Maria Girouard of the Penobscot Indian Nation, Maine is an historian (M.A. History, University of Maine) with a particular expertise in the Maine Indian Land Claims. A longstanding community organizer, educator, and environmental activist Maria has spoken extensively on topics including Penobscot history, tribalstate relations, the Maine Indian Land Claims, food justice, and the current legal battle being waged over the Penobscots’ ancestral river. She is a cofounder of the Sunlight Media Collective and of Alnabek Kkihkan The Peoples’ Garden on Indian Island. She served her tribal community in the past as an elected member of the Penobscot Tribal Council and director of the Penobscot Cultural and Historic Preservation Department. In 2015 Maria was awarded the prestigious Maryann Hartman Award for her advocacy work in preserving the cultural heritage and rights of the Penobscot Nation. She currently works as a health and wellness coordinator for MaineWabanaki REACH.