We are excited to introduce Raquel Aviles as the new Executive Director of Native Seeds/SEARCH. A proud member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Raquel has deep roots in the Southwest and a lifelong commitment to Indigenous food sovereignty, sustainability, and cultural preservation.
Her leadership experience in healthcare, community-driven initiatives, and organizational development, combined with her passion for seeds and traditional foodways, makes her a powerful advocate for our mission.
Raquel’s connection to Native Seeds/SEARCH runs deep. She grew up visiting our store on 4th Avenue with her father to get seeds for their family's garden. Years later, she served on our board as the chair. Now, as Executive Director, she brings a vision to strengthen relationships, expand partnerships, and ensure that the seeds we steward today continue to nourish future generations.
We recently sat down with Raquel to learn more about her journey, her hopes for NS/S, and her vision for the future. We invite you to read our full interview with her below, and join us in welcoming her to the NS/S community!
What drew you to the role of Executive Director at Native Seeds/SEARCH, and what excites you most about leading the organization?
I have always believed in Native Seeds/SEARCH’s work. Since I was young my parents would get seeds from NS/S for our own small backyard and container gardens. Then I would take my children to NS/S to get seeds. I was honored to be on Native Seeds/SEARCH’s board and then served as board chair until COVID hit. I stepped down from the board to help my tribe and other communities with their COVID response efforts. When I learned about this opportunity at Native Seeds/SEARCH, it felt like my heart and career path were coming together perfectly. My work experience has been shaped by working across multiple areas—Indigenous sovereignty, community health services and wellness initiatives, and cultural understanding with organizational development—each complementing the other in my professional journey. This balanced experience has given me a holistic perspective that I bring to all my work. I've always been drawn to the way seeds connect these elements—they're simultaneously cultural heritage, health resources, and tangible expressions of sovereignty. It's the connection between cultural preservation and these tiny little seeds represent resilience!
I'm excited about building new partnerships and deepening our work with Indigenous communities. There's something so powerful about knowing that the seeds we protect today—along with all the knowledge and stories they carry—will continue to feed and inspire future generations. That’s meaningful to me.
Can you share a bit about your background and how it has shaped your views on seed conservation, food sovereignty, and cultural preservation?
As a Pascua Yaqui tribal member, I know how our culture connects directly to our wellbeing. Throughout my years working in tribal health and public health with communities, if we lose touch with our culture, traditions and practices, our communities suffer. It's personal for me. I believe food is medicine—not just in a physical sense, but for our spirits and our sense of identity.
When we save seeds, we're really saving pieces of our history and securing our future at the same time. Every time I see an elder teaching a young person about traditions and cultural practices, I think, "That's sovereignty in action right there." That's the kind of work that has always moved me.
How do you envision strengthening those relationships?
For me, it always starts with just showing up and listening to learn. From experience, the strongest relationships grow from genuine respect and two-way sharing. I want Indigenous communities and farmers, and our board members to know that their voices will guide our work, programs and policies—not the other way around. I'm excited to spend time with people doing this work with us like our elders, seed keepers, and farmers, learning what matters most to them. I'd love to see more youth getting their hands in the soil, working alongside knowledge keepers, ensuring these practices continue. When I think about success, I picture community members saying, "I have a voice at Native Seeds/SEARCH".
What do you see as the biggest opportunities for NS/S to support Indigenous foodways and agricultural traditions?
I see so many exciting possibilities ahead! I'm particularly energized about creating local seed hubs or more gatherings opportunities where community members can share knowledge as they access seeds. I've seen the light in young people's eyes when they connect with these traditions, and I want to nurture that through more family learning opportunities. I also believe we have a unique chance to bridge traditional wisdom with today's sustainability challenges. Nobody knows how to grow food in challenging conditions better than Indigenous farmers who've been adapting to this landscape for generations! I want to make sure that expertise is recognized and supported, whether through hands-on workshops, youth mentorships, or advocacy work that protects these irreplaceable agricultural traditions.
Why is seed conservation and seed diversity critical in today's world, especially as we face challenges like biodiversity loss, climate change, and industrial agriculture?
You know, every time I hold a seed that Indigenous farmers have grown for hundreds of years, I feel like I'm holding a living archive—one that's absolutely crucial for our future. These aren't just any seeds; they're survivors just like us! They've adapted to thrive in harsh desert conditions with little water—exactly the kind of resilience we'll all need during changing times.
When large-scale agriculture focuses on just a few commercial varieties, we're putting all our eggs in one basket. The incredible diversity in Indigenous seeds represents generations of careful selection and adaptation. Each variety lost is like losing a chapter from an irreplaceable book of knowledge. By protecting these seeds, we're not just preserving food sources; we're keeping cultural stories alive and maintaining lifelines to food security in an uncertain future. That matters for everyone, not just Indigenous communities.
How do you see the work of NS/S contributing to global efforts in seed preservation and sustainable agriculture?
What makes me proud about our work is how it shows the world that Indigenous agricultural knowledge isn't just about the past—it's cutting-edge innovation for our collective future. The seeds in our collection have been adapting to challenging growing conditions for centuries!
As regions worldwide face changing climate patterns, these drought-resistant, heat-tolerant varieties become increasingly valuable. I love that we can share this model globally—showing how seed conservation and stewardship works best when it's community-led and culturally grounded. When I have connected with international partners regarding public health and other topics, I'm always struck by how much we can learn from each other. Our specific approach in the Southwest offers lessons that resonate with seed savers everywhere: resilience isn't just about the physical traits of seeds but about keeping alive the knowledge systems that nurtured them.
What role do you think individuals and communities—regardless of background—can play in protecting and stewarding seeds for future generations?
I believe everyone has a place in this work! Whether you have acres of land or just a small container, growing heritage seeds keeps them alive and adapting. I've seen incredible things happen when people of diverse backgrounds discover the joy of growing—it creates this beautiful ripple effect of appreciation and sharing.
If you don't garden, you can still make a huge difference by supporting Indigenous farmers at farmers markets, volunteering at our seed lab (it’s so much fun and relaxing!), or contributing financially to keep these programs going. Even sharing the stories of these seeds with friends and family helps build awareness.
What touches me most is seeing people from all walks of life recognizing that these seeds belong to all of us as a shared heritage—and that we all have a stake in keeping this diversity alive for our children and grandchildren. Every small action really does count!
What message would you like to share with the NS/S community about the importance of protecting ancestral seeds for future generations?
When I think about these seeds, I see them as living inheritances that connect us across time. Each one carries the care and wisdom of countless hands that saved it season after season. That's a legacy worth protecting!
I feel incredibly honored to be entrusted with this work alongside all of you. There's something deeply moving about knowing that a seed we save today might feed families for generations to come, or help someone connect with their culture, or provide the resilience needed as growing conditions change.This isn't just conservation work—it's heart work. It's about keeping alive the stories, practices, and wisdom that make our regional foodways so rich and unique. I'm genuinely excited to walk this path with all of you as we nurture these seeds and the communities they sustain.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the NS/S community?
I want you to know how genuinely grateful I am to join this amazing community and organization. I come to this role with an open heart and a listening ear. In my first months, nothing will be more important to me than getting to know you—our team, volunteers, tribal partners, and supporters who make this work possible. We're at a special moment in time where more people are aware of the importance of seed diversity and Indigenous foodways.
Your support and involvement over the years have built something extraordinary, and I'm excited to see where we can go together. I believe that when we care for these seeds together, we're growing something much larger than ourselves—we're cultivating hope, connection, and a more resilient future for all. I can't think of more meaningful work to be part of, or better people to do it with!