It is with great pleasure that Incomindios announces the recipient of the 2020 Incomindios-Lippuner Scholarship: Brittani Orona.
Incomindios is proud to be able to support Brittani's work and vision with this scholarship, and looks forward to working with Brittani in the coming months to jointly promote indigenous rights as well as environmental rights.
Background
Incomindios seeks to support indigenous communities worldwide in their causes and rights, and believes that education is paramount to achieving these goals.
Thanks to the generous legacy of Eva Lippuner (9/17/1935-10/15/2019), Incomindios has been able to launch a new scholarship program to support indigenous students. With this scholarship, Incomindios - in partnership with the University of Kent - aims to financially support Indigenous students* in obtaining a degree in the field of Indigenous rights.
Biography of Brittani R. Orona
Brittani R. Orona is a native of the Hoopa Valley in the United States. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of California in "Native American Studies" with a special focus on human rights. Her dissertation explores Hupa, Yurok, and Karuk perspectives on traditional ecological knowledge, environmental health, and human and water rights. Brittani also explores ways in which indigenous communities can sustain their worldviews. For example, by Indigenous people trying to make their sovereignty more visible to the general public.
Brittani is currently a board advisor for Save California Salmon, a grassroots organization that works to restore rivers by restoring streams and salmon habitat, removing dams, and improving water quality throughout Northern California. Through this work, she supports grants or lecture series dedicated to enhancing the history of indigenous environmental work in Northern California. In addition, she was a Switzer Environmental member in 2019 through the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation.
Academically and professionally, she focuses on repatriation, indigenous rights, cultural resource management, indigenous environmental justice, and environmental history in connection with California Indian tribes and indigenous peoples worldwide. She received her Master of Arts in Native American Studies from the University of California in 2018. Brittani is a proud third generation graduate of Humboldt State University (Bachelor of Arts, History) and Sacramento State University (Master of Arts, Public History).