Virtual Workshops

The American Indian Cultural Center of San Francisco offers a growing library of virtual programming that centers Native knowledge, creativity, and nourishment. Through collaborative teaching videos, community members are invited into the living traditions of regalia making, Indigenous foodways, and cultural storytelling. These offerings highlight the wisdom of Native artists, cooks, farmers, and teachers—creating accessible pathways to learn, remember, and reconnect across generations and geographies.

- Regalia Making Class
• 1/6/26
T Dress Making

T‑dress making is a meaningful tradition in Native culture, where garments are crafted with care, creativity, and cultural significance.
- Regalia Making Class
• 1/6/26
Appliqué Creation

Appliqué making is a vibrant art form in Native culture, used to decorate clothing, regalia, and ceremonial items with meaningful symbols and patterns.
- Cooking Class
• 8/29/25
Cooking Greens - A Native Foodways Teaching

Learn to cook greens such as kale, chard, and other greens in this in-depth Native Foodways teaching video, and learn about greens in the context of traditional and modern Native foodways.
- Regalia Making Class
• 1/6/26
Shawl Making Follow Up

Shawl making is a cherished tradition in Native culture, symbolizing honor, ceremony, and personal expression.
- Regalia Making Class
• 1/6/26
Ribbon Skirt Making

Ribbon skirts are a powerful expression of Native identity, culture, and resilience, worn to honor tradition and community.
- Cooking Class
• 1/6/26
Tan Oak Acorn Soup

This class on making tan acorn soup explores the deep connection between Native food traditions, climate change, and cultural resilience.

Virtual Workshop Teachers

A man and woman standing outdoors behind a table with vegetables and cooking ingredients, smiling at the camera. The table has a purple tablecloth, with zucchini, yellow squash, and herbs, along with cooking utensils, a bottle of alcohol, and a blue bowl. The background features trees and a carved wooden fence.

Evie Ferreira & Ben Shleffar

Evie Ferreira and Ben Shleffar are Native foodways educators with The Cultural Conservancy, dedicated to preserving and revitalizing Indigenous food traditions. Their work centers on ancestral knowledge, land-based practices, and nourishing cooking methods that connect Native communities to culture, health, and sustainability—bridging traditional teachings with contemporary life.

Anecita Hernandez

Anecita partnered with the American Indian Cultural Center (AICC) to create a virtual project that highlights Traditional Regalia making, showcasing the artistry and cultural significance behind pieces such as T-dresses, ribbon skirts, appliqué, and shawls. Through this project, she shares traditional techniques and teachings, helping to preserve cultural practices while inspiring the next generation to embrace and celebrate their heritage.

A woman with dark wavy hair and bright makeup smiling at the camera, wearing a light yellow dress with a blue belt and colorful earrings.

A woman wearing a large feathered headdress with black and white feathers, standing outdoors with trees and cars in the background.

Bernadette Smith

Bernadette Smith is a respected Coastal Pomo songholder and traditional dancer with over 30 years of experience practicing the ceremonial Feather Dance (To’to Ko’ O). As a songholder, she plays a vital role in preserving sacred songs and sharing their cultural and spiritual significance with her community. Continuing her father’s legacy, she mentors the next generation by teaching young Pomo women to carry forward these traditions. In partnership with AICC, Bernadette led a virtual acorn soup class, sharing traditional culinary knowledge and the deep connections between food, ceremony, and culture