Shelterwood was the catalyst project allowing us to serve this BIPOC land reunion project with the most culturally sensitive, radically decolonizing real estate process we could yet imagine. In Collaboration with Ericka Jennings of Green Key Real Estate, our roles were land transition facilitators, rather than commission based sales agents. We were able to transparently redistribute the real estate commission to benefit Shelterwood. Shelterwood closed escrow on 900 acres in Kashaya Pomo territory in Cazadero, CA in June 2021.

OVIWC- This important land transition, situated within a highly politicized context of the Owens Valley’s relationship with Los Angeles District of Water and Power , and a long history of land and water theft from the tribes of Payahuunadu. After 30 years of advocating for indigenous water and food sovereignty, the OVIWC had their first opportunity to steward title to a healing oasis called Three Creeks. We had the deep honor of supporting all parties in this highly nuanced process involving a discount sale, the formation of a new Collective and a short time frame funding campaign.

Working with Mike Godbe, an attorney with California Indian Legal Services, we provided facilitation and contract support. This project closed escrow in February of 2023.

Since November 2021, in tandem with our movement collaborators at the Sustainable Economies Law Center, we have been providing real estate strategy support for the long term project of rematriating the lands of the Winnemem Wintu in the area currently known as Shasta County, CA. This support stands in solidarity with the vision and spiritual leadership of Chief Calleen Sisk, the restoration of the waterways of the salmon, and the lifeways of the Winnemem People. With great reverence and honor, we navigate the current legal fiction of private property in solidarity with the cosmology of the Winnemem Wintu as expressed in an unbroken oral tradition. We have added an additional 8 acres to their last remaining land holding, and are currently fundraising to bring 1000 additional acres into Winnemem stewardship in their new title holding organization called Sawalmem.

This project is a coalition with North Bay Organizing Project, Sustainable Economies Law Center, and North Bay Jobs with Justice. The Center for Ethical Land Transition is consulting to support a strategy for culturally affirmative title holding and land stewardship for the most economically disadvantaged and land insecure members of our community. This project supports Latinx farmworkers in gaining power, equity and access as well as the opportunity to reimagine a culturally affirming local food system that is regenerative to land and labor.

In collaboration with Kitchen Table Advisors, the Center for Ethical Land Transition is providing land transition consulting and facilitation for Kristyn Leach of Second Generation Seeds in their acquisition of farmland with housing in Sonoma County. This land has the first affirmative agricultural easement held by Sonoma Ag and Open Space, therefore providing a learning opportunity in the transition of this easement.

CDER

In collaboration with CDER, The Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights, Regenerative Earth and One Light Global, we are creating a program to support title holders who are committed to dissolving private property rights and utilizing the rights of nature as a legal pathway of restoring culturally appropriate environmental and legal guardianship. This program will use a cohort approach to support title holders and is committed to place specific pathways to reuniting the land with human kin.