The celebration, free and open to the public, caps the week-long California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference, which will see more than 1,500 elementary school students and their teachers from throughout the Inland Empire visit the campus to learn firsthand about California’s Native American culture, history and customs.
The San Manuel Pow Wow is a three-day celebration free to the public, featuring traditional bird singers and dancers, drum singing groups and vending from artisans representing Indian tribal nations from across North America and Canada.
Nena Torrez (education) was interviewed for a segment on the Project Impact initiative to increase the number of K-12 male teachers of color, and Annika Anderson (sociology) discussed the work of Project Rebound, which assists the formerly incarcerated enroll at CSUSB and obtain their college degrees.
Project Impact is the vision of James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education Dean Chinaka DomNwachukwu to locate, recruit, train, mentor and then deploy minority male teachers to classrooms throughout the inland area and the state.
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.
Under the agreement, both institutions will work to create a college prep program and enrollment support to increase the number of Native American students earning a bachelor’s degree.
Attendees learned about Native American music, art and food of the Native peoples in this region at the free event on Friday, Sept. 23.
Attendees will learn about Native American music, art and food of the Native peoples in this region at the free event on Friday, Sept. 23, starting at 6 p.m.