Sept 20th 2020 3-5pm Pacific Time
Indigenous Food and Cultural Healing: The OLCERI project
with Byran Deans, Tahera Hamdani and Koreen Brennen
hosted by Jul Bystrova
OLCERI stands for the Oglala Lakota Cultural and Economic Revitalization Initiative, a project on the Pine Ridge Reservation to focus on food, economic and cultural healing and soverignity. Join this talk to learn about this exciting project and how you might be able to support.
The Lakota teach that the five basic needs of life are: food, fire, water, shelter, and earth. These basic needs are what must be met for an individual to actualize by finding self, and spirit, the final two which make up our seven core tenants at OLCERI.Without these basic needs met, individuals are stuck in perpetual states of insecurity, poverty, and scarcity - making it harder for them to do good by themselves and others, and leading to all types of psychiatric, physical, and spiritual problems.
OLCERI is based on a site in Slim Buttes that is actively being designed as a fully off-grid Eco-Ranch designed to represent a “Garden of Eden” model to provide access to affordable, simple, and fun solutions to the 5 basic needs for the tribal community.
Speakers:
Bryan Deans is the founder of OLCERI and host of the Indigenous Wisdom & Permaculture Skills Convergence (IWPSC), on his permaculture demonstration site. He was born on Pine Ridge reservation and has to be an incredible community resource for over 20 years. Bryan is skilled in permaculture design, integrating these teachings with his understanding of the Lakota ways, and a great communicator and teacher. He has worked as a project manager, in local government, an aerospace mechanic and engineer, welding teacher, and permaculture designer.
He has envisioned, designed, and built all of the infrastructure and programs on the OLCERI homestead. Including wind and solar clean energy system, a farmer-rancher educational program for local people, wild horse rescue program, bio-diesel production, a sawmill for local lumber, and community garden that currently produces hundreds of pounds of food. OLCERI's latest projects are an Earthship-style rammed earth tire building that will house the Indigenous Wisdom Center, a Lakota language school and cultural preservation center. With his work with OLCERI Bryan has also designed the methodology for Food Distribution Network to supply fresh foods to people throughout Pine Ridge.
Tahera Hamdani is the secretary and project manager for OLCERI. Her life's vision is for us, as humanity, to evolve from the current industrial growth society, based on extraction and exploitation of natural resources, to a life-sustaining society based on regenerative agricultural and industrial processes, one which is more in harmony with the elements and of all our human brothers and sisters.
She is an Indian citizen, raised as an expat in the UAE. and completed her undergrad in Computing and Communication Systems Engineering at the University of Manchester, in the UK. Post University, she moved to NYC and spent the last 13 years of her professional life practicing management consultancy, strategic planning and large change management for Financial Services firms. Following some deep inner work, she chose to opt out of the corporate world to pursue her aspirations of building regenerative communities and food systems. Having always lived in countries other than the one she was born in, her sense of home is largely driven by the land she lives on and the communities she is a part of.
Koreen Brennan began her support of the OLCERI project in 2007. She has worked with Bryan to bring his vision to fruition through organizing natural building events, education, apprenticeship, fundraising and food production projects. She is an internationally respected permaculture designer, teacher and community organizer, working throughout the US and in a number of other countries on issues of food security and regenerative living. She believes that the indigenous wisdom that permaculture is founded upon can heal the world.
Facebook Event Link
Indigenous Food and Cultural Healing: The OLCERI project
with Byran Deans, Tahera Hamdani and Koreen Brennen
hosted by Jul Bystrova
OLCERI stands for the Oglala Lakota Cultural and Economic Revitalization Initiative, a project on the Pine Ridge Reservation to focus on food, economic and cultural healing and soverignity. Join this talk to learn about this exciting project and how you might be able to support.
The Lakota teach that the five basic needs of life are: food, fire, water, shelter, and earth. These basic needs are what must be met for an individual to actualize by finding self, and spirit, the final two which make up our seven core tenants at OLCERI.Without these basic needs met, individuals are stuck in perpetual states of insecurity, poverty, and scarcity - making it harder for them to do good by themselves and others, and leading to all types of psychiatric, physical, and spiritual problems.
OLCERI is based on a site in Slim Buttes that is actively being designed as a fully off-grid Eco-Ranch designed to represent a “Garden of Eden” model to provide access to affordable, simple, and fun solutions to the 5 basic needs for the tribal community.
Speakers:
Bryan Deans is the founder of OLCERI and host of the Indigenous Wisdom & Permaculture Skills Convergence (IWPSC), on his permaculture demonstration site. He was born on Pine Ridge reservation and has to be an incredible community resource for over 20 years. Bryan is skilled in permaculture design, integrating these teachings with his understanding of the Lakota ways, and a great communicator and teacher. He has worked as a project manager, in local government, an aerospace mechanic and engineer, welding teacher, and permaculture designer.
He has envisioned, designed, and built all of the infrastructure and programs on the OLCERI homestead. Including wind and solar clean energy system, a farmer-rancher educational program for local people, wild horse rescue program, bio-diesel production, a sawmill for local lumber, and community garden that currently produces hundreds of pounds of food. OLCERI's latest projects are an Earthship-style rammed earth tire building that will house the Indigenous Wisdom Center, a Lakota language school and cultural preservation center. With his work with OLCERI Bryan has also designed the methodology for Food Distribution Network to supply fresh foods to people throughout Pine Ridge.
Tahera Hamdani is the secretary and project manager for OLCERI. Her life's vision is for us, as humanity, to evolve from the current industrial growth society, based on extraction and exploitation of natural resources, to a life-sustaining society based on regenerative agricultural and industrial processes, one which is more in harmony with the elements and of all our human brothers and sisters.
She is an Indian citizen, raised as an expat in the UAE. and completed her undergrad in Computing and Communication Systems Engineering at the University of Manchester, in the UK. Post University, she moved to NYC and spent the last 13 years of her professional life practicing management consultancy, strategic planning and large change management for Financial Services firms. Following some deep inner work, she chose to opt out of the corporate world to pursue her aspirations of building regenerative communities and food systems. Having always lived in countries other than the one she was born in, her sense of home is largely driven by the land she lives on and the communities she is a part of.
Koreen Brennan began her support of the OLCERI project in 2007. She has worked with Bryan to bring his vision to fruition through organizing natural building events, education, apprenticeship, fundraising and food production projects. She is an internationally respected permaculture designer, teacher and community organizer, working throughout the US and in a number of other countries on issues of food security and regenerative living. She believes that the indigenous wisdom that permaculture is founded upon can heal the world.
Facebook Event Link
July 19: Mutual Aid for Climate Justice and Healing
During this time of social change, we are seeing a blossoming of solidarity networks, alternative economies and cooperative ways to directly respond to needs in the community.
In this Building Bridges, we will focus on the grassroots activity called Mutual Aid and how it helps promote more equitable and just ways of responding to climate change driven disasters. Perhaps even laying the groundwork for new systems in this time of transition.
We will be in conversation with longtime Mutual Aid organizers and their direct experience with how MA works, how it helps serve those in marginalized communities.
We will also be asking how we can better support MA work with self-care practices, so that those who are involved can avoid burnout and this vital service can be done regeneratively.
Our speakers:
Raven Dodson with Open World Relief
Jimmy Dunson with Mutual Aid Disaster Relief
Hosted by Jul Bystrova and Galen Meyers
Jimmy Dunson is a writer, activist, and co-founder of Mutual Aid Disaster Relief. Jimmy has responded to disasters in Louisiana, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Puerto Rico distributing supplies, assisting with solar infrastructure, clearing debris, listening, and building a lot of friendships along the way. Jimmy’s passion is building mutual aid survival programs.
Raven Dodson is an Mutual Aid activist for both Indigenous and environmental causes and for disaster relief. She has been a "keyboard warrior" on many frontlines, including her latest project--coordinating the sewing of thousands of masks to go to the Dine' nation and other tribes
During this time of social change, we are seeing a blossoming of solidarity networks, alternative economies and cooperative ways to directly respond to needs in the community.
In this Building Bridges, we will focus on the grassroots activity called Mutual Aid and how it helps promote more equitable and just ways of responding to climate change driven disasters. Perhaps even laying the groundwork for new systems in this time of transition.
We will be in conversation with longtime Mutual Aid organizers and their direct experience with how MA works, how it helps serve those in marginalized communities.
We will also be asking how we can better support MA work with self-care practices, so that those who are involved can avoid burnout and this vital service can be done regeneratively.
Our speakers:
Raven Dodson with Open World Relief
Jimmy Dunson with Mutual Aid Disaster Relief
Hosted by Jul Bystrova and Galen Meyers
Jimmy Dunson is a writer, activist, and co-founder of Mutual Aid Disaster Relief. Jimmy has responded to disasters in Louisiana, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Puerto Rico distributing supplies, assisting with solar infrastructure, clearing debris, listening, and building a lot of friendships along the way. Jimmy’s passion is building mutual aid survival programs.
Raven Dodson is an Mutual Aid activist for both Indigenous and environmental causes and for disaster relief. She has been a "keyboard warrior" on many frontlines, including her latest project--coordinating the sewing of thousands of masks to go to the Dine' nation and other tribes
Healing Justice with Special Guest Scott Brown
Hosted by Jul Bystrova with Galen Myers, Ayako Nagano
This month's Building Bridges series will recap what we have done so far, and keep the conversation going! This work is vital for the healing and shifting of that which has divided and damaged us. After a short recap by team members and deeper reflections, we will harvest the questions that are most alive for us today.
We may explore such questions as: "In what ways have I contributed to harm?" and "how can I contribute to the restoration of wholeness where harm has been done?"
After our intro and recap, Scott Brown will introduce us to a restorative justice process where we will hold a deeper dialogue--a place that we can continue to look at our implicit and deeply rooted assumptions and perspectives on racial divides, as well as engage the inner process and seek the actions we can do to become more actively anti-racist.
Hosted by Jul Bystrova with Galen Myers, Ayako Nagano
This month's Building Bridges series will recap what we have done so far, and keep the conversation going! This work is vital for the healing and shifting of that which has divided and damaged us. After a short recap by team members and deeper reflections, we will harvest the questions that are most alive for us today.
We may explore such questions as: "In what ways have I contributed to harm?" and "how can I contribute to the restoration of wholeness where harm has been done?"
After our intro and recap, Scott Brown will introduce us to a restorative justice process where we will hold a deeper dialogue--a place that we can continue to look at our implicit and deeply rooted assumptions and perspectives on racial divides, as well as engage the inner process and seek the actions we can do to become more actively anti-racist.
