Indigenously-Rooted was founded by Tonio Amador, a descendant of Pomo, Wailaki, Nomlaki, and Wappo peoples and a first-generation Mexican American on his father's side. Like many Indigenous people navigating life in settler colonial America, Tonio's journey was complex and difficult—marked by systemic challenges, personal struggles, and disconnection from his roots.
After a personal crisis that included an accident, felony charges, and a spiral into disconnection, Tonio found himself lost. It was during a walk in nature that everything changed. There, in an encounter that felt guided by something greater than himself, he met California Mugwort. The ancestors and Mother Earth introduced him to the plant that would change everything.
That single encounter with one plant sparked a profound awakening. Tonio dove deep into ethnobotany and the traditional plant knowledge of the Indigenous peoples of this region. As cultural knowledge grew, so did mental health and sobriety. Tonio will be two years sober in September 2026—a testament to the healing power of cultural connection and the land.
What started as one plant has grown into something much larger: a California native plant nursery, a food sovereignty initiative, and a vision for a cultural third space that serves all of Mendocino County's Indigenous communities.
As a Two-Spirit person carrying the intergenerational trauma of boarding schools, forced assimilation, and migration on both sides of the family, Tonio's story resonates with many in the community. His healing is their healing. His vision is their vision.
Indigenously-Rooted exists because healing through culture should not be a privilege. It should be accessible to everyone.