Ramos, a CSUSB alumnus, and bird singers from Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians gathered in front of the Santos Manuel Student Union North to celebrate the month with traditional singing and dancing.
CSUSB’s Elder/Culture Bearer in-Residence, Robert Levi Jr., advocates for more Native students, teachers and club connections.
The California Truth & Healing Council’s Nov. 18 quarterly meeting included a blessing by San Manuel Band of Mission Indian bird singers, community testimonials, a panel discussion, and speaker Kimberly Cluff, legal director of California Tribal Families Coalition.
Mark Araujo-Levinson believes that it is important to preserve indigenous languages because the history, perspective of the people, culture and anything similar is engraved into the language. “Once it is gone, you lose so much.”
The California Truth & Healing Council bears witness to, records, examines existing documentation of, and receives California Native American narratives regarding the historical relationship between the state of California and California Native Americans to clarify the historical record of such relationship in the spirit of truth and healing.
Carlos Two Bears Gonzales, who was appointed First Peoples’ Center coordinator in August, said he wants Native American students to know they will receive support at the center in academic achievement and personal success.
One of the highlights in a long list of exciting events this month includes a closing ceremony on Nov. 29, featuring James Ramos, CSUSB alumnus and the first California-born Native American elected to the state Assembly.
Carmen Jany (world languages and literatures) was quoted in an article about the work of Ernest Siva (world languages and literatures adjunct) to preserve the Serrano language, and Brian Levin (criminal justice) was interviewed for an article about the possibility of plaintiffs collecting on the $26 million judgment against the group of white nationalists who organized the deadly 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Va.
Tony Coulson (information decision sciences), Katherine Gray (art), Ernest Siva (world languages and literatures, adjunct) and Brian Levin were included in recent news coverage on topics related to their expertise.