#190 Funding Indigenous Communities with Geneva Wiki, Citizen of Yurok Nation and Senior Program Manager at the California Endowment

Do Your Good

Geneva Wiki, a Yurok Nation citizen and a Senior Program Manager at the California Endowment, joins Sybil to bring her extensive leadership experience in Tribal government, education, and philanthropy in rural and indigenous communities. She has many important tips and wisdom on being an effective philanthropist when giving to indigenous communities.

Episode Highlights:

• Geneva’s journey

• How to be effective when giving to Indigenous communities

Geneva Wiki Bio:

Geneva Wiki is a Citizen of the Yurok Tribe of northern California and brings extensive leadership experience in Tribal government, education, and philanthropy in rural and Tribal communities. Geneva serves as a Senior Program Manager at The California Endowment, supporting community organizing efforts advancing health and racial equity throughout the State, and with a specific focus on community power building within California’s indigenous communities.

Previously, Geneva was the Executive Director of the Wild Rivers Community Foundation and served as the local Initiative Manager of the Del Norte and Tribal land’s Building Healthy Communities initiative. Wiki was also the Deputy Executive Director of the Yurok Tribe and Founding Director of a community-driven, non-profit charter high school on the reservation. Named one of America’s 37 Innovators under the age of 36 by the Smithsonian Magazine, Geneva was also recognized as a National Innovator by the US Department of State, High Country News, and a 40 Under 40 Native leader by Native Americans in Business and Enterprise.

Geneva is married to a Maori, an indigenous New Zealander, and previously lived in New Zealand, working as an Executive Designer with a human-centered design consultancy aimed at improving systems and policies to work better for people and the public good. While there, she was also appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Centre for Social Impact.

Wiki earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington, and a degree in planning, public policy, and management from the University of Oregon. She currently lives on the ancestral land of the Nisenan people outside of Sacramento with her spouse and three daughters.

Links:

California Endowment https://www.calendow.org/

Report: Building Healthy Communities: A Decade in Review November 2020:

https://www.calendow.org/app/uploads/2021/04/The_California_Endowment_Decade_In_Review_2010_2020_Executive_Report.pdf

If you enjoyed this episode, listen to these as well:

• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/149-indigenous-peoples-day-special-episode-with-erik/id1556900518?i=1000630664943

• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/176-fund-indigenous-communities-with-empathy-and/id1556900518?i=1000653180873

• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/115-sybil-speaks-show-up-as-your-best-self-with-giving/id1556900518?i=1000598265819

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