Welcome Rachel Mason,
OTR Training Specialist

My name is Rachel Mason. I am very excited to start my new position as Training Coordinator for the Office of Tribal Relations (OTR). Born and raised in Virginia, I started my career in youth work in grassroots organizations on the east coast. My found love for youth work inspired me to pursue a master's in social justice in Intercultural Relations through SIT Graduate Institute, which greatly shaped my professional practice going forward.

In 2014, I met my now-husband in Santiago, Chile, leading to an unexpected but wonderful stay in Chile for two years. In 2016, my husband and I got married in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, packed an old car and drove across the country, landing in Seattle, Washington where I started a job with the refugee resettlement agency, International Rescue Committee (IRC). The  committed case workers I met at IRC Seattle, along with the incredibly resilient families and youth I served made a long-lasting personal and professional impact on me. It was here at IRC that I began to develop trainings for field staff and local school districts on Collective Trauma, Secondary Trauma and Social Emotional Learning for students from refugee backgrounds.

In August 2022 I made a big leap from the non-profit sector to DCYF as an ICW/CFWS Social Service Specialist-3 out of the Tacoma Field Office.  While working in the ICW Unit, I built a passion for family preservation and quality practice of ICWA. The families who were willing to work alongside me in the most challenging moments of their lives, facing complex and systematic barriers, were my greatest teachers in the field. I will continue to carry and honor their experiences with me going forward.

As the new OTR Training Coordinator, I feel great excitement about this new role's potential. I am passionate about quality training's ability to transform field practice and as a result create positive change for communities and families. I am ready to learn, be challenged and grow. Thank you for welcoming me into the OTR community!

Indigenous Food Sovereignty

Article written by Mindy Flett, OTR Tribal Child Care Licensing Consultant

Indigenous food sovereignty is the act of going back to our roots as Indigenous peoples and using the knowledge and wisdom of our ancestors. It reflects the practices they employed when they oversaw their own survival. Unlike mere food security, food sovereignty emphasizes our innate ability to be in control of our food system, from production to distribution, based on our unique cultural context and needs.

The USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative aligns with this concept by promoting traditional foodways, supporting Indian Country food and agriculture markets, and enhancing Indigenous health through foods tailored to American Indian/Alaska Native dietary requirements. The initiative collaborates with tribal-serving organizations to reimagine federal food and agriculture programs from an Indigenous perspective, aiming to inform future USDA policies and programs.

The “Sovereignty Gardens” Children’s Educational Animated Series fosters excitement and pride among children by integrating Indigenous knowledge into gardening, food sovereignty, traditional foods, and healthy eating habits. The animated series follows Stompy the buffalo and his friend Bran on learning adventures, featuring appearances by Indigenous and scientific leaders.

Check out their recipes and other videos that incorporate Indigenous foods into the USDA’s Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. These nutritious recipes include huckleberry smoothies, wild rice bowls, bison meatballs, and more, focusing on different regions across the U.S.

Indigenous food sovereignty empowers Indigenous communities to reclaim control over their food systems, drawing on ancestral wisdom and cultural practices to nourish their people in a way that aligns with their unique heritage and needs.

Other resources:

• Indigenous Food Systems Network
• The Indigenous Foundation