Here are a few questions that we have come across within the community recently. We hope that you will find our answers helpful to understanding Yanawana Herbolarios.

Is Yanawana Herbolarios representing the Coahuiltecan/Tap Pilam Nation?

Short answer – No.

Long answer – Although we do have volunteers and a board member who are part of the Coahuiltecan Nation, as well as a working relationship with AIT, we are not representing the Coahuiltecan Nation. That being said, Yanawana Herbolarios is Indigenous led and run and has team members/volunteers with personal relationships to the Chichimeca, Eastern Cherokee, Eastern Creek, Lumbee, Navajo, and Coahuiltecan nations. If anything, we are an Inter-tribal organization.

How did you decide on your name?

Water is the first medicine. Without water life ceases to exist. Even the most drought hardy plants MUST have water at some point to continue living. All of our work – clinical and educational – takes into consideration water. Does the community (we’re working with) require clean water? Do they know how to harvest water? What are the best solutions for them? Clean, safe water is paramount to the health of a food/medicinal garden. As an organization, water is incredibly important to us so we wanted to incorporate water in our name. We also wanted to honor the land on which we serve. The land which, although not native to all of us in the organization, has taken us in and that we have come to love and protect as we would our own sacred native lands. Hence the first part of our name, Yanawana, in honor of the body of water that nurtures life in this area. The second part of our name, Herbolarios, pays tribute to our work with plants as herbalists and to the fact we serve in an area rich in South and Central American culture and traditions.

Are you a nonprofit?

Yes. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Yanawana Herbolarios would be happy to provide a tax receipt for donors upon request.

How many people work for Yanawana Herbolarios?

We are a completely volunteer run organization. Technically none of us are employed and all of us volunteer.  At this time, aside from the occasional gas or teaching stipend, none of us get paid. We have a total of 6 folks sitting on the board (5/6th of the board is female and Indigenous), a CEO/Clinical Director, a COO/Wildcrafter extraordinaire, and many generous, lovely volunteers. This fall we will also have a team of interns funded through the Federal workstudy program.

What is your policy on transparency?

We are huge fans of transparency! Have a question? Ask! See our gold star profile on Guidestar

Are y’all curanderas or traditional healers?

No. Maria (CEO) and Heidi (COO), the leaders and full-time healers of Yanawana Herbolarios are both clinical herbalists with backgrounds in traditional herbal medicine from their own Indigenous traditions but they are not curanderas or traditional (spiritual healers).

But don’t you have curanderas or other traditional healers at your clinic – The People’s Clinic?

Yes, we do. Yanawana Herbolarios creates relationships with community organizations AND healers to bring the communities we serve a larger range of services. Yanawana Herbolarios would only be able to serve a few hundred folks a year without volunteers and partners, but by partnering with other folks, we will be able to serve several thousands of folks a year. We are blessed and grateful to have a wide range of healers volunteering with our clinics to include allopathic (Mental health, nurses, PA’s), bodyworkers (Reiki, massage, reflexology), birth workers (Doulas, Midwife), and Indigenous/traditional healers. 

Will there be interpreters at the clinics?

At this time both locations in District 3, as well as our location in District 5 will have interpreters. If the need arises for interpretation at the District 1 and Elmendorf clinics (as well as any future clinics) we will provide that service.

Are you part of The Human Path/Herbal Medics organizations?

No, we are not. Although we have many incredible community relationships, partnerships, and affiliations, we have no association with the above organization(s) and are an independent organization.

What do your classes or clinics cost?

Although we always gratefully accept donations, our services are 100% free to the community making them accessible to those needing them the most. By making our services free instead of sliding scale we remove the burden and discomfort of having to ”prove you’re poor” before receiving access to important services and resources.

Have any other questions for us? Don’t be shy! Just ask us!