Photo above by Skip Armstrong
River Newe was initiated and founded in 2017 by Jessica and Sammy Matsaw.
Co-Founder
Jessica Matsaw Shoshone-Bannock (Tukadeka/Agaideka)
Jessica is a survivor of domestic abuse and intimate partner violence. Through her studies analyzing violence and intergenerational trauma Jessica has found her calling to work with tribal youth, assisting and guiding in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being. Educational systems are presently and historically been spaces of violence towards Indigenous peoples. Jessica combats educational systems of exclusion and cultural erasures by focusing culturally centered, equitable learning spaces of engagement. Jessica’s ambitions as an educator are to celebrate Indigenous ingenuity, intellect and inquiry. Jessica’s teaching methods focus on self-determination, Indigenous pedagogy, decolonizing methodologies, social justice and community-based power. Jessica currently teaches at a tribal high school located on the Fort Hall, Indian reservation.
Jessica has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, (minoring in psychology), an Academic Certificate in Diversity and Stratification, a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and her teaching certifications (Art and Social Sciences).
Understanding whY . . .
“I have known abuse and violence my entire life. I am a third-generation survivor of domestic abuse. I am a survivor of child abuse. I wanted to deconstruct, understand, see the roots of a societal issue impacting my community as well as other tribal communities. As a result of my experiences and the experiences of the women before me, I dedicated a large portion of my education to understanding why.”
-Jessica Matsaw (2016)
giving back . . .
“At the end of the day I’m here to be of service to my family, communities and nations in giving back. In places with memories, on land with relatives in ceremony is where Jessica and I have both healed from our own horrible experiences at the root of our PTSD. We’ve unpacked, untangled and re-imagined who we wanted to be for ourselves, for us, for our children, and our extended families, communities and nations.”
Co-Founder
Sammy Matsaw Shoshone-Bannock/Oglala Lakota
Sammy is a father, husband, grandfather, and extended family member. Sammy along with Jessica oversees day-to-day operations of River Newe; planning, coordination, website development and social media communications, and grant writing . He brings ten years of military experience and leadership, and ten more years of science and management involved in Indigenous sovereignty and treaties. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology (fisheries), a Master’s in Biology (conservation genetics), and a Ph.D. in Water Resources (interdisciplinary—science & management track).