Located in San Carlos, Arizona, Apache Stronghold is a community organization of approximately 50 youth, adults, and Elders. Apache Stronghold builds community through neighborhood educational programs and opportunities for civic engagement, connects with Native and non-Native allies worldwide, and works with conservation organizations and all those who share a love for natural places.
Chi’chil Biłdagoteel (also known as Oak Flat) is a sacred site for Apache people and many other Native Americans. It is a place where people pray, collect water and medicinal plants for ceremonies, gather acorns and other foods, and honor those that are buried there. All who treat the area respectfully are welcome at Oak Flat.
Oak Flat is threatened by a proposed underground mine that would cause Oak Flat to collapse into a mile-wide, 1,000-foot-deep crater. The Save Oak Flat Act (SOFA) would protect the 2,422-acre site known as Chí’chil Biłdagoteel.
