Moment of the Month - February 2024

Incorporating Indigenous Perspectives into Life Lab Gardens and Teaching

The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band* believes that all living things are relatives and that Amah Mutsun people were placed on the land to care for their relatives. 

In February, Life Lab's Indigenous Perspectives Working Group shared their recent activities which included meeting with members of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, working to create native plant lessons for 4th and 5th grades, and planting native plantings at school garden sites.

We also piloted a lesson about soaproot for 4th graders at Mintie White Elementary school, where students observed and then planted soaproot in the garden, and made soaproot brushes from the root of the plant.

Ohlones and Miwoks made “soaproot brushes” from the bulbs of the soap plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum). They used these like miniature whisk brooms to clean baskets and mortar stones.

To hear more about Life Lab’s Organizational Equity Commitment, please watch this short video. 

*The Life Lab office in Santa Cruz is located on the unceded territory of the Awaswas speaking Uypi tribe, which is stewarded today by the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band.