Wisdom of the Elders, Inc
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc
A letter from the Executive Director – Teresa Montana
Give!Guide Kick off November 1st
We’re excited to share that we’re part of this year’s Give!Guide, an annual campaign by Willamette Week that makes it easy and fun to support local nonprofits! The campaign kicks off on November 1 and runs through December 31, giving you the chance to donate (starting at just $10) and help make a big impact in our community. Join us in celebrating the kickoff and give where it matters most at giveguide.org
Indigenous Archive Initiative
Indigenous Archive Initiative
Our Mission
Wisdom records, preserves, and shares oral history, cultural arts, language concepts, and traditional ecological knowledge of exemplary Native American elders, storytellers, and scientists in collaboration with diverse institutions, agencies, and organizations. Our vision: Native American cultural sustainability, multimedia education, and cultural reconciliation.
Wisdom Newsletter
Rooted in Wisdom: A Season of Connection & Renewal
Greetings friends and supporters of Wisdom of the Elders! As Winter has come to an end we are ready to Spring into action. We are so happy to announce a few exciting updates and opportunities to connect. Wisdom Workforce Development First of all, we are excited to...
Native Wisdom Documentary Film Update
Wisdom’s multimedia team is continuing its work on an educational film shared with the forestry service, and also filming a program that features a variety of Grandmothers stories.
Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge: An Internship program
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. is pleased to announce the (ITEK Program) Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge. This program is designed for interns and focuses on traditional ecological knowledge passed down from generations.
Wisdom Projects, Community Action, & Events
Read more about what Wisdom of the Elders is doing in the community.
Celebrate Salmon Homecoming 2025 with Wisdom of the Elders
Honoring Salmon, Culture, and Community at Oxbow Regional Park Hello friends and relatives,We are honored to share that Wisdom of the Elders will be joining this year’s Salmon Homecoming, happening Saturday and Sunday, October 18–19, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m....
Celebrating Community at REI Beaverton’s Fall Member Days
On Sunday, September 14th, our team had the privilege of joining REI Beaverton’s Fall Member Days Event—and what an incredible day it was! From start to finish, the energy was buzzing as members, families, and outdoor enthusiasts filled the store to connect, learn,...
Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Zenger Farm
Zenger Farm is opening its doors for a special Día de los Muertos Celebration on Saturday, November 1st, from 11 AM to 3 PM. This beloved cultural tradition will be honored with food, music, community, and reflection at the farm, located at 11741 SE Foster Rd,...
Designing for the Future: From Oregon to New York City
Korina Emmerich’s Journey to Fashion’s Biggest Stage A Historic Moment in New York City Fashion The lights dim, the beat rises, and the runway fills with colors, textures, and stories that have never before been given such a stage. Indigenous Fashion Week NYC (INYFW)...
Join Us for Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2025
Join Us for Indigenous Peoples' Day 2025 in Portland—food, pow wow, vendors, and community celebration. At Wisdom of the Elders, we believe in the power of gathering, sharing stories, and celebrating the strength of our communities. This October, we’re honored to...
Supporting Portland Film: August Highlights
At Wisdom of the Elders, we are proud to stand alongside our friends at Portland Events & Film as they continue to uplift and strengthen the local film industry. Like us, they are dedicated to telling powerful stories and building opportunities for filmmakers and...
Made possible with support from these generous Partners, Funders, and sponsors
Notes from Wisdom’s Executive Director:
More updates coming soon… In the meantime, please read more of our Newsletters
Hello and greetings to all,
First, and foremost, we send you a massive Thank You to all of our partners and supporters. Our team celebrates all that you do to uplift our programs as we serve our shared communities. Just know that with each kind word of encouragement, each phone call, and every penny, it’s an opportunity for us to turn to each other with a celebratory word: well done, congratulations, way to go team, and a shared Thanks to each of you!
Your generosity is both deeply appreciated and heartfelt.
We are in the midst of creating an Apothecary for our Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge Internship (ITEK), which is offered twice yearly. We are also deep in the planning process for our Seed-Saving & Sharing program while developing strategic plans to build new garden beds to grow Traditional First Foods.
As our ITEK students learn through classroom instruction and gain hands-on field experience, they all have a part in these processes.
Our community partners are, as always, so gracious to walk alongside us, providing their insight and encouragement to our students and our team. To you, we offer our gratitude for sharing our vision for future generations. You make Wisdom that much richer and add depth to our mission when you join us at the table or in the field to share our goals. The impact is felt all the way through our students, and they take that to fuel themselves into their path forward. To note, we have had previous interns go on to create their own business ventures.
I do hope you are doing well and enjoying the excellent fall colors of our beautiful Northwest! Indeed, my favorite time of year. I hope you enjoy the photo of the fantastic double rainbow.
I want to note that Wisdom is recruiting for additional Board Members. We are recruiting those with experience and interest in one or more of our programs and committees.
Ecological Restoration & Conservation, Curriculum Development, Multimedia / Film
Please reach out at your earliest convenience.



































