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

Wisdom of the Elders, Inc

Indigenous Archive Initiative

The Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. Indigenous Archive Initiative is a monumental endeavor to preserve and share the rich cultural heritage and wisdom of Indigenous communities. By digitizing and organizing over two decades of recorded video footage, we are creating an accessible online interactive database. Please support our mission by donating to our fund today.
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc

Indigenous Archive Initiative

The Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. Indigenous Archive Initiative is a monumental endeavor to preserve and share the rich cultural heritage and wisdom of Indigenous communities. By digitizing and organizing over two decades of recorded video footage, we are creating an accessible online interactive database. Please support our mission by donating to our fund today.
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc

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

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 of the Elders, Inc 2024 Horizontal

Wisdom Projects, Community Action, & Events

Read more about what Wisdom of the Elders is doing in the community.

Made possible with support from these generous Partners, Funders, and sponsors

The Collins Foundation
First Nations Development Institute
Ecotrust
Native Arts & Cultures Foundation
national Endowment for the Arts
East Portland Action Plan
Zenger Farm
Portland Parks & Recreation
sauvi-island-center
 Willamette Week Give Guide
Open Signal
Leach Botanical Garden
Johnson Creek Watershed Council Partner
MHCRC Community Grant
ninety-nine girlfriends
Oregon Metro
Meyer Memorial Trust
Big Green DAO
East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Oregon Community Foundation - 2025 Funders and Partners
Healy Foundation
Friends of trees

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. 

Teresa@wisdomoftheelders.org

- Teresa Montana,

Executive Director