Erasure Is Not Our Future
I’m Lucille Contreras, founder of the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project.
This past week, we were hit with a devastating blow. Under the direction of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, the federal government abruptly terminated nearly $400 million in AmeriCorps grants—over 40 percent of the agency’s budget. There was no warning, no recourse. Just a sweeping decision that impacted more than 32,000 AmeriCorps members and over 1,000 organizations across the country. Texas was hit especially hard—and so were we.
More than half of our staff came from AmeriCorps. These members were not temporary help. They were the heart of our work. They helped us rematriate the Southern Plains, restore our Buffalo relatives, and breathe life back into Indigenous foodways. Their service was not supplemental. It was essential. The Texas Tribal Buffalo Project, as it exists today, would not have been possible without them.
Now, many of these same members—young parents, veterans, recent graduates, and sole providers—are suddenly without stipends, housing, food support, and community. And our programs, which are rooted in care, healing, and sovereignty, are under threat.
But we know this truth: we have never relied solely on colonial systems to survive. Our ancestors taught us how to exist beyond them. And we are doing the same.
This moment invites us to move with intention, to root deeper, and to remember: our work has never been just about surviving. It is about ensuring that the land, our Buffalo, and our people thrive—together.
Here’s how you can take action today:
Contribute to active campaigns supporting Indigenous sovereignty and land rematriation—including ours. Your donation helps fuel long-term change.
Buy Buffalo meat from our ranch. Your purchase supports regenerative practices, helps us hire staff outside of extractive funding systems, and nourishes a hyperlocal economy. We’re the only Bison ranch accepting EBT/SNAP online.
Amplify our work. Share our posts, forward our newsletter, and bring others into this circle.
Most importantly, if you’ve felt the call to deepen your relationship with the land but don’t know where to start—this is your invitation. Come volunteer with us at the ranch.
Erasure is not our future. You are the heart of what’s to come.
For the land, the Buffalo, and future generations—thank you.
Lucille Contreras
Founder & CEO, Texas Tribal Buffalo Project
