Foods Educator will deliver trainings using the following approved curriculum: Diabetes Prevention through Traditional Plants; Making Plant Medicine; N.W. Remedies for Winter Health; Herbal First Aid for the Canoe Journey; Natural Remedies for Skin Health; Creating Herbal Gifts; and First Spring Foods. In addition, we will facilitate one day traditional foods technologies courses focused on specific resources (e.g., nettles, clams, camas, wild spring greens, cattail, seaweed, berries, salmon, and deer/elk). Many of these are multi-day trainings, and all are offered at least once a year. Ongoing support for train-the-trainer participants will include the development of an online Community of Practice, and 3-5 teaching internships with NWIC students. Project Goal 2: Increase health and wellness within the Lummi Nation by providing culturally-based educational programs for members of the Lummi community. Activities related to the Lummi Food Sovereignty Project (LFSP) will take place on the Lummi Nation Indian Reservation. Located in northwestern Washington State, the Lummi Indian Nation is a Coast Salish tribe with 4,766 enrolled members. Objective 2.1: Engage at least 300 Lummi community members annually in: a) hands-on activities related to growing, foraging for, harvesting, processing, preserving, and cooking healthy and traditional foods; b) classes on how to shop for healthy foods on a fixed budget; c) trainings in how to teach others about the health benefits of a traditionally-based diet and lifestyle; and d) annual community dinners. The PD and staff will work with Cultural Consultants and Elders from the community to build on their knowledge of traditional plants and foods and the capacity to teach lessons specific to Lummi Coast Salish practices. Together they will plan and periodically co-facilitate 12 workshops a quarter, with relation to the seasons and needs of the community. Coordination with NWIC programs and Faculty- to incorporate relevant curriculum in their classrooms (examples could include- the importance of clams as a traditional food with a biology class, traditional harvesting techniques of camas with a ecology class, or traditional weaving with the spindle whorl with the Native Studies class, etc.), support students Service Learning Projects and in on-campus gardens, and offer quarterly classes with the Financial Literacy program on preparing healthy foods on a budget. The PD will coordinate a second annual summer internship program for Lummi Nation high-school youth and NWIC students, that is centered on Lummi Coast Salish historical uses of plants and foods and honoring these traditions in a contemporary setting. Through their experiential learning, interns will increase their knowledge of seasonal traditional Coast Salish plants and foods, processing and storing the foods, and a better understanding of the importance of tribal food sovereignty in sustaining a way of life. The PD will continue to build on partnerships within the Lummi community that are related to Food Sovereignty efforts. Specifically, collaboration with the Lummi Commodity Foods- Food Sovereignty Project to aid in the development, approval, and implementation of a 'Traditional Foods Safety Manual,' as well as, co-facilitating monthly community classes and a large annual Community Dinner. Objective 2.2: Increase 15 community cooks' knowledge of the benefits associated with traditional, seasonal, and organic foods, and how to incorporate these foods into menus at Lummi's 12 community kitchens. Another valuable partnership involves the Lummi Nation School, which the PD and program staff will work closely with to reestablish a schedule of bi-monthly lessons and curriculum content relevant to their needs that will enable them to prepare healthy, nutritious meals with traditional foods and practices. The PD and program staff will outreach to and initiate monthly, 1-day skill share trainings with community cooks and one annual cooks retreat with participants of all ages learning and sharing traditional foods and how they are working to incorporate these into healthier meals for the people they serve.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? October - December 2014 During the first quarter, collaboration and planning with tribal community partners began. Vanessa Cooper, PD met with partners, stakeholders, staff, students, and community members to outline the series of workshops and trainings to be implemented in the following year. These were designed in relation to the seasons and the community identified need for the course content and ecological knowledge being shared. Key people were identified to either advise or aid in the facilitation of specified workshops/trainings. We also discussed who will benefit from the work and how, supplies and equipment needed, locations of workshops, potential partners, leveraging of resources, as well as outreach and marketing. Vanessa Cooper, PD, led a Training of Trainers activity at Northwest Indian College with 10 participants from various NWIC departments and community programs, such as the Indigenous Service Learning Office, Children Early Learning Center, Lummi Behavioral Health Division, and others. Participants learned about harvesting and processing traditional plants for herbal healing. As a result, they developed knowledge and skills in using traditional plants for coughs and cold, and preparing the medicinal plants into teas and herbal salves. The session ended with a discussion on how to implement this type of training into their existing programs. We offered a community education class, "Cooking Fresh and Cutting Costs"; 5 NWIC students attended. Students learned how to cook with fresh herbs and traditional, whole foods while also maintaining their student spending budget. The class was offered in collaboration with the NWIC Financial Literacy Program. January - February 2015 Vanessa Cooper, PD met with Lummi Nation School (LNS) administration, Home Economics instructor, and tribal elder, Ernestine Pointe, to begin the planning stages for a series of classes with a cohort of 11th and 12th grade students. This process also involved meetings with students to listen to their interests and stories and determine what topics the workshops should center on to meet their needs. The idea began when the project received feedback from LNS youth, during another NWIC Coast Salish Institute activity. When asked, "What are the top three things that would best prepare you for your future?" The youth responded with " learning how to cook." Therefore the PD and Ms. Point, as well as additional guidance from program/community consultants, designed the classes to provide the students with hands on experience cooking nutritional meals with traditional whole foods, adapting slightly to contemporary means if necessary. The classes are also designed to have guest speakers, as well as visit traditional harvesting/food gathering sites in the community to provide a more enriching place-based learning environment for youth participants. February-April 2015 Vanessa Cooper began facilitating the ongoing series of classes with an average of 15 high school youth in each of Ms. Points' two Home Economic classes. The first set of classes focused on harvesting and preparing the first native foods of spring. The season's first spring shoots and early berries were abundant, making the timing of the class ideal and a perfect learning environment, teaching the students how to harvest/gather, fish, and prepare a healthy and delicious meal for themselves and their families for limited expenses. The experience in first-hand learning of what it takes to get their spread of foods on their plate not only gave them real world experience of cooking food good for the body and soul, but also gave them a new level of respect and appreciation for their meal and all that goes into keeping them and their soon to be/young families healthy. July-August 2015 Chelsea Ross, the new PD and Dionne Adams, the new Traditional Plants and Foods Educator co-facilitated 2 workshops during the Financial Literacy Programs 1st Annual Summer Bridge Camp delivered by the Cooperative Extension Office. The first workshop had 7 participants attending 9th-10th grade and the second workshop had 11 participants attending 10th -12th grade. Although each workshop was presented differently, with the content and activities to fit their own age group, each presented an introduction to the vital relationship the Native Peoples have had with the land. The workshop presented a set of traditionally-valued plants and foods, and provided examples of how these foods could be used by students today for little or no cost. Additionally, summer internships took place with 3 NWIC students and 9 Lummi youth (both male and female) between 14 and 16 years of age. The students all participated in independent projects while also engaging in a cohort of classes that presented various topics related to Lummi Coast Salish historical uses of plants and foods and honoring these traditions in a contemporary setting. Through their experiential learning, interns increased their knowledge of seasonal traditional Coast Salish plants and foods, processing and storing the foods, and a better understanding of the importance of tribal food sovereignty in sustaining a way of life. Topics included: a) Art Design and Creation - looking at Coast Salish specific art design and the traditional materials and practices used. Students made Bentwood Boxes and Drums and decorated them with their own designs, as well as learned the significance of and process for carving totem poles. b) Canoe Pulling- learning how the canoe was made, canoes as the primary source of transportation, and how the canoe is still honored and used today, as well as cultural beliefs regarding respect and protocol with use of the canoe. c) Traditional Plant Identification and Uses - an elder took the students on a walk and learned how to identify specific plants' traditional values and their uses still relevant today; students also weaved their own Cedar bark mats. d) Crabbing and Fishing for Subsistence and Economic Means - while shucking crab and preparing a meal, students learned about the historical and contemporary protocols and processes for crabbing and fishing as a way of life to feed and provide for their families. Also of note, in April, Vanessa Cooper, the former Traditional Plants and Foods Project Coordinator resigned from the position. In June, Chelsea Ross, the new PD/Coordinator was hired. Ms. Ross is a Lummi tribal community member, alumni of the NWIC and earned her BA at Western Washington University. Ms. Ross came to the position with an educational background in Traditional Plants and Foods for Holistic Health and Wellness. In late August, the new Traditional Plants and Foods Educator was hired. She is also a Lummi tribal community member and current student of NWIC. It is important to note that the new staff is ensuring that all the activities are responsive to stakeholder demand, following best practices that aid in our success - wait until we are invited to work within the community, then coming together to listen to community members, and collaborating to create specific activities that address their needs. In this way, we are working with our own tribal people, culture, and traditions. Due to this approach, our work in the past has been well received and highly utilized in tribal communities.

Publications