Mi’iha my name is Jessa Calderon. I am of the Tongva and Chumash Nations which are original peoples in areas of Southern California. I hold the position of Coordinator of  Indigenous Oceans and Waters Protector Programs for Sacred Places Institute. I am a paddler on the ocean with my Chumash relatives. The ocean holds a deep and sacred meaning to my heart. On my journey I want to protect her and all bodies of life including other water sources, plants and people.

Maritza Alvarez is a queer Xicana Indigenous identified two-legged being. She is the daughter of Mexican migrants with Indigenous roots in Xalisco, Baja Sur and Sonora Mexico.  She is both honored  and privileged  to work  for Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples (SPI) on media, water and energy projects, and advocating for environmental, social and cultural justice to protect sacred lands, waters, and cultures. 

Angela Mooney D'Arcy (Juaneno / Acjachemen) has been working with Native Nations, Indigenous people, grassroots and nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and government agencies to protect Indigenous sacred lands, waters, and cultures for over fifteen years. She is the Executive Director and Founder of Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples, a Los Angeles-based community organization dedicated to building the capacity of Tribes and Indigenous people on cultural, social, and environmental justice issues.