Meet the Muwekma Village Authority
We provide environmentally conscious design, construction, and management services to meet the needs of the Muwekma Ohlone Nation. The Authority is governed by the Muwekma Ohlone Tribal Council.
The Muwekma Village Authority was created under the leadership of Chairwoman Charlene Nijmeh in 2023, with a mandate to construct a mixed-use living community for the Tribe's membership, with the goal of providing a home for each and every Tribal citizen.
The Authority is managed by a Board of Commissioners who are appointed by, and report to, the Tribal Council. Upon completion of the construction of the Village, the Authority will be led by an Executive Director who will be tasked with programing the village with services and events while managing Tribally owned facilities.
The Authority is currently conducting a search for an Executive Director. If you are a Tribal member who is interested in serving on the Board of Commissioners, please contact matt@Muwekma.org.
Our Founder
Chairwoman Nijmeh understands what a historic accomplishment it would be to rebuild just one of the dozens of Ohlone villages that were burned to the ground as part of California's brutal genocide. In 2023, the Chairwoman asked the Council to establish the Authority to pursue the acquisition of land and to launch a major capital campaign to fundraise the $450 million that it will cost to construct the multi-use living community.
Charlene began her engagement in Tribal affairs at the early age of 8 during the Tribe’s efforts to repatriate ancestral remains during the early 1980s. She has served as Chairwoman since 2018. In 2008, Charlene started 7th Generation Recycling, a commercial textile recycling company, and served as founding CEO for four years. In 2012, she founded the Green Education Foundation to support local schools and communities in educating our citizens on the responsibilities we all must carry to live a more sustainable life.
