This picture was taken as Chairperson Silvia Burley and Project Director Randy Yonemura were in deep discussion over an issue that the California Indian Water Commission is currently involved in. Clockwise from left: Colleen Pringle, Financial Administrator, California Valley Miwok Tribe, Anjelica Paulk, Council Member, California Valley Miwok Tribe, Silvia Burley, Chairperson, California Valley Miwok Tribe, Rashel Reznor, Secretary/Treasurer, California Valley Miwok Tribe, Mr. Randy Yonemura, Project Director, The California Indian Water Commission and Mildred Burley, Tribal Elder, California Valley Miwok Tribe.
The California Valley Miwok Tribe (located at 10601 N. Escondido PL, Stockton, CA, as listed in the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ BIA/DOI Spring 2011 Tribal Leaders Directory), a federally recognized tribe eligible to receive and distribute services from the federal government – on Sunday, June 12th, 2011, invited California Indian Water Commission (CIWC) Project Director Mr. Randy Yonemura, to consultation at the tribal offices. CIWC is dedicated to various issues of cultural significance and addresses water, land and air issues; as well as how to effectively protect entire ecosystems, involve and give a voice to indigenous concerns in all activities that impact in any way the sensitive balance of California’s environment. They work with federal and state agencies, tribal governments, individual citizens and organizations to achieve this goal.
CIWC’s officers, President Atta P. Stevenson, Treasurer Bill Jacobson and Secretary Shanti Warlick work alongside Project Director Randy Yonemura and are all dedicated professionals whom work together tirelessly in this effort. Upon being notified of such an organization and reviewing their mission statement, the Tribe invited CIWC’s Project Director, Mr. Yonemura, to the tribal offices for consultation. Mr. Yonemura was very articulate and thorough in his explanation of all subject matter that CIWC is involved in, the history of the organization, their continuing good works and of how a tribe could partner with them if it wished to support their endeavors.
The California Valley Miwok Tribe, by resolution, decided at this time to join the existing tribes that have already partnered with CIWC to give them a stronger voice in fulfilling their mission statement for the betterment of not only Native Americans, but all of California’s citizens. At this time, the California Valley Miwok Tribe would like to thank CIWC’s Project Director Mr. Randy Yonemura, for the giving of his time and for the professionalism and expertise he displayed in his presentation at the tribal offices.
For more on the California Indian Water Commission, please visit them at https://ciwcwater.org/.
