Essence Sage Oyos
Hometown:
Ramona, CA
Essence is excited to expand an agritourism project alongside tribal leaders that will help create a sense of belonging, stewardship, pride, and economic self-sufficiency for her community; the project is housed among the lands on which tribal ancestors subsisted since time immemorial and were recently purchased back by the tribe.
Essence is an Iipay/Yoeme enrolled member of the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians. She has more than twenty-five years of experience in business and service in the holistic health and wellness field. She holds a Masters of Public Administration with Organizational Leadership specialization from National University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a Minor in Anthropology from CSU San Marcos; and an Associate of Arts degree in Kumeyaay Studies from Kumeyaay College.
In 2017, Essence was humbled and honored to be named to volunteer on the Board of Directors of the newly formed Mesa Grande Development Corporation and has served as Secretary since then. Essence’s robust passion and dedication to enhance the economic self-sufficiency of her tribal community and the larger regional community led her to apply for the ERC fellowship.
ERC Project
Project Title:
The Golden Eagle Farm Agritourism Project
Host Community or Region:
California
Host Organization:
Mesa Grande Business Development Corporation (BDC)
The Mesa Grande BDC is embarking on a crucial initiative to revitalize the economic landscape of the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians, a non-gaming tribe facing significant economic challenges. With high unemployment rates and a majority of tribal households earning less than $25,000 per year, the BDC aims to leverage the Golden Eagle Farm, acquired in 2017, for job creation and revenue generation. The farm is in an area with existing agriculture, wineries, and tourism that attracts significant traffic, positioning it for success. This project addresses severe economic challenges, creating jobs and improving the well-being of tribal members. The ERC Fellow will help develop connections and collaborations across a wide array of resource organizations and individuals that can provide critical support in fundraising, financial planning, workforce development, strategic planning, infrastructure development, and marketing. The fellow will develop these relationships and a new five-year Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The project impact will be felt across the tribal community and the region.
Interested in supporting this project or learning more? Contact the ERC program team here.
