News From Native California - Spring 2016 Volume 29 Issue 3 | Page 9

AMANDA (MAIDU) &
CARLOS GEISDORFF (TUOLUMNE ME-WUK)

VINCENT MEDINA (OHLONE) &
LOUIS TREVINO (OHLONE)

Acorn Festival 1998 is where Carlos and I first met. As he
tells it, he saw me first. But truth is, I saw him. Well…at
least I saw his car first. We followed each other around the
tribal hall that Friday night. He finally caught more than just
my attention. We spent all night talking until 6:30 the next
morning. That Acorn Festival changed my life. I had found
my love, my friend, my partner in this life. I am thankful
for Creator’s strange way of bringing us together. And that
car…we still have it. A lil ’69 Mustang that’s still missing
the U! —Amanda

We met at the 2012 AICLS Breath of Life, with both of
us focused on revitalizing our Ohlone languages, mine being
Chochenyo, and Louis’s being Rumsen. Leanne Hinton,
a dear friend, introduced Louis and me together and I believe
she had plans for us to meet. We kept in contact, and soon
after, in a roundhouse together, I realized that feelings were
beginning to materialize. On New Year’s 2015 I asked him
if he wanted to date, and our friendship moved into a relationship with someone I can see spending my future with.
Both being Ohlone, having a passion for our languages, and
caring about the old ways makes being in a relationship unique
and special for me. I know it’s something I will never find
again, and I’m grateful everyday our paths came together.
—Vincent

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