Erin Hanson's painting Cottonwood Flame: cottonwoods in orange and gold leaf against a cobalt sky and red cliffs, dry grass below.

The Learning Council & Western Colorado Migrant & Rural Coalition present

Cottonwood Convergence

A Council to ReMember

– Paonia, Colorado

See the schedule artwork by Erin Hanson

Cottonwood Convergence honors Ute tribal nations as the original stewards of this land.

Erin Hanson's painting Cottonwood Flame, whole: a cottonwood in orange and gold leaf against a cobalt sky and red cliffs, a grove behind it, dry grass and sage in the foreground.
artwork by Erin Hanson

A weekend of weaving together Indigenous knowledge, thriving ecosystems, and visions for our collective future

Cottonwood Convergence is a multi-cultural council in the North Fork Valley, bringing together members of Ute tribal nations whose ancestors were displaced from it, migrant communities, and regional residents. We’re creating intentional space to center indigenous, immigrant, and community voices and perspectives, weaving stories and crafts more fully into the valley’s cultural fabric. Together, we’ll celebrate our diversity, learn from one another, and begin to reimagine our collective future.

Since the sacred Ute Council Tree in Delta was cut down, The Learning Council has been engaged in repairing and deepening the ties with Ute nations. Cottonwood Convergence is designed to honor the hard work and struggle that our many communities have experienced, and to mark the start of a new chapter in diverse cultural collaborations.

The Convergence will host Ute, indigenous, migrant and community educators, artists, musicians, and crafters who will lead presentations, share their work, and participate alongside workshops from the various cultures represented. Events will include ecological justice, seed swaps, talks and roundtable discussions, art jams and public installations, music, dance, feasts, storytelling and healing. Food will be local, organic, and cooked fresh by The Learning Council.

  • Storytelling & skill shares
  • Visionary art jams
  • Indigenous cultural ReMembering
  • Tending inner & outer sanctuary spaces
  • Seed saving & regenerative farming
  • Civic community action
  • Music, movement & celebration
  • Council, ceremony & prayer
  • Gathering, grieving & feasting

Draft schedule

Friday, November 13

  1. 2 – 6 pm Smiles Check-In, The Hearth. Welcome, orientation, buy a ticket.
  2. 4 – 5:30 pm Opening Ceremony: SEEDing the LANDing with Roland McCook Sr., The Hearth: main hall and garden. Welcome, orient, open ceremony, introduce reps from all cultural aspects, set intention for the Land Acknowledgement.
  3. 6 – 7:30 pm Dinner, The Hearth garden.
  4. 8 – 9 pm Sage on the Stage: Traditional Harvesting & How it's Impacted by Climate & Policy with Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk, The Hearth.
  5. 9 – 11 pm Music, The Hearth.

Alongside the program: Tea House, 2 pm – midnight; Hearth Fire, 2 pm – midnight; Child care, 8 – 10 pm; Library, 10 pm – midnight.

Saturday, November 14

  1. 8 – 9 am Movement as Medicine, The Hearth.
  2. 9 – 10 am Coffee & Snacks, The Hearth garden.
  3. 10:30 – 11:30 am Workshops, The Hearth: garden, library, and kitchen.
  4. 10:30 – 11:30 am Community Resistance + Resilience in the Name of Disruption with Natasha Léger, The Hearth.
  5. 1 – 3 pm Cottonwood Convergence Market: Culture Share, Paonia Town Park.
  6. 6 – 7 pm Live Set with Fuerza Cora Brasil Musical, The Hearth garden.
  7. 6 – 7:30 pm Dinner, The Hearth garden.
  8. 8 – 9 pm Sage on the Stage: Tobacco Plant Medicine with Farley Ketchum Sr., Paradise Theatre.
  9. 9 pm – midnight Ambient Music, The Hearth.
  10. 9 pm – midnight Cottonwood Convergence Culture Jam with Molina Speaks, Paradise Theatre. Variety Show Format like Bilingual Creative Circus Vibe.

Alongside the program: Tea House, 9 am – midnight; Hearth Fire, 10 am – midnight; Library, 11:30 am – midnight.

Sunday, November 15

  1. 8:30 – 10 am Coffee & Snacks, Museum & River Park.
  2. 9 – 10 am River Walk Prayer Ritual, Museum & River Park. Coffee & snacks.
  3. 10 – 11 am Land Acknowledgement Reading, Museum & River Park.
  4. 11:30 am – 12:30 pm Lunch, The Hearth garden and Museum & River Park.
  5. 1 – 2 pm Weaving a Future Together: Cultures, Histories, and Collective Reimagining with SMMO (Sara Ozawa), The Hearth.
  6. 2:30 – 3:30 pm Closing Ceremony: ReMember Us All, The Hearth.
  7. 5:30 – 7:30 pm Dinner, The Hearth.

Alongside the program: Library, 8 am – 9 pm; Hearth Fire, 11 am – 9 pm.

Venues

Take part

What we’re looking for:

  • Speakers, especially Ute, to present on topics under the purview of culture, environment, and health
  • Workshops in your area of expertise
  • Artists, storytellers, and performers
  • Partners and sponsors to collaborate or support the event
  • Volunteers to help us with event production (kitchen support, event set-up, clean-up, etc)
  • Community organizations who want to collaborate on programming

If you’re drawn to regenerative culture, Ute leadership, ecological healing, or strengthening the bonds between disparate local communities, come join us for the first-ever Cottonwood Convergence.

Please let us know how you’d like to contribute (speaker, workshop facilitator, performance, partnership, sponsorship) and what you need from us to participate fully.

Write to Alicia and Emily

Contact alicia@thelearningcouncil.org and emily@thelearningcouncil.org if you’d like to sponsor, collaborate, volunteer, participate or have any questions.

Download the flyers