2025-11-13T11:08:14-07:00 2024-12-31 990EZ 2024-01-01 880910186 MUWEKMA OHLONE PRESERVATION FOUNDATION MUWE 6503526321 2570 N 1st St 2nd Floor 1006 San Jose CA 95131 Aaron Hebert Secretary 6503526321 2025-11-11 1 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z X www.muwekmafoundation.org X X 69415 X 69415 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 69415 0 0 124004 33218 0 625 35282 193129 -123714 224711 0 100997 224711 100997 0 0 0 0 224711 100997 0 0 224711 100997 Founded in 2021, we collaborate with Muwekma tribal members and allies to advance the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe's goals of resilience, cultural revitalization, community education, and efforts for access, ownership, and stewardship of ancestral lands. Cultural Revitalization: In 2024, MOPF supported Muwekma in appointing Tribal member Joey Torres as Culture Bearer to lead efforts in revitalizing and preserving Muwekma Ohlone cultural traditions, including mentoring and guiding tribal members in traditional practices such as song, dance, and regalia-making. Intertribal Cultural Exchange and Ceremonial Travel Joey participated in ceremonial journeys across Indigenous territories, including Shingle Springs, Nisqually, Round Valley, and Bear Ceremony. These exchanges involved singing, prayer, fishing, and cultural sharing with other tribal communities. Intertribal exchange is vital to Muwekma cultural revitalization. It restores relationships disrupted by colonization, reaffirms tribal presence, and ensures that songs, teachings, and ceremonial protocols are carried forward. Joey's participation strengthens kinship ties and offers youth and families direct access to living culture. To support this work, the Foundation offered travel stipends to tribal members traveling for ceremony, land stewardship, and community events. Reimbursement honored the time, energy, and cultural leadership of those involved. Mexica New Year Co-Hosting and Túupentak Construction at Emma Prusch Park The Foundation supported Muwekma in co-hosting the annual Mexica New Year celebration in partnership with local Indigenous organizers. This multi-day event included ceremonial dances, traditional foods, youth programming, and intergenerational teachings. Staff supported logistics, communications, and cultural protocol coordination, ensuring respectful representation and community engagement. The event welcomed an estimated 300-500 community members (Indigenous and non-indigenous), strengthening visibility and solidarity among Indigenous peoples in the region. As part of the celebration, the Foundation supported the construction of a tuupentak (sweat lodge) at Emma Prusch Park. Joey led the design and building process, integrating traditional knowledge and community labor. The tuupentak served as a sacred site for prayer, purification, and cultural grounding during Mexica New Year. Created and Performed Weekly Tribal-Only Cultural Education Programs The Foundation supported three concurrent weekly programs exclusively for Muwekma tribal members, each designed to strengthen cultural identity, language, and historical understanding through intergenerational learning. Chochenyo Language Classes (Wednesdays via Zoom): Led by Bernadette Quiroz, Language Revitalization Chair, this online class welcomes tribal members from age four through Elders. Participants learn Chochenyo vocabulary, pronunciation, and ceremonial phrases, contributing to the restoration of the Tribe's ancestral language. The program fosters connection across generations and supports long-term language reclamation. Muwekma University (Mondays via Zoom): Facilitated by Stanford Professor and MOPF Board Member Mike Wilcox, this weekly class explores Indigenous history in the United States, with a focus on the first Spanish contact with Muwekma Ohlone ancestors. While open to all ages, current attendance includes tribal members ages 12 and up. The program deepens historical understanding and affirms Muwekma presence in broader narratives of resistance, survival, and continuity. Ceremonial Dance Classes (Sundays in San Jose): Led by Culture Bearer Joey Iyolopixtli Torres, this in-person class serves tribal members from age four through their 50s. Participants learn ceremonial songs, dances, and regalia crafting. The class offers embodied cultural practice, strengthens kinship ties, and prepares youth to carry forward ceremonial responsibilities. Together, these programs support cultural revitalization by offering consistent opportunities for tribal members to learn, practice, and reclaim Muwekma lifeways in community. Supported Language Revitalization Chair Bernadette Qurioz to lead efforts in preserving, revitalizing, and promoting the Chochenyo language, including developing language learning resources and programs for tribal members. The Foundation supported Bernadette Quiroz, Language Revitalization Chair, in leading efforts to preserve, revitalize, and promote the Chochenyo language for Muwekma tribal members. This work included curriculum development, resource creation, and weekly instruction. In Spring 2024, Bernadette established a partnership with 7000 Languages, a nonprofit dedicated to Indigenous language learning. Through this collaboration, tribal members gained access to a custom Chochenyo curriculum supported by linguistics and IT teams. Members can now log in through a unique link, create accounts, and take self-paced Chochenyo courses online. Currently, the platform offers 15 structured assignments, designed to support foundational learning and cultural connection. Each Wednesday, Bernadette hosts a live Zoom class serving 20-25 tribal members weekly, ranging from young children to Elders. Participants ask questions from the online lessons, play language games, and build deeper relationships through shared learning. The program fosters intergenerational connection and supports the restoration of Muwekma identity through language. 25000 41077 Community Education: The Muwekma Ohlone Preservation Foundation expanded its Community Education Program in 2024 to increase public awareness and understanding of Muwekma history, language, and culture through land acknowledgements, presentations, and tabling at partner events. Program Leadership and Tribal Capacity: Julie Dominguez was appointed Chair of Community Education and recruited Corina Arellano plus three additional tribal members to lead outreach. Together they staffed presentations, land acknowledgements, and tabling across schools, universities, libraries, cultural centers, civic forums, and public events. The Foundation supported in the following ways 1) Provided tribal member stipends to compensate participants for time, travel, and cultural labor. 2) Purchased tabling supplies (table covers, banners, display materials) and printed brochures and handouts for distribution. 3) Managed invoicing, event coordination, scheduling, and follow-up. 4) Supplied briefing notes and event-specific guidance to support presenters and ensure consistent, audience-appropriate messaging. 2024 activity and impact: Formal requests received: 82 Requests completed: 47 Estimated total audience served by completed events: ~3,000-3,500 people. Audience-type breakdown: K-12 schools and youth assemblies: 12 events; per-event audiences ranged ~20-600. Colleges and university classes/events: 8 events; typical audiences 20-300. Libraries, museums, and cultural centers: 9 events; typical audiences 20-300. Health, civic, nonprofit, and workplace events (including Pride Parade and conferences): 10 events; typical audiences 50-2,000. Small community gatherings and invitational/intertribal events: 8 events; typical audiences 12-100 0 18990 Land Access: In 2024, the Muwekma Ohlone Preservation Foundation supported strategic and ceremonial land access efforts across the Bay Area. This included light coordination around potential access to SFPUC lands in the Sunol region, contributing to early-stage planning for future Tribal Village development. We also facilitated cultural access to the Guadalupe River Trail area, enabling Culture Bearer Joseph Iyolopixtli Torres to gather willow branches for Tupentak ceremonial use-an effort deeply tied to cultural revitalization and intergenerational learning. Additionally, we partnered with the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy to support native plant consultation and cultural education, strengthening relationships with local ecological stewards. These activities reflect our commitment to restoring Indigenous presence on ancestral lands through respectful collaboration, cultural continuity, and long-term visioning, 0 16325 Other 0 9725 86117 Charlene Nijmeh Board President 5 0 0 0 Aaron Hebert Board Secretary 5 0 0 0 Daniel Olstein Board Treasurer 10 0 0 0 Michael V Wilcox Board member 5 0 0 0 Alan Leventhal Board Member 5 0 0 0 Joey Torres Board Member 10 0 0 0 Bernadette Quiroz Board Member 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CA Daniel Olstein 222 High Street Palo Alto CA 94301 6503526321 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NONE NONE 1 X 0 0 65425 188679 69415 323519 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 65425 188679 69415 323519 113548 209971 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 323519 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED Form 990-EZ, Part I, Line 16 Description;Amount^Program Stipends and Other Expenses;23936|Office Equipment and Supplies;4031|Insurance;2685|Software Subscriptions;2789|Banking and Payment Processing Fees;1841^Total;35282^