2025 NAHC Sustaining the Circle Gala Program

NOVEMBER 20TH, 2025 | THE BRIDGE YARD, OAKLAND, CA

WELCOME

to Native American Health Center’s (NAHC) 2025 Gala Celebration, Sustaining the Circle!

Tonight, we come together in gratitude and solidarity to honor the collective strength that has carried our community forward and helped us sustain a circle of care that extends beyond medicine. For 53 years, NAHC has been a place of healing and cultural connection for Bay Area Native Americans and all who walk through our doors.

Despite our progress, the future of health care, and the survival of community health centers like ours, is being debated on political stages.

Yet the health and well-being of our people should never be a political question. It is a sacred responsibility.

Through every challenge, our community has endured. Together, we have built a powerful circle that holds our services and programs, our elders and youth, our healers and families, our cultures and our future. Sustaining this circle is made possible by your support. Every contribution strengthens our ability to continue this work—to provide care that honors our ancestors activism and stewardship, embraces cultural traditions, and builds a stronger, healthier future for all.

As we look ahead to the opening of our new building, Flicker, in early 2026, we are reminded of how far we’ve come—from one small location in San Francisco in 1972 to 13 sites across the Bay Area. Flicker will be more than a clinic. It will be a home for healing, community, and cultural connection, representing our shared commitment to Sustaining the Circle for decades to come.

Thank you for walking alongside us, for believing in our work, and for helping us carry this torch forward. With your partnership, we will continue to sustain the circle.

In solidarity,

Natalie Aguilera, CEO Native American Health Center

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LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT Native American Health Center wishes to recognize the Lisjan Ohlone people whose traditional territory the Native American Health Center’s 2025 Gala Celebration is on. They bear the past, present, and future wisdom of this sacred and living land.

Sogorea Te’ Land Trust is an urban Indigenous women-led land trust that creates opportunities for all people living in Lisjan territory to work together in re-envisioning the Bay Area community and what it means to live on Ohlone land. If you wish to donate to Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, please visit their website at sogoreate-landtrust.org/donate or scan the QR Code.

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EVENING PROGRAM

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS BEAR

SALMON

COYOTE

HUMMINGBIRD

MEDIA SPONSOR

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Emcee | Jackie Keliiaa Jackie Keliiaa is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor based in Oakland. You can find her in the book, “We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans & Comedy.” Jackie has been featured on Comedy Central, Team Coco, Netflix, and IllumiNative’s “25 Native American Comedians to Follow.” She wrote for the web series “You're Welcome America” and has been featured in Vulture, Uproxx, LA Times, and KQED, among others. Jackie has opened for Judah Friedlander and Nikki Glaser and was featured on Amazon Prime’s “First Nations Comedy Experience.” Jackie produces Good Medicine Comedy, an all-Native comedy show that has sold out venues in the Bay Area and beyond. Jackie has performed at San Francisco SketchFest, Punch Line San Francisco, and Cobb's Comedy Club. Jackie attended UC Berkeley, majoring in Ethnic Studies and Native American Studies. She has a Master's in Urban Planning from Columbia University and spent a decade working in community and economic development prior to pursuing comedy.

Welcome Song | All Nations Singers All Nations is a Northern style Powwow singing group from Oakland, CA. The group has been singing together for over 20 years and is an influential Native American drum group in the Bay Area and beyond. The All Nations Singers teach youth and adults interested in powwow style singing every Wednesday at the Intertribal Friendship House in Oakland.

Over the years several singers have sat down to sing with All Nations. All Nations fuses their urban/contemporary upbringing with traditions of the past to provide good sounding and appropriate songs everywhere they sing.

Cultural Artist | Elem Pomo Dancers The Elem Pomo dancers are from Elem Indian Colony in Clearlake Oaks, CA. Started by Jim and Elvina Brown. The Brown Ohana has been dancing since the early 70's. They have performed in Washington, DC, Arizona, Hawaii, and recently at the Met in New York and the De Young Museum in San Francisco. As well as performing the Shakehead Dance, they continue to practice their sacred Hesi dance at the roundhouse on Elem. They are dedicated to celebrating and preserving the rich heritage of the Pomo people. Through traditional song, dance, and regalia, our dancers connect with their ancestors and learn the stories and values passed down for generations. Under the guidance of our community elders and leaders, the dancers not only learn to mimic the movements of traditional Pomo dances but also gain a deep understanding of their cultural significance. We believe that by nurturing this next generation, we ensure the vibrant traditions of the Pomo people.

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Cultural Artist | AkaMya Culture Group Founded in 1997 on the Big Pine Paiute Reservation, the group was originally formed by Sage Romero to provide youth and tribal community members with a safe space to begin learning dance and song. What started as practices in the backyard of Sage’s family home has grown into one of the first local Indigenous/Native American-owned and operated 501(c)(3) Nonprofit organizations, with a focus on living culture, preservation, multimedia (Video/Song/Animation), practice, and presentation.

AkaMya recently completed and opened the Margaret L. Romero Cultural Studio, where weekly classes and ongoing multimedia work are done. Classes include Hoop Dance, Pow Wow, Social Dances, traditional Paiute styles, and a variety of modern styles for health and wellness. AkaMya also has members and outreach classes throughout California and Nevada, and continues to grow internationally. The group also hosts numerous cultural exchanges throughout the year, raising awareness of important issues and sharing the medicine of song and dance. Our Artists are now representing at numerous World Heritage Festivals on an international scale, while maintaining their connection to local and neighboring tribal communities. Through teaching and providing opportunities, AkaMya works to keep our culture alive. Honoring our past by teaching the future.

DJ | DJ KG DJ KG, who grew up in the Bay Area, has built a strong reputation through performances at iconic venues like the Paramount and Yoshi's in Oakland, as well as events such as the Art and Soul Festival, Black Joy Parade, and Hiero Day. Since launching his DJ career in 2016, his goal has been to create memorable soundtracks for life’s special moments.

Known for his ability to blend genres and eras, DJ KG ensures each event is a unique experience. Beyond the stage, he gives back by teaching recording arts at an after-school program in Bayview-Hunters Point. Raised in a musical family, DJ KG's passion for music drives his performances and his dedication to the community.

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FLICKER

Set to open in 2026, Flicker is NAHC’s newest development and a powerful investment in our community’s health. This building expands our Oakland campus and makes it easier for more families to get the care and support they deserve.

PUBLIC ART Two glass tile mosaics rise up 60feet across the front of Flicker, a collaboration between Amend and Civic Design Studio. The designs were inspired by conversations with local Lisjan Ohlone leaders, California Natives, and Bay Area Native community members.

Strawberries represent the intertribal community, while the flicker bird honors the building’s name and the flicker band design on its front. Together, they make the building a lasting work of art.

DENTAL CARE Flicker will feature a state-ofthe-art dental clinic, expanding our Oakland campus from thirteen dental chairs to nineteen—expanding our capacity to care for the community. Through this expansion, we’ll provide 20,000 visits each year, reducing wait times and improving access to quality oral health.

HOUSING IS HEALTHCARE Our communities need safe and affordable housing to build healthy lives. That’s why we’re proud that our partners at Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA) saw our vision of building health care and housing together. Our new facility will feature 76 homes for families with lower incomes or individuals who are experiencing homelessness, developed and managed by SAHA. Together, we’re innovating to make health care more accessible and address the most critical social determinants of health impacting our members.

HONORING CALIFORNIA NATIVES At the building’s crown, a striking flicker band design honors California Native peoples, including the Pomo and Miwok Tribes. Traditionally worn as part of dance regalia, the flicker band symbolizes healing and helps dancers stay focused on their purpose. It adorns the front of Flicker as a powerful reminder of cultural strength and healing—a sign of guidance and protection for all who enter.

KEEPING NATIVE CULTURE ALIVE This building is more than brick and glass—it’s a declaration that Native American people are still here, thriving, and leading. It represents Native excellence grounded in resilience and community. Through every design element and gathering held within its walls, we will honor those who came before us and keep our cultures strong for generations to come.

CULTURAL COMMUNITY CENTER Our new Cultural Community Center will serve as a vibrant home for connection and celebration. With space for up to 300 people, the center will host community events, ceremonies, and educational workshops for more than 3,000 attendees each year. It’s a space built to nurture culture, strengthen belonging, and keep our traditions alive and flourishing.

HELEN WAUKAZOO SPIRIT AWARD

Flicker Development Partners When Helen Devore Waukazoo was taken from her family at 13 and put into a Federal Native American Boarding School, she saw how the trauma of separation led many Natives down a cycle of addiction, poverty and family disconnection. She dedicated her life to helping her community recover and reconnect with their cultural ways. NAHC created the Helen Waukazoo Spirit Award to highlight local organizations that exemplify that same commitment to uplifting the Bay Area Native community. This year, we’re honored to recognize our partners—Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA), PYATOK, Nibbi Brothers General Contractors, and SmithGroup—who have worked alongside us for the past several years in developing our newest building, Flicker

SAHA provides quality, affordable homes and services that empower people and strengthen communities. Drawing on 50 years of experience, the organization operates nearly 80 communities for low-income seniors, families, and individuals with special needs, serving more than 3,500 households. SAHA’s work is guided by the belief that quality homes and robust services should be within reach for all members of the Bay Area community. With a strong commitment to high-quality design and thoughtful, ongoing supportive services, SAHA enriches the lives of its residents, helping them build better lives and create healthier, safer communities. The organization has received numerous awards from the American Institute of Architects, the Urban Land Institute, the San Francisco Business Times, Affordable Housing Finance Magazine, and others.

PYATOK architecture + urban design is a mission-driven, full-service architectural firm rooted in Oakland since 1984. The firm specializes in the planning and design of community-serving projects, including multifamily housing of all types, transitoriented development, and wellness and cultural facilities. PYATOK believes that vibrant places emerge from strong partnerships among project sponsors, communities, local organizations, public staff, and an open-minded design team.

NIBBI builds structures, partnerships, and opportunities. Since 1950, Nibbi Brothers General Contractors has been dedicated to creating spaces that strengthen Bay Area communities, encompassing affordable and market-rate housing, as well as education, commercial, community, and civic facilities. Their work with nonprofit and public partners reflects a shared commitment to building an equitable, sustainable future—one where every individual and family has the opportunity to live, learn, and thrive.

SMITHGROUP, founded by architect Sheldon Smith in 1853, is an award-winning, multi-national organization that employs research, data, advanced technologies and design thinking to help clients solve their greatest challenges. Their specialists—from artists and engineers, to nurses, workplace strategists and beyond—develop beautiful, sustainable, futurefocused solutions for senior living, healthcare providers, science and technology organizations, higher education and cultural institutions, urban environments, diverse workplaces, mixed-use and waterfront developments, and parks and open spaces.

SmithGroup’s integrated practice offers depth in all disciplines serving the built and natural environment, including architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, urban design, planning and lighting.

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FIRE KEEPER AWARD

Patricia Shirley (Navajo) In our ceremonial world, the fire is cared for like an honored relative. The fire must sustain even in the most challenging elements. The Fire Keeper ensures that the flame endures so those participating in sacred exercise are safe and confident in their environment. Our recipients ensure that community life continues in a safe and sacred manner. We recognize that their work in the community burns with the intensity of the ceremonial fire. This year, we’re proud to honor Patricia Shirley, Traditional Counselor at Friendship House Association of American Indians, San Francisco.

For nearly five decades, Patricia Shirley, CADC II, has served as a guiding force at the Friendship House Association of American Indians, dedicating her life to healing, teaching, and uplifting Native people in San Francisco and beyond. Since joining Friendship House in 1978, she has held a range of positions—including roles in Social Services, Substance Abuse Counseling, Women’s Prevention, and Family Services—before stepping into her current position as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC II/ICADC) and Traditional Counselor.

Patricia has skillfully woven traditional healing practices such as Talking Circles, Calling Back the Spirit, and Inner Child Healing into her counseling work, helping individuals find balance and connection in body, mind, and spirit.

Her compassionate leadership and cultural wisdom have made her not only a healer but a teacher, mentor, and trusted Elder for generations of community members.

Her outstanding service and dedication have been recognized with numerous honors, including the American Indian Woman’s Award (1984), Indian Health Service Outstanding Female Indian Employee Award (1990), Strong Medicine Award (2001), KQED Local Hero Award (2008), Gary Rhine Award (2010), and the Navajo Nation Certificate of Recognition (2025) for her lifelong contributions to Urban Native communities.

Patricia’s early experiences shaped her lifelong calling. After leaving boarding school and relocating to San Francisco, she witnessed firsthand the impacts of alcoholism on families and chose to dedicate her life to helping others heal through cultural care and recovery. Today, she continues to serve as a Fire Keeper for her community —keeping the flame of healing alive through her teachings, compassion, and strength.

NAHC is honored to celebrate Patricia Shirley for her unwavering commitment to preserving culture, inspiring healing, and keeping the sacred fire of community burning bright for future generations.

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MORNING STAR AWARD

Assemblymember Mia Bonta In many Native American cultures, the Morning Star provides guidance through a complex world, reminds us that renewal in life is possible, and shows us that we each carry a light to illuminate the darkness. Our award recipients use their powerful light to create paths for those who are lost. We recognize that their work illuminates our community as brilliantly as the Morning Star. In celebration of our Gala, we’re excited to honor Assemblymember Mia Bonta with our Morning Star Award.

Assemblymember Mia Bonta was elected to serve California’s 18th Assembly District in August 2021, representing the East Bay communities of Oakland, Alameda, and Emeryville. Throughout her career, Assemblymember Bonta has been a steadfast advocate for equity, access, and opportunity—working to make California a more affordable, inclusive, and just home for all.

Before joining the State Assembly, Bonta spent more than two decades leading nonprofit organizations focused on improving educational outcomes for low-income students and families. As CEO of Oakland Promise, she championed cradle-to-career programs designed to empower Oakland’s youth to achieve higher education and fulfilling careers. She also served as President of the Alameda Unified School District Board of Education, where she worked to strengthen public education and ensure that students and teachers alike had the support they needed to thrive.

A proud Black Latina and daughter of activists, Assemblymember Bonta was raised to fight for justice and to use her voice in service of her community. Her lifelong passion for education and equity is deeply personal—shaped by her own experiences moving frequently as a child and finding stability and hope through learning. Education became her path to empowerment and ultimately, her calling to public service.

Her advocacy has focused on addressing the most pressing challenges facing California’s families: homelessness, affordable housing, criminal justice reform, and climate resilience. In every arena, Mia has worked to build systems of care and opportunity that lift people up and strengthen communities.

Assemblymember Bonta holds a B.A. in Psychology from Yale University, an Ed.M from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a J.D. from Yale Law School. She lives in Alameda with her husband, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and their three children.

NAHC proudly honors Assemblymember Mia Bonta with the Morning Star Award for her unwavering dedication to illuminating the path toward equity, opportunity, and hope for future generations.

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Friendship House is humbled to be a part of Native American Health Center's work to Sustain the Circle and we are particularly proud of our own Patricia Shirley for being the 2025 recipient of NAHC's Morning Star award!

Congratulations to Patricia and all this year's honorees.

SPECIAL THANKS

NAHC extends our deepest gratitude to everyone who played a part in making this year’s Gala Celebration a success. This evening would not be possible without the dedication, generosity, and spirit of our donors, staff, volunteers, community partners, and supporters. Collectively, we continue to build a stronger future for our community, and we are grateful for you joining this journey. Thank you for standing with us!

NAHC would like to give special recognition to Gala Event Planning Team Earp Events & Fundraising AJ Anaswot Anthony Guzman Audrey Ronningen Chirag Patel

Christian Radziwon Jamica Cervantes Maira Garcia Natalie Aguilera

In-Kind Donors and Other Partners American Conservatory Theater Anthony Guzman Athletics Aurora Mamea Berkeley Bowl Berkeley Repertory Theatre Byington Vineyard & Winery Chaminade Resort & Spa Charles M. Schulz Museum City Cruises Claremont Resort & Club Club Fugazi Experiences Crystal Salas Crystal Wahpepah Faction Brewing Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Golden State Warriors Gorjana Gourmet Gift Baskets Hannah Mack

Hector Patty Ike’s Love & Sandwiches International Orange Irwin Lewis Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Jemzi Ortiz John Nguyen K1 Speed Larisa Bukh Lava Cap Winery Mark Garcia MatchBukh Talent Solutions Maureen Whitney McKahn Wines Michelle Shawnego Mountain Rose Herbs Natalie Aguilera Oakland Zoo Oakland Roots San Francisco Ballet

San Francisco Giants San Francisco Playhouse San Jose Sharks Tommy Orange Verve Coffee Roasters Winchester Mystery House Other Partners Blue Heron Catering Ethical Narrative The Bridge Yard Pop Life Photo Wahpepah’s Kitchen

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SUPPORT US Please give as generously as you can to help ensure we continue Sustaining the Circle!

Give Via Text Message Text GIVE to: (833) 255 - 3490 Follow the prompts Register your credit or debit card (first time only) NATIVE AMERICAN HEALTH CENTER | 2025 GALA CELEBRATION

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LEE DAVENPORT

YVETTE TORRES

CARMEN FOGHORN

Chair Tribal Affiliation: Sac-N-Fox

Vice Chair Tribal Affiliation: Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community & Klamath

Treasurer Tribal Affiliation: Isleta Pueblo & Navajo

NOAH GALLO

GINO BARICHELLO

NONA CLAYPOOL

Board Member Tribal Affiliation: Ysleta del Sur Pueblo

Board Member Tribal Affiliation: Mvskoke Nation

Secretary Tribal Affiliation: Minicoujou Cheyenne River Lakota

Founded as one of the first Urban Indian health centers in the country, NAHC has grown to be one of the largest. Serving Native Americans and other underserved communities in the San Francisco Bay Area, NAHC offers high-quality medical, dental, behavioral health, and social services, blending health care with traditional Native culture and traditions.