The Challenge
Since Westward Expansion in the 1800s, Native American populations have lacked enough access to water. Eastern settlers pushed Native Americans off of fertile land and dammed and diverted rivers to benefit the colonists' endeavors, which took water access away from the area's original inhabitants. This has lead to water and agricultural issues that still exist today. Tribes, including the White Mountain Apaches, also face Climate Change droughts and high rates of food insecurity.
BY THE ROOTS
The Solution
By The Roots is a multi-prong approach to food sovereignty to support the White Mountain Apache community. It is run and organized by Cheryl Pailzote, a White Mountain Apache tribe member who credits her lifelong interest in water to her upbringing along the White River in Arizona. She is a farmer and an expert on water resources and applies that knowledge to water access solutions, sustainable food options, and community education and outreach.
Cheryl Pailzote
By The Roots provides hands-on classes to teach community members to use water pumps to improve water access. Cheryl will support food sovereignty through community classes on cooking and nutrition, family gardens, and seed saving. These classes will create a productive, empowering, and supportive environment that will also bridge together the elders and youth of the community.