American Heritage Powwow Draws Diverse Crowd in Downtown San Diego

IN THE NEWS: Surrounded by tall commercial buildings and a busy downtown scene, more than 1,000 people attended the American Indian Heritage Pow Wow, a two-day event in San Diego’s Balboa Park on May 10-11. The intertribal exhibition pow wow, a type becoming rare these days because of the popularity of larger competition pow wows, was organized by the American Indian Heritage Committee, the San Diego Unified School District’s Title VII Indian Education Program and San Diego American Indian Health Center. Read more from Indian Country Today Media Network» 

Tragedy, Discrimination are Topics of Movie Showing August 30

Join the San Diego American Indian Health Center and Parent Outreach and Engagement, Title VII Indian Education Program, to watch a powerful movie, Two Spirits. It is based on a true story of a 16-year-old Navajo youth’s life and death. It is being presented in partnership with Tribal-TANF, Indian Human Resource Center and Soaring Eagles.

When: Thursday, August 30
Time: 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Ballard Parent Center in Old Town
2375 Congress Street, San Diego, CA 92110.
Details: In the tradition of the Native American culture, dinner Where: will be provided and potluck is always welcomed!

For more information please contact Christopher Scott, Health Center Coordinator at 619-234-2158, ext. 111.

Please note the serious topics addressed in this movie.
About the movie. Two Spirits interviews the tragic story of a mother’s loss of her son with a revealing look at a time when the world wasn’t simply divided into male and female and many Native American cultures held places of honor for people of integrated genders. Fred Martinez was nádleehí, a male-bodied person with a feminine nature, a special gift according to his ancient Navajo culture. But the place where two discriminations meet is a dangerous place to live, and Fred became one of the youngest hate-crime victims in modern history when he was brutally murdered at 16. Between tradition and controversy, sex and spirit, and freedom and fear, lives the truth—the bravest choice you can make is to be yourself.

Barona Donation Helps 'Soaring Eagles' With Computer Equipment

The Barona Band of Mission Indians has given a $5,000 education grant to the Soaring Eagles Workshop, an education program for Native American students at San Diego Unified's Harold J. Ballard Parent Center in Old Town.

The funds will be used to purchase laptop computers, flash drives and calculators for the Soaring Eagles Workshop, an after-school cultural arts program. Part of the Center's Title VII American Indian Education program, the Soaring Eagles provide Native American/Alaskan Native students in  kindergarten through grade 12 with an opportunity to learn traditional ceremonies and tribal customs.

Assembly member Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) joined Ballard Center Director Beatrice Fernandez in accepting the grant, which was presented by Edwin "Thorpe" Romero, chairman of the Barona Band of Mission Indians.
"The students who attend the Soaring Eagles Workshop are often removed from their tribal reservations, traditional tribal ceremonies and customs," said Vicky Gambala, program organizer.

"We are pleased to support this important program that encourages students to participate in these culturally enriching activities," said Barona Tribal Chairman Edwin "Thorpe" Romero, "improving their self concept and cultural pride, which impacts their success in school and life."

The Barona Education Grant Program, created and administered by Tribal Government, is the first of its kind in California. The goal of the program is to create strong educational opportunities for the children of California by building upon the success of the Barona Indian Charter School, which operates under a continuous improvement model.

Schools throughout California can apply for educational grants from Barona to purchase much-needed supplies and materials that promote academic improvement. Each grant awarded by the Barona Education Grant Program is $5,000. The Barona Band of Mission Indians has been sharing resources through its Barona Education Grant Program since 2006, awarding more than $1 million to more than 200 schools statewide.

The Barona Band of Mission Indians is recognized by the United States government as a sovereign Nation. For more information, visit the tribe's website.

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IN THE NEWS: Soaring Eagles Dancers Featured

The Soaring Eagles, a program of San Diego Unified's Indian Education Program, were recently dancing in the park. Read more.