Tekio History

1985

A young friend of the family is killed in random gang shooting in Santa Monica, CA.

1986

Searching for a solution to youth violence Helen began working with rival gang members to cooperate on a wall mural for Peace.

1987

Formed first TEKIO social restoration project Earth Crew. Helen began sharing healing and conflict resolution methods with inner city youth and graffiti writers as well as supporting their expression and peace making efforts.

Like warriors of old and led by native elders, Helen brought them together in sweat lodges where they were able to confront their fears and pain. Always building community around these urban youth, she took them out to nature to reconnect with the earth, taught them about nutrition and mental health through service to Earth and widened their horizons by making new opportunities available. Most importantly, listetned to their hopes and dreams.

First Earth Crew mural produced by six rival gangs and six graffiti crews at Pico Union in Los Angeles. Awarded Certificate of Recognition by Los Angeles.

1988

Earth Crew produces more murals & begins mentoring schools in and around L.A. Area. Recognized by Mural Conservancy Association of Los Angeles.

-> With Michael Jackson's “Heal the World” foundation, taught an inner-city after school theater program in Compton and Watts in Los Angeles, California.

1989

First TEKIO cultural restoration project, taking descendants of the Aztec nation to Vienna Austria & Athens, Greece to speak about their cultural traditions.

1990

Earth Crew invited to produce murals by:

• Amnesty International on human rights awareness,
• LA Festival of the Arts for mural on endangered dolphins and whales,
• ECO Conference to honor Native Americans as the “original environmentalists”,
• National Sports Convention to depict LA Hip Hop street culture,
• Earth Day Celebrations for mural “We Don't Have Generations”

1991

-> Second TEKIO cultural restoration project,

-> Earth Crew hired by Earth Day 1991 for mural “A Call to Earth's Caretakers”

-> First cultural exchange for Earth Crew, forming truces with gangs in Mexico

1992

-> Earth Crew produced murals for SPARK City of Los Angeles, “Undiscovered America” on 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for closing mural of event Coordinated street children march in RIO Cirque du Soleil's “Children's Christmas Under the Big Top”

-> TEKIO members join Children of the Earth Coalition and attend training on how to steward the next generation of children in creating projects, working with their communities and presenting their ideas to people in authority.

1993

Facilitated second TEKIO social restoration project – Guardians of the Future with Mexican indigenous and urban youth, preparing Manifestos of their ideas for the upcoming United Nations 50th Year Anniversary celebrations.

1994

-> Formed third TEKIO social restoration project- Urban Courage, combining over 100 groups in the U.S. and Mexico into a large coalition for collaborative social and environmental restoration projects (such as drug addiction counseling, environmental restoration, social and job skills training, art and culture).

-> ”The Helen Samuel's Story” featured on NBC's True Tales TV show.

1995

-> Guardians of the Future (Mexico), along with the Coalition of Children of the Earth (Global) and Earth Guardians (Hawaii) become the first children to address members of the UN General Assembly with their Manifestos of visions for the future.

-> Urban Courage begins setting up recycling centers near Mexico City dump and coaching schools on social and environmental restoration.10 businesses started.

-> Guardians of the Future attended the World Summit of Children

-> Guardians of the Future travelled with “Children's Torch of Hope” project, travelling through 29 states and 60 events through 6 months, ending with UN anniversary in N.Y.

-> Mexico City government awards Guardians of the Future a permanent monument to their courage and dedication (which still stands today in Chapultepec Park).

1996

-> Urban Courage recycling efforts featured on MTV's “Road Rules” program.

-> Guardians of the Future children travel to South Dakota to meet with Lakota nation on TEKIO cultural restoration project as TEKIOtron project.

1997

Upon invitation from UN Youth Unit, Urban Courage members present TEKIO cultural restoration projects in Vienna, Austria, resulting in sponsorship by benefactors from Japan to set up a Drug Rehabilitation Center run by youth.

1998

Urban Courage invited by Dalai Lama at the World Peace Conference for Youth and honored as shining example of courage for creating truces between gangs. Lindsay Wagner sponsors start up of OJR, a youth-run rehab group in Mexico which has grown exponentially.

1999

Helen Samuels awarded Ashoka Fellowship, Mexcalibur coalition of eco-groups formed and TEKIO joins Global Ecovillage Network

2000

-> First TEKIOcamps formed at Huehuecoyotl ecovillage, central Mexico, bringing first-generation Earth Crew and Urban Courage members as eco-trainers to new generation of urban and indigenous youth.

-> Brought tribal elders from Lakota to meet with Aztec tribal elders in Mexico.

-> Helen Samuels featured in PBS documentary “Globaltribe”

2001

-> TEKIOtron project takes select members of TEKIOcamp trainings and original Earth Crew members on cultural exchange project with Kurdish youth in Istanbul, Turkey.

-> While in Istanbul, Turkey – Earth Crew completes two murals contracted by the UN Development Program and speaks at UNESCO and Bosphorus University, winning three first prize acknowledegements for Youth Best Practices.

2002

TEKIO sponsored 40 youth to set up temporary ecovillage for The Vision Council Guardians of the Earth event in Tzajala, Chiapas (kitchen, latrines, fresh and gray water systems, recycling center, permaculture techniques and workshops, organic food etc.)

2003

Planning begins for the first Green Room Project at international events.

2004

Green Room Project launches as UN sponsored Youth employment Summit in Veracruz, Mexico – showcasing best practices in youth-run projects for sustainable living to 2000 youth delegates from over 100 countries. Tremendous success of project leads to multiple offers at other international events.