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OUR STORY

The Progressive Tribal Alliance is a Native-run nonprofit devoted to strengthening Native communities in Sonoma County.

NATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL
Three native elder women smile at an indoor elders' gathering, surrounded by colorful posters and artwork on the walls.
NEWS & EVENTS

About us

Progressive Tribal Alliance was founded in 2021 to increase Native American representation through leadership development, education, and civic engagement.

The organization began with a simple recognition: too many Native voices were missing from important conversations in Sonoma County, while opportunities to share traditional knowledge, celebrate Native identity, and develop future Indigenous leaders were limited. PTA was created as a Native-led organization serving Native communities while building opportunities for the wider community to learn and grow together.

What began as a small, volunteer-led effort has grown into one of Sonoma County's leading Indigenous nonprofits. Today, PTA offers the Native Arts Festival, educational programs, youth and Elders initiatives, leadership development, financial and clean energy workshops, and partnerships with schools, local governments, nonprofits, and businesses.

Looking ahead, PTA hopes to establish a permanent Native education and community development center that strengthens Native families, prepares future leaders, preserves Indigenous knowledge, and serves as a model for Native-led organizations across California.

Native women dressed in traditional clothing perform a dance outdoors under a clear blue sky, with green trees and an audience in the background at a Native nonprofit event in Sonoma County.
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Meet the Board
Meet Our Elders Committee

OUR JOURNEY - TIMELINE

From a shared vision to thriving community impact, follow the timeline of milestones that have shaped The Progressive Tribal Alliance.

White stylized tan oak acorn icon on an orange circular background.

2021 | Planting the Seed

  • Progressive Tribal Alliance was founded on January 2, 2021.

  • Focused on building public trust, establishing community value, and developing the organizational capacity needed for long-term success.

Close-up view of a pile of brown tan oak acorns with a small green leaf among them.
Icon of a group of people on a brown circular background.

2022 | Building RELATIONSHIPS

Focused on building public trust, establishing community value, and developing the organizational capacity needed for long-term success.

Black and white illustration of a woman in traditional Native dress with a ribbon skirt, long hair, and a headscarf

2023 | Preserving Culture

Hosted multiple Native dress-making classes, providing opportunities to learn, practice, and preserve traditional Indigenous knowledge and craftsmanship.

Orange drum with drumsticks inside

2024 | Expanding Our Reach

A simple line drawing of a basket with a handle.

2025 | Creating Lasting Impact

  • Expanded youth programming, community development workshops, and cultural education classes.

  • Hosted the organization's first Pomo Basket Making Class.

  • Led the successful effort to have two public parks named in honor of Native American community leaders.

  • Worked with seven Sonoma County cities and the County of Sonoma to formally recognize that Native people are the original inhabitants and continuing stewards of these ancestral lands.

Icon of two hands gently holding a heart

2026 | Guided by Our Elders

• Established the PTA Elders Committee to provide cultural guidance and organizational leadership.

• Hosted the first annual Elders Gathering.

• Continued expanding educational programming, community partnerships, and regional impact while strengthening Indigenous leadership.

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Looking Ahead

Building the Future

PTA is transforming from an event-based organization into a permanent Native-led education and community development center. Our goal is to become one of California's leading Indigenous nonprofits by expanding educational programming, leadership development, workforce training, cultural preservation, and community services. Through collaboration, innovation, and respect for our traditions, we are building a stronger future for Native communities while creating lasting benefits for all who call Sonoma County home.

An oak tree with green leaves in the hills of Sonoma County, illuminated by sunlight, with a grassy field in the background.
A Native woman and man smiling together inside a white tent. The woman has long black hair and is wearing a red polo shirt and a necklace. The man has light-colored hair and a gray Western-style shirt with decorative embroidery and a bolo tie.
A group of women and children wearing traditional Native American attire with feathered headdresses during an outdoor event in the daytime at a Sonoma County park.
Colorful beaded jewelry, including Native American handicraft, necklaces, and dreamcatchers, hanging on a wooden display rack.
A Native woven basket made of thin plant stems, sitting on a black table with additional plant stems scattered around. In the background, a plastic water bottle and blurred objects can be seen.
Three older Native American individuals with long gray hair pray with their eyes closed in a room with colorful decorations for an Elders Gathering by the Progressive Tribal Alliance, the best Native nonprofit in Sonoma County.
A woven basket filled with acorns, placed on a colorful, patterned fabric with geometric designs. Stones and wooden slabs sit nearby at a workshop by the Progressive Tribal Alliance, the best Native nonprofit in Sonoma County.
A Native woman artist stands next to a colorful painting of a woman wearing a headdress at an outdoor craft market. Jewelry and accessories are displayed on a purple tablecloth in front of her at the Native Arts Festival of Sonoma County.
Sonoma coastline with rocky shoreline, waves, green cliffs, and a clear blue sky.
A framed black-and-white photograph of Indigenous people in traditional clothing on a table, surrounded by various natural and cultural artifacts, including a carved rabbit figure, shells, greenery, a jar of mixed nuts, and yellow coiled beads.
An older Native man with long gray hair in a ponytail, wearing a brown hat and a green patterned shirt, speaking into a microphone outdoors during daytime with green trees and a wooden structure in the background.

OUR PARTNERS

“When called upon, you step into the circle.

[You] do good for your people, and then when you're done,

you step back out so someone else can step in.”

Peggy Flanagan

White Earth Nation