04/07/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Stephanie Craig Awarded 2026 First Peoples Fund Cultural Capital Fellowship to Advance Indigenous Placekeeping
KALAPUYA ILIHI, WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON — April 6, 2026 — Stephanie Craig, a 7th generation traditional basket weaver and member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, has been named a 2026 Cultural Capital Fellow by the First Peoples Fund (FPF). Craig is one of only seven Indigenous culture bearers selected nationally for this yearlong program, which provides a $10,000 grant and professional development to those dedicated to passing on ancestral knowledge within their communities.
The fellowship will directly support Craig’s work through Rooted Ways: An Indigenous Cultural and Ecological Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit she leads alongside Co-Executive Director Molly Leno. By focusing on the vital work of placekeeping, Rooted Ways seeks to revitalize the connection between Indigenous people and their ancestral landscapes.
"Receiving this fellowship from the First Peoples Fund is a profound honor that centers the importance of placekeeping," said Craig. "Placekeeping is about more than just remembering the past; it is the active, daily work of honoring our ancestral belongings and ensuring our traditional ecological knowledge remains a living, breathing part of the landscape for the next seven generations."
The Cultural Capital Fellowship is specifically designed to support artists who enrich the "Indigenous Arts Ecology." Regarding this year’s cohort, Jaren Bonillo, Director/Program Weaver of First Peoples Fund, noted: "Their artistic creations and sharing of traditional knowledge not only enrich individual lives, but also strengthen cultural continuity and community well-being."
Under the leadership of Craig and Leno, Rooted Ways is embarking on an ambitious schedule in 2026. This includes a series of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) gathering weekends held in partnership with private and public land stewards. These events focus on the sustainable harvest and management of traditional materials and ancestral foods native to the Pacific Northwest.
Craig, who holds a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, continues to bridge the gap between academic research and lived traditional practice. Her 2026 initiatives include ongoing research into Indigenous cultural belongings held in museum repositories and the preservation of ancestral foodways and traditional heritage projects.
About Rooted Ways
Rooted Ways: An Indigenous Cultural and Ecological Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oregon, led by Co-Executive Directors Stephanie Craig and Molly Leno. The organization focuses on the revitalization of Indigenous cultural lifeways through education, ecological restoration, and the preservation of traditional arts. By centering placekeeping and Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Rooted Ways works to heal the relationship between the land and its original stewards.
About First Peoples Fund
First Peoples Fund (FPF) is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1995. Its mission is to honor and support the Collective Spirit® of First Peoples artists and culture bearers. The Cultural Capital Fellowship is a yearlong program providing financial and technical support to those further the work of passing on ancestral knowledge within Native communities.
Media Contact:
Heather, Executive Administrative Assistant
Rooted Ways: An Indigenous Cultural and Ecological Initiative
[email protected]
An Indigenous Cultural and Ecological Initiative Rooted Ways is an Indigenous-led nonprofit revitalizing traditional knowledge systems through ecological restoration, ancestral foodways, cultural teachings, and community-based land connection. We restore both land and lifeways—supporting
