The Gabrielino/Tongva Springs Foundation preserves and protects the ancestral village of Kuruvungna Springs, located within the University High School campus in West Los Angeles. Dedicated to educating the general public about California’s indigenous history, particularly the inhabitants of the LA basin, the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples, they provide…
After citizens of the town of San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca, Mexico migrated and settled their families in the Central Valley, many became concerned that their children would not be exposed to their indigenous roots leading to cultural extinction. In 2001, community members came together to discuss how they can continue…
The Tolowa Dee-ni’ People have lived in Del Norte since recorded time. In 1853, an attack by settlers, was documented as the second single largest massacre of Native peoples in the history of the United States.  The ensuing carnage caused a near extinction of people and…
The William Grant Still Arts Center in Los Angeles has presented since 1980 an original exhibit of Black Dolls created by artists, collectors and the local community. The exhibit had auspicious beginnings and was a joint effort begun by Friends of the WGS Arts Center, under…
Food is always central to any gathering of significance, and the preparation of regional celebratory food for special occasions such as a wedding, a patron saint day, or other religious holidays, is assigned to those invested in keeping vibrant the regional flavors. In Juxtlahuaca district located within the Mixteca region…
For Indian tribes of Northwestern California the art form of making female regalia, particularly ceremonial dresses was nearly lost. As native people fight against cultural erasure to retain their languages and cultural practices, the art form of regalia making, fortunately, has regained a high frequency of practice in the current…
Bay Area Youth Arts is a nonprofit program with a mission to help at-risk, inner-city youth develop discipline and self-confidence necessary to lead positive and productive lives.  Offering African and jazz percussion, as well as classical and jazz violin, students learn listening and learning skills that…
The Dorothy Ramon Learning Center is dedicated to the documentation and sharing of Southern California’s First Peoples’ cultures, languages, history, music, and other traditional arts. The Center offers cultural activities and programs, supports research, preservation, and documentation with scholarly and accurate multimedia through its Ushkana Press…
La Guelaguetza
Sama Sama Cooperative began in Berkeley in 2014 with a group of five Pilipino parents. The organization is creating an alternative educational experience with diverse experiences in traditional arts, education, environmental justice, science, and community organizing. Sama Sama means “all together” in Tagalog and is a…