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As an organization that communicates with tens of thousands of Californians, our words and our actions matter. That’s why we’re proud to lend our voice to Assemblymember James C. Ramos, the first California Native American to serve in the State Legislature.
251 years ago today, Mission San Diego de Alcalá was founded on lands historically inhabited by the Kumeyaay people.
The Mission would go on to serve as an icon of our state’s heritage, history, and culture in the eyes of many Californians. But for more than 700,000 Native Americans who call California home, Mission San Diego’s legacy is one of brutal repression, cultural erasure, and cross-generational trauma.
California’s century-long genocide against Indigenous people began, in earnest, with the founding of the California Missions, but its impacts can be felt to this day .
The way that we remember history matters. It informs our understanding of the present and it shapes our perception of the world around us. Too often, depictions of California’s history only tell one side of the story -- almost always excluding Indigenous voices and experiences from the conversation.
If we truly wish to reckon with our state’s past, we need people in office who are willing to seek out additional context and uplift Indigenous voices.
That’s why, in 2019, I was honored to provide an opening blessing and sing a traditional bird song when Gov. Gavin Newsom issued his formal apology for California's legacy of cruel treatment of Native Americans.
While the Governor’s apology is a welcome first step, it is just that -- a first step -- on our journey towards righting the wrongs of our history and creating the true equity California’s diverse communities deserve.
To continue that journey, we must get involved in our communities. We must talk openly with each other. And we must uplift Indigenous voices every chance we get.
So I hope that in the coming months, as we head towards the most important election of our lifetimes, I can count on you to join the California Democratic Party in the critical work ahead.
It will take all of us, together, to continue making this state and country the best it can be. Sign up to volunteer » [[link removed]] John, California is home to more Native Americans than any other state.
Epidemics brought by colonizers have decimated California’s First People since the 19th century, and we cannot let the COVID-19 pandemic become another instance where Native Americans disproportionately suffer from federal inaction.
It falls upon all of us to ensure that in 2020, California’s First People are for once viewed as a forethought instead of an afterthought.
Thank you,
Assemblymember James C. Ramos
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California Democratic Party
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