What we now also know as San Francisco and the greater Bay Area is unceded Ohlone territory, where Indigenous people have lived and stewarded the land for thousands of years. Upon Spanish invasion in the 1700s, Indigenous people across many culturally and politically distinct territories were universally treated with brutal colonization and genocide by European settlers. This resulted not only in devastating loss of life, but also forced erasure of language, culture, and food sovereignty.
Now in the Bay Area, Indigenous-led efforts are reclaiming land and revitalizing traditional culture, including stewardship and food sovereignty. In honor of Indigenous People’s Day on October 10, here are a few local efforts you can learn about, get involved with, and support throughout the year.