Local Pomo basketweaver receives international honor
Corine Pearce, from the Little River Band of Pomo Indians Redwood Valley, received a Silver Award for Community Engagement in the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards “Education, Arts and Culture” category. She joins fellow winners Amanda Gorman (poet), Quannah Chasinghorse (activist, fashion designer) and Gloria Steinem (feminist).
Corine's work revitalizes and celebrates Pomo life cycle traditions through diverse community engagement and outreach programs.
She is constantly teaching and encouraging new basketweavers through in-person presentations, field classes, roundtable dialogues, and remote/recorded (audio, video webinar) talks by Pomo culture bearers in collaboration with over 20 Pomo tribes and tribal communities located in Mendocino, Lake, and Sonoma counties, and with regional learning centers, public radio stations, museums and art galleries.
The Anthem Awards was launched in response to the prevalence social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. The 2nd Annual competition received nearly 2,000 entries from 43 countries worldwide.
By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities.
Corine comments on her award, “I'm really proud that I did my acceptance speech in the Northern Pomo language — it's the first time in the history of our country that a national award acceptance speech has been done in an indigenous language that is being revitalized.”
To view Corine's acceptance speech, look on Youtube under “Corine Pearce 2023 Silver Anthem Award.”