This project was born on the Yuba River in Northern California, home to the Chinook salmon — known as Mai in the Nisenan language — and the ancestral land of the Nisenan people. Their story is specific to this place, but it mirrors a deep, enduring relationship between land, water, and community — one found in rivers everywhere.
It carries a story of resilience — the salmon’s journey upstream, against the current, never giving up. And a story of interdependence: how the health of an ecosystem shapes, and is shaped by, everyone within it — people, animals, land, and water alike.
Along the way, we honor the wisdom of the native people of this land — their knowledge, their reciprocity with place, and their enduring relationship with the river.
All of this comes alive through an interdisciplinary, interactive approach — storytelling, visuals, music, and movement — inviting participants into playful exploration rather than passive learning.
The Salmon Journey Workshop can be presented as an intergenerational experience — including parents, grandparents, and community members of all ages — or as a classroom program for kids, suitable across elementary grade levels.
The salmon is a keystone of the Yuba River ecosystem — connecting the ocean to the mountains, nourishing the land and its communities, and sustaining the cultural and spiritual life of the region’s indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Today, dams and the legacy of the Gold Rush have changed this river, and salmon populations are critically threatened.
In its first phase, the Salmon Journey has written and recorded an original bilingual song at Olivia Studio with live musicians, created twelve original illustrations — including the Mandala “Together We Thrive” — and delivered four intergenerational workshops at the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley, the SYRCL Film Festival, and local libraries.
The Salmon Journey began with a $37,000 grant from the Nevada Arts Council — awarded in partnership with the Nisenan Tribe, who mentored the project on their story and legacy on this land. Together, this brought the project to life through intergenerational workshops across Nevada and Yuba County, including an opening celebration at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, a major environmental film festival in Nevada City.
This project would not have been possible without a collaborative team, and we’re grateful to everyone who helped bring it to life.
Monica Farbiarz is a Colombian artist based in Northern California, working across music, dance, illustration, and interactive teaching. The Salmon Journey grew from her own lifelong impulse to create — and the grant that helped bring it to life. Read her full story on the About page.
The Nisenan Tribe mentored this project’s understanding of their story, history, and enduring relationship with this land — an essential part of the Salmon Journey from its beginning.
A multi-instrumentalist, producer, and graphic/web designer, Felipe brought his musical and visual skills to shape the Salmon Journey’s sound and presentation.
felipeoliveira.com · Instagram (@drummerfelipeoliveira) · Facebook
A wildlife biologist and watershed restoration planner, Kristen brought her deep knowledge of local ecology to shape the project’s environmental education content.
A visual artist and filmmaker, Julie documented the project’s first intergenerational workshop — captured in the video below.
Facebook (@julleye) · Instagram (@julleye)
This project is grateful to the Nevada County Arts Council and the California Creative Corps, for their dedication and support of artists across our region, and for the grant that made the Salmon Journey possible.
We also acknowledge SYRCL (South Yuba River Citizens League) — where this whole journey began, through a volunteer expedition to the Yuba River that first introduced Monica to the salmon’s story. Their support during the grant process was invaluable. Visit SYRCL.
And to the wider Grass Valley and Nevada City community — the families, teachers, and supporters who welcomed this project from its very first workshop — thank you for being part of this journey with us.
We are the salmon. Together we thrive.