As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season, this year more than ever I am aware that while for many people the holidays are joyful, for many others they may be difficult. Families who are food insecure, who have been affected by the current pandemic or its economic effects, or who are faced with other difficulties such as being far from their loved ones, all deserve our support this holiday season. If you are in need of food, know that you are not alone in the Central Sierra, and reach out to one of the food banks below or visit getcalfresh.org. If you are fortunate not to need the services of local food banks, consider donating to one instead as you shop for your own holiday meal or have time to give. We can all look for ways to support our neighbors in a physically distanced way this year.

 

Thanksgiving may also be a difficult time for many Native American communities, bringing reminders of colonization and loss. As Jennifer Sowerwine, UCCE specialist at UC Berkeley

and Sabrina Drill, UCCE advisor in Los Angeles and Ventura counties write, "The narrative that many people have been taught beginning in elementary school about the First Thanksgiving celebration in the United States is based on historically inaccurate myths that fail to acknowledge the devastation wrought by settler colonialism, including genocide, land theft, forced assimilation and cultural appropriation...Taking a decolonizing approach to Thanksgiving rejects the myths of Thanksgiving and harmful stereotypes about Native peoples that reinforce oppression, and invites opportunities for deepening our collective understanding of Indigenous history, amplifying Native perspectives that highlight the diversity of Indigenous peoples and foodways, and support Native-led food sovereignty and land stewardship initiatives that affirm contemporary presence and self-determination of Native people in 21st-century America...Learn about the Indigenous history of the United States and the Native lands and people where you live:

 

To find many more resources and educational materials, read the full article on the UC ANR Food Blog: Native people take a different view of Thanksgiving.

 

My thanks go out to all in the Central Sierra who are working to support each other and keep our communities healthy during this time.