October kept the momentum going—full of creativity, culture, and community connection. From spooky celebrations to cultural gatherings, our teams and youth showed up with heart and excitement. Each event reminded us of the joy that comes from working together and uplifting one another.
Here are some highlights from a month that brought plenty of treats and meaningful moments.
Chekws Counseling Services October Data
October was a busy and impactful month for our counseling team at Two Feathers! Our clinicians and interns provided 561 hours of individual support across 207 enrolled clients throughout Humboldt County — from Eastern Humboldt to Northern and Southern Humboldt. With 17 dedicated staff and 2 amazing interns, we also welcomed 8 new clients into our circle of care. Every hour spent represents a moment of connection, healing, and growth for our Tribal youth and families.
Two-Spirit Conference
We’re deeply grateful to everyone who joined us in celebrating Two-Spirit identity, culture, and community. Your voices, stories, and laughter filled the space with love, strength, and connection.
Together, we honored our ancestors, uplifted our identities, and created a space for healing rooted in belonging. This gathering was a powerful reminder that Two-Spirit people have always been — and will always be — vital to our collective future.
A heartfelt thank-you to our presenters, panelists, community partners, and participants for helping make this event so meaningful.
Special appreciation to the Wiyot Tribe, Blue Lake Rancheria, Queer Humboldt, and the incredible staff at Two Feathers for making this gathering possible.
Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day
We want to extend our gratitude to Orleans Elementary for inviting us to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day together! Two of our staff members, Mettah Kuska and Maymi Preston-Donahue, joined students and the KTJUSD Indian Education Program to lead a demonstration dance and Karuk language games with youth from Orleans, Weitchpec,and Junction elementary schools.
A big shoutout to the students for their bravery and for sharing their beautiful songs! We also want to thank Julian Lang, Laura Sanders, Olivia Rose Williams, Sydney McConnell, and the McConnell family for their help with dressing.
Our appreciation goes out to all of our community partners who made this event so special—from sticks (Forrest Davis), to art, language, foods, and the powwow demonstration by the Kibby family.
Yôotva!
Spooky Walk and Trunk-or-Treat
Two Feathers hosted our 4th Annual Spooky Walk—this year transforming the old Mill Creek Theater into the “Kill Creek Theater” for a one-night-only event!
We had an incredible time haunting up the halls and scaring over 860 brave guests—and we loved every minute of it! A huge thank-you to our community for showing up and letting us bring the spooky fun. Special appreciation goes out to our youth volunteers (you truly killed it!), the Cal Poly Humboldt Wrestling Team for jumping in to help, and the McKinleyville and Arcata High Native American Clubs for taking charge of Room 6 and delivering the perfect fright!
We kicked off Halloween week with our Trunk or Treat on Monday, October 27, where our staff and youth hosted an evening full of candy, games, spooks, and laughter. It was a huge success, thanks to everyone who joined in!
Now that Halloween has been packed away until 2026, we’re shifting gears and staying busy with school outreach and youth break activities. Thank you to everyone who helped make this spooky season one to remember!
Partnership Highlight: Cultural Education
Two Feathers was honored to support the California Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education (AEOE)during their Fall Regional Meetup. Our team brought one of the Big Lagoon redwood canoes to share with participants, where Mettah Kuska offered a brief history and shared the cultural significance of the canoe to local Tribal peoples.
Educators also had the opportunity to experience Big Lagoon firsthand—paddling the canoe and connecting with the land and water in a meaningful way. It was a beautiful day of cultural exchange, learning, and outdoor connection.
Building Community at Hoopa Elementary
Our time with the youth at Hoopa Elementary continues to be filled with laughter, creativity, and teamwork. Each week, our groups of 5th and 6th graders have been diving into hands-on art projects that encourage self-expression and cultural connections, while also enjoying outdoor team games that strengthen collaboration and trust.
These moments are about more than just fun—they’re opportunities for youth to build confidence, connect with one another, and practice the values of respect, community, and belonging before the rainy season settles in.
Hoopa Valley High School Wellness Class
Our wellness class at Hoopa Valley High School has been thriving this year, diving into cultural activities that nurture creativity, connection, and well-being. Students have enjoyed learning and playing traditional card games, practicing beading techniques, and exploring the art of braiding beargrass—a skill deeply rooted in local tradition.
These hands-on experiences not only strengthen cultural identity but also create space for relaxation, storytelling, and community building within the classroom. It’s been inspiring to see students so engaged and proud to carry these traditions forward.
Cutten Elementary School Brush Dance Demonstration
Two Feathers was honored to be invited back to Cutten Elementary School for the second year in a row to share a Brush Dance demonstration during their Multicultural Night.
We are so proud of the youth who shared their songs—many participating for the very first time! Their courage in representing their culture made the evening truly special.
A heartfelt thank-you to Teresa McGinnis for the invitation and to everyone who helped make this event possible. Opportunities like this remind us how important it is to bring Native culture and traditions into our local schools, creating spaces for learning, respect, and celebration.
Staff Anniversary Celebration
We’re thrilled to celebrate more incredible members of our Two Feathers team who continue to pour their hearts into uplifting Tribal youth and community wellness.
✨ Ernie – Cultural Program Coordinator | 3 years of service
✨ Ellen – Mental Health Clinician | 2 years of service
✨ Katie – Youth Development Specialist | 2 years of service
✨ Caleb – Youth Advocate | 2 years of service
Thank you all for the passion, creativity, and dedication you bring to our programs each day. Your work continues to build connection, culture, and strength throughout our community—and we’re so grateful for all that you do!
Acorns & Traditions
With acorn season upon us, we would like to highlight a video Two Feathers created as part of our Food Sovereignty Series on YouTube in 2020!
As folks may recall, COVID-19 had impacted how we provide mental health services, so Two Feathers took to social media and other forms of online communication to stay connected with our youth and families and to try and build a sense of community during a time when we needed it the most. You can still see all that work and new videos on our YouTube page!
For this video Two Feathers NAFS was invited to the home of Bertha Peters (Yurok) for a lesson on the cultural significance of acorns, and traditional and contemporary methods of processing acorns. Dania Colegrove (Hupa/Yurok) and Marva Sii~xuutesna Jones (Tolowa/Yurok/Karuk/Wintu) join Bertha to contribute to the conversation and help make a delicious batch of acorn soup.