For your act of kindness and generosity in our time of need.

This week, our CEO, Esther Lucero (Diné), our Board President, Tom Warren (Choctaw), Seattle City Councilwoman Debora Juarez (Blackfeet), and others gathered at Eighth Generation’s headquarters for a surprise gifting ceremony to Louie Gong (Nooksack) and his team for their incredible generosity during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This spring, as COVID-19 rapidly spread, our clinic struggled to obtain the supplies and resources needed for our relatives and essential health care workers through state, local, and federal agencies. Amid the global shortage, Native-owned Eighth Generation came to our aid to supply us with a huge donation of over $10k worth of personal protective equipment (PPE). Read more about the donation in The Seattle Times.

“I am in awe of how community works here and how intertwined it is,” said Esther to Louie. “I’ve only had a handful of in-person interactions with you, but I’ve always known you have my back.”

In gratitude and reciprocity for the their generosity, we presented Louie Gong and the Eighth Generation team with a beautiful work of art, a glass feather, created by artist Michael Dupille, and an honorary plaque that reads, “For your act of kindness and generosity in our time of need.”

Louie has been part of the SIHB family for nearly 20 years. When he first came to Seattle, he had an office located in the basement of Seattle Indian Health Board while working for The University of Washington. During the gifting ceremony, Gong said “I’m grateful to the Seattle Indian Health Board and the way it represents community. Not just in the words or services, but the essence and spirit of community—I see that in the Health Board. My time at the Seattle Indian Health Board established the community foundation that Eighth Generation is built on.”

We thank Louie and Eighth Generation for their continuous support and for all the work they do for our communities.