CIRI shareholder Sharon Padilla and her husband Kevin Perry Padilla adopted a daughter, Aniya Helene, in July 2011. Sharon Padilla is the daughter of the late Virginia Nickita-Call and the granddaughter of the late Delia Nickita-Stephan of Knik and Eklutna, Alaska. Aniya Helene is the great-great-granddaughter of Delia Nickita-Stephan, and great-granddaughter of the late Olga Nickita Bright-Jarshaw. They thank Dorothy Cook and Terri Corey of the Native Village of Eklutna, Geraldine Nicoli of the Knik Tribe, State of California Judge Molly Bigelow and Delia Sharpe-Parr of California Indian Legal Services.
“Aniya brings happiness wherever she goes, and we hope to be able to offer her all the opportunities to reach her every potential. She enjoys ice skating, sledding, skiing, soccer, singing, swimming and playing dress up and is really looking forward to kindergarten next year. We are strong advocates of Native foster families, and we encourage all Native families to become foster homes for Native children that are in state foster care. As a Native foster parent fostering a Native child, you are preserving our Native culture one child at a time,” said Sharon Padilla.
