In The News

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, we should also have the courage to tell the full story of this country. It is a story of freedom and sacrifice, but it is also a story that begins with the occupation of lands inhabited by Native people since time immemorial and the forced removal of Native Americans through federal policies rooted in assimilation.

"We'll start to see the true picture of Native Americans in California," said Ramos, a member of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe. "Native American students should be able to stand up in the classroom and say who they are and be proud of it."

When California became a state in 1850, its First People were met with violence, forced removal, and government-sanctioned militias that targeted Native communities. That painful history must be acknowledged because its impacts are still felt today.

Eight years ago, California passed a law requiring high schools to allow students to wear eagle feathers, abalone necklaces and other regalia at graduations. 

At the January 8-9 Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) meeting, the Commission granted candidacy/preaccreditation status to California Indian Nations College (CINC). According to the ACCJC Accreditation Handbook:

Native American history: New law changes what students learn - CalMatters

California has the fifth-highest number of missing and murdered Indigenous people cases in the country. How did we get here?

After passing Public Law 280 in 1953, Congress essentially washed its hands of funding law enforcement and criminal justice on tribal lands in six states: Alaska, California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon and Wisconsin. That meant much fewer resources for public safety and significant obstacles to preventing or resolving cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people in these states.

Legislative and Tribal leaders will unveil a California Native American Monument in Sacramento’s Capitol Park at a dedication ceremony in November.