Crystal Charles (she/her)

SeaForester Co-Owner & Food Sovereignty Coordinator

Crystal is a Yurok, Welsh, and Scandinavian resident of Humboldt County. She has served on the committee for Indigenous Food Sovereignty at the Northern California Tribal Court Coalition (NCTCC).

Crystal is passionate about Food Sovereignty and organic foods because she's been able to address her own health issues by learning about nutrition and adjusting her diet. She is looking forward to offering these same resources to others. She is excited to support other formerly incarcerated people in their healing.

Crystal is also a peer support specialist with Yurok Wellness Court and an apprentice for acorn based food ways.

Outside of her work for Food Sovereignty, Crystal has experience as a student of massage therapy and herbal medicine, as well as a mentor for tribal youth in gardening. 

Mister Vega (he/they)

SeaForester Co-Owner & Aquaculture Cooperative Researcher

As a dedicated single parent and social worker, I am passionate about supporting individuals with disabilities and other marginalized communities.

As a recent graduate of Cal Poly Humboldt with a bachelor’s in social work, I bring a strong foundation in advocacy and direct service. My personal experience of raising a child with autism, coupled with my involvement in organizations like Project Rebound and Old Town Community Alliance, fuels my commitment to creating positive change.

As a participant in Earth Equity, I am driven by a deep commitment to Environmental Justice and human potential. My personal experience with incarceration and direct aid has fueled my passion for supporting individuals impacted by incarceration. I believe that combining ecological restoration with reentry support can create a more just and sustainable future for all.

Rooted in Humboldt County, I enjoy the outdoors, fitness, and connecting with my community.

Daisy Smith (she/her)

SeaForester Co-Owner & Documentary Film Crew 

My name is Daisy Etta Smith. I am Yurok, Tolowa Dee-ni, and Pomo. I am also a beginning basket weaver and a traditional Pomo dancer. 

Life after any amount of incarceration can be trying, even with a support system.  I see Earth Equity as a new dawn, a new day, and a new beginning. Together, we can make positive change possible in our lives and environment.

Steph McKindley (she/they)

SeaForester Co-Owner & Economic Justice Researcher

I am a dedicated advocate for economic justice and social equity. Drawing from personal experience as a system-impacted person, I use my voice to uplift those who have faced incarceration, promote food sovereignty, and foster well-being.

As a Senator in student government at the College of the Redwoods, I worked collaboratively to drive positive momentum within the academic environment, and redistribute funds for equitable change.

I am in the Social Work program at Cal-Poly, and live on the Hoopa Valley Reservation, raised by a Redwood Creek/Hupa tribal member. I am passionate about addressing systemic barriers that marginalized community’s encounter. I strive to create accessible, sustainable solutions that empower individuals and families.

I'm also involved in amazing groups like the Formerly Incarcerated Club, Root and Rebound, Project Rebound, and the Dept. of Rehabilitation. My hobbies include Reiki, crystals, finding four-leaf clovers, connecting with nature, and caring for my family.

I understand the barriers that incarcerated individuals face. I am learning to navigate these challenges through economic justice and social work, because everyone deserves a fair chance to thrive.   

Sonia Hunsucker (she/her)

SeaForester Co-Owner & Reentry Support

I am a Yurok Tribal member, mother, sister, and daughter first and foremost. I also identify as a former incarcerated Lifer. I served 12 years on a 15-life sentence when I was released through Prop 1437 in May of 2021.

I came home a woman with a vision, goals, and dreams. While reentry was not an easy transition, I have remained determined to navigate towards a future that will allow other struggling people to find and gain access to the resources we all so desperately need. I want to support others as they come home.

I dedicated my time inside to self-help, ceremony, education, running the Native circle, and maintaining the sacred grounds. I came home with my A.A. in Behavioral and Social Sciences, and the drive to be part of a team ready to assist in changing the lives of those seeking something different.

My lived experiences allow me to know the needs of those integrating back into society as well as what it takes to lower recidivism rates. I joined Earth Equity because I want to be part of the movement to enhance the lives of those still incarcerated while having the platform to be part of a successful reentry team.

Food sovereignty has become a major influence on the Native community – rippling out to support those affected by diabetes, obesity, and dietary habits which lead to shorter lives. I want to be someone that leads those within and beyond my community through transformation into a completely new way of life and wellbeing. My end goal is to have gained knowledge and to have enhanced the chances of success within our community.

I spend my personal time gathering whatever natural resource is in season. 

Robert Kuikahi (he/him)

Education Program Facilitator

I am a 47-year old Hawaiian-Mexican from Southern California who is incarcerated for a gang-related shooting I committed in 1996.

People ask about the moment my life changed, but sometimes it’s not a single moment. Sometimes it’s just a slow painful process called growing up. For me it was the weight of my bad deeds that wore me down gradually over years.

I’ve spent 13 years making amends now and I joined Earth Equity because I want to participate in a culture that is doing something for the world. Exploring new perspectives is something I’m committed to, and through Earth Equity I can help others do the same.

Strengths that I bring to the table: creativity, humor, and a willingness to step out of my comfort zone. 

More About Me

My passions are art and reading. For me art is a positive way to vent and a way to connect with other minds. When someone sees your art, and you see that they understand it that is a great reward.

I started out drawing with pencil, ink, and paint. Then a friend asked me to turn one of my paintings into a doll. That’s how I got into 3D art and, against all odds, became an artisan doll maker. My favorite genre of literature: everything.

Direct Contact: Robert Kuikahi - CDCR# K64520  -  Cell 5-W-22

Johnny Payton (he/him)

Education Program Facilitator

Johnny Payton is an ocean protector and passionate activist dedicated to uplifting marginalized communities in impoverished regions. With a deep commitment to environmental justice, Johnny combines his knowledge of marine ecosystems with a strong advocacy for social equity, working to ensure that sustainable solutions benefit those most affected by climate change and environmental degradation.

As a member of Earth Equity, a place-based environmental organization focused on justice-centered sustainability, Johnny plays a vital role in developing community-led initiatives that protect the ocean while empowering underrepresented voices. His work bridges the gap between ecological science and human rights, emphasizing the urgent need for inclusive, equitable environmental action.

Driven by purpose and guided by compassion, Johnny continues to lead efforts that not only preserve our planet’s oceans but build resilience in the communities that depend on them.

Polimana (all pronouns)

Documentary Film Co-Director 

Greetings! My name is Polimana. Care, access, and equitability are some of the most important things to me. I believe the only way to embody these qualities is through a keen sense of empathy.

As a musician I love to put myself into others’ shoes to see where people are at and assess perspectives from as many angles as I can in order to formulate a truthful story. I take a lot of care to ask people how they’re feeling and what they’re dreaming about - to ask about their ideas about specific situations, ideas, problems, wins and losses, because I want to know. This helps me to understand and color the world from their perspectives.

This film project seemed like it would be extremely challenging in terms of drawing a cohesive narrative, so I thought it would be really fascinating to take on. Besides the challenge of it all, I also think the subject matter is extremely important and relevant to myself coming from my community, which is disproportionately impacted by incarceration and environmental racism, which I have experienced firsthand.

I really look forward to seeing the kinds of bridges we can build with this project.

Travis Chaney (he/him)

Documentary Film Crew 

My name is Travis Chaney. I'm a Humboldt County native that has dedicated my life to helping people in their times of greatest need.

I've been a mental health social worker and advocate. I've worked with the highest need populations in order to provide services and resources that enliven and enrich their living experience.

I've worked with diverse populations including the Houseless, at risk youth, those with substance abuse and mental health issues, and individuals who have been involved with the legal system.

I am interested in community efforts to provide better opportunities for disadvantaged populations, especially those dealing with the negative consequences of the prison industrial complex.

I have personally been effected negatively by my own encounters with law enforcement. I'm devoted to finding solutions that involve Restorative Justice allowing for full integration back into society.

Brendan Killeen (he/him)

Documentary Film Crew

I am a returning student entering Cal Poly Humboldt for a fourth or fifth act of life. I'm disabled, homeless, formerly incarcerated, and am still justice-involved. 

I was the president of the formerly incarcerated students club at College of the Redwoods while attending for the past year. I've been involved in anti-poverty, food security, environmental, and free speech activism since I was 14 years old. 

I'm going into social work with an eye on working in research, policy, and advocacy. I'm the father of a grown son who is also a student, and I have a wonderful dog companion named Darwin.

Felix Evans

Prison Program Coordinator

My name is Felix, and I am a perpetual student of the revolutionaries and liberation movements that come before me. I draw on a range of life experiences to inform my work at Earth Equity, from supporting the frontlines of Indigenous-led water protection camps and Land Back projects, to conducting marine science research on algae in the estuaries of the Atlantic coast.

I am excited about the transformative worldbuilding that is possible at the intersection of knowing the land and earth, and knowing the people in our communities, including those incarcerated in the belly of the beast.

As a mixed-race person of Korean diasporic and eastern european settler descent, I am especially curious about the role of international solidarity in our resistance to the intrinsically connected issues of environmental exploitation, global capitalism and militarization, and the prison-industrial complex. 

Jiajing Wang (all pronouns)

Prison Program Coordinator

I work towards building a regenerative and self-sustaining world where all people can realize themselves and their dreams.

At Earth Equity, I am a facilitator that learns and works alongside system-impacted people to generate strategies and scholarship to restore our coastal kelp forests, while also advocating for an abolitionist future.

As a high school educator, I encourage and empower my students to think for themselves and to look for connections between their own lives, their communities, and their world.

As a queer, first-generation Chinese immigrant, I come to Turtle Island with reverence and care, holding the truth of my ancestry and the truth of settler violence as I navigate my role here on Ohlone land.

Having been formally trained as a materials science engineer at MIT, I am excited by opportunities to learn and teach about science in ways that are rooted in real-life application, explicitly justice-oriented, and challenge the reductionist nature of Western science.

On an average day, I can be found biking to the ocean, reading under a tree, or yapping at a community garden

Nova West (they/them)

Documentary Film Advisor

I am an artist, filmmaker, photographer, and environmental educator from Minnesota. As a National Geographic Explorer, I am working to create more diverse and holistic landscapes for wildlife storytelling.

    My work focuses on visual arts and camera operation, specializing in wildlife and underwater filmmaking. During my career I’ve collaborated with organizations like National Geographic, Discovery, Netflix, Pristine Seas, NOAA, and Ocean Exploration Trust.

I also sail as a Video Engineer and Expedition Documentarian aboard the E/V Nautilus, operating deep-sea ROV camera and broadcast systems while documenting groundbreaking science and exploration operations.

Recently, I released my independent documentary, Diving for Rays, which is available for streaming on Waterbear Network. I am also involved in film festivals, serving as a participant, judge, and panelist. As a long-time board member of the Jackson Wild Queer Collective, I work to create spaces and events for creatives across the globe collaborate.

Aerin Monroe (he/him)

Documentary Film Advisor

I’m a writer, producer, environmental consultant, designer, and land steward of Afro-Latin, Creole and Caribbean descent, raised in Oakland, CA. Since being gentrified out of the Bay Area three years ago, I've been living with my wife and children in Humboldt, CA.

My background is in natural landscaping, organic agriculture, journalism and land management. My work focuses on Afro-Indigenous land practices and stewardship, Climate Justice, sustainable food systems, regenerative agriculture, ecosystem restoration and land/food sovereignty for BIPOC communities.

 In 2023, I wrote and produced a docuseries, in collaboration with Save California Salmon, called Sowing Seeds: Racial Justice and the Environmental Movement.

Each episode offers insight into aspects of Environmental Justice by centering Black and Indigenous scientists, educators, and activists all working to bring about positive change within Humboldt County.

This series worked to create awareness of climate issues and provide guidance on how we can work together to ensure healthy ecosystems and equity for communities most severely impacted by climate change and injustice. 

Demond Lewis (he/him)

Advocate

Advocacy is a one bone capone. When you advocate for yourself, you advocate for people like yourself. 

I’m from Perris, California, been down 21 years, got 109 years for shooting someone in the leg. Most of my ill deeds were products of ignorance. Juvie was my high school. Instead of an education and pro-social habits, I learned anti-social street tactics and violence. It is only now, at the age of 50 that I have caught up and learned how to get along in normal, pro-social ways. Now that I know more about myself, I’m ready to live for my community. Ironically, the system that prepared me to live a new life also promised to never give me a shot at that new life. 

I joined up with Earth Equity because this group was made for folks like me. Earth Equity gives us a chance to share our thoughts with the world and make a difference.  

More About Me 

I’m a former gang member, a proud father of three, and a grandfather of four.  

My hero is my son. In his 28 years of life without me being present he has managed to stay out of prison, be a father to his children, and break the cycle of violence I brought him into.  

My favorite food is turkey lasagna. My favorite book is Tales from the Bricks by Maurice Kelly – a brother from Imperial Courts (a housing project in Watts) who I did time with in Centinela. My favorite movie is “Dances with Wolves”. 

In my spare time I like to use conversation to draw out people’s unique perspectives.

Direct Contact: Demond Lewis - CDCR# J68030  -  Cell 3-W-71

Sergio Argueta Jr (he/him)

Advocate

I joined Earth Equity because I want to be an ocean steward. I fell in love with the ocean by watching shows on PBS for the last 12 years of my prison sentence. We don’t have internet in here, so PBS is actually one of the better ways to get current information and continue to learn. Nature shows and NOVA are my favorites so I know how important it is for us to heal and protect our kelp forests.

I’m a 38-year-old from Red Bluff, California. I’m serving a life sentence for an assault and battery I committed in 2011. Shortly after coming to prison in 2013, I got clean and sober. In 2021, I officially cut all ties to my former gang life. If I get a second chance at freedom I will continue my education and pursue a career restoring kelp forests and working with ocean wildlife. I am an asset to the cause of ocean stewardship because I’m good at networking with other people and organizations, and this is a mission that just needs to get done. Maybe most importantly, I bring passion and dedication. This is going to be a lifelong fight so we have to be committed. My commitment is to keep getting good grades and become a marine biologist.  

More about me

I love heavy metal and rock music. My favorite bands are Korn, Metallica, and Slipknot, but to relax I listen to Taylor Swift. I am passionate about my family, animals, and the ocean.

Contact me via email: Earth Equity Inside

Julia Dunn (they/them)

Team Facilitator

I'm grateful to contribute to this work - where people and seaweed free each other. I think this is an experience I've been preparing for my whole life.

My job here is to support my teammates in building relationships, accessing resources & knowledge, navigating healing & trauma, and determining their own paths. I help with organization, planning, and -enacting visions & dreams. 

I value belonging, consent, and connection. This work - the people, the sea - are beloved to me.

Email me: Julia Dunn