Lytton Rancheria Tribal Chair Margie Mejia remembered as ‘fearless,’ ‘determined and 100% dedicated’

Margie Mejia, former chairperson of the Lytton Rancheria of California, was remembered as a fearless leader who made significant strides in her focused efforts to bring economic self-sufficiency to her tribe.

After 27 years serving as the tribal chairperson, Mejia died Oct. 19 of natural causes at the age of 66.

“As a leader, my mom was fearless,” said her son, Andy Mejia, 38. “She was determined and 100% dedicated.”

Through her tenacious leadership, she established the multimillion-dollar San Pablo Lytton Casino in Contra Costa County as well as paved the way for their 511-acre homeland just west of Windsor where 147 tribal housing units, a resort hotel and a winery are under construction.

The Lytton tribe is a federally-recognized band of Pomo Native Americans from the Bay Area. In 1958, the California Rancheria Termination Act of 1958 abolished federal recognition of the Lytton Rancheria along with dozens of other California tribes.

In 1991, the United States Supreme Court ruled the termination was unlawful and the tribe was once again federally recognized.

Mejia, born at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo on June 28, 1956, worked as a congressional aid for Gary Condit in the early 90s.

In 1995, she was elected as the Lytton tribe’s chairperson.

As a leader, she was known as bold, ambitious and focused.

“She was calm and unflappable,” said Rep. Jared Huffman, who worked with Mejia on legislation allowing the tribe to put the Sonoma County land into trust.

Huffman said she always seemed to have a clear vision, driving strategic economic and land-back projects.

Mejia spent decades securing permanent tribal land, which was approved by Congress and former President Donald Trump in January 2020.

She oversaw the tribal housing community plans, which when complete in 2023, will include an 18,000 square-foot community center, a ceremonial roundhouse, multiuse trails and open space, according to Elmets Communications, the tribe’s public relations firm.

“She wanted to return historic land and deliver housing and other benefits to the members of a tribe, and she was very focused on that,” Huffman said.

An example of her respected leadership was when she laid the groundwork for the memorandum of understanding between the County of Sonoma and the tribe, wanting to be a good neighbor. Huffman described Mejia’s work as “the gold standard for other tribes that want to develop economically.”

“What she's been able to accomplish for her tribe, you know, over this last couple of decades is really remarkable,” he said.

Not everyone understood or respected her mission to bring tribal members out of poverty and hardship.

Larry Stidham, a lawyer who worked with Mejia for about 18 years, described her efforts to arrange the Windsor land trust as “being fought at every turn.”

In town meetings “we heard some of the most vile, racist comments you could ever hear about a person,” Stidham said.

But that never deterred her. “She ignored all of that,” he said.

Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore was also struck by that moment.

He described being alongside her in a room of 500 people who were frustrated and outraged.

“I saw her hold her people on her shoulders in that moment,” Gore said. “I saw her stand in the face of fierce opposition and speak her piece. Not everyone agreed upon it but that’s what a leader does, it’s holding the weight of your people on your shoulders through good and bad.”

Mejia was also the longtime chairperson of the Sonoma County Indian Health Project, a Santa Rosa-based consortium of tribes who provide health resources and advocacy for Native Americans.

Betty Arterberry, CEO of the health project, worked alongside Mejia for over 30 years.

“She kept us on a mission,” Arterberry said. “She kept us always wanting to move forward and (saying) ‘We can do it. We can do it.’”

Mejia’s passion for providing health care to California tribal members inspired many at the Sonoma County Indian Health Project, Arterberry said.

Silver Galleto, the COO of the health project, said Mejia was “bold and fierce and able to command presence.”

Mejia always thought ahead ― decades ahead ― according to her health project colleagues. She started planning and budgeting for their relocation to a new facility, which is moving forward now, Arterberry and Galleto said.

Mejia’s leadership and teachings “will be in our heart and she will be with us always,” Arterberry said.

Gore said he witnessed her passion for tribal member’s health, well-being and cultural connection.

“As I sit here and think about her, she was a fierce advocate and champion for her people and she was unabashed and strident in fighting for her ― would almost call it her larger family ―her tribe,” Gore said. “And I admire that deeply.”

“This is a loss for entire community and we honor the sacrifices she and her members made,” Gore said.

“I feel in a way she is a harbinger of the future of a world in Sonoma County which sees the full reemergence of tribes and a stature of tribal leadership among sovereign nations,” he said. “And that is good for all of us.”

Mejia is survived by four children, thirteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She is proceeded in death by two children, her mother and her father.

“She was the greatest mother,” said Andy Mejia, who has assumed the role as Lytton’s new tribal chairperson. “She was my hero, my everything, my role model.”

“There is no replacing my mom and our tribal leader,” he said “There is no replacing Margie Mejia.”

A funeral service will be held Nov. 12 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church located at 671 E. Yosemite Ave. in Merced.

You can reach Staff Writer Alana Minkler at 707-526-8511 or alana.minkler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @alana_minkler.