Topline:
The Los Angeles Unified School District Board voted unanimously Tuesday to add a statement to its website acknowledging the role of the region’s Indigenous communities. The land acknowledgement recognizes the Gabrieleño and Fernandeño Tataviam peoples as the original and continuing stewards of the district's 710 square miles.
Why it matters: LAUSD graduate Junie Ponce, who is Chicane and Diné, said the acknowledgement was long overdue. “ I think with people having more knowledge, it brings curiosity,” Ponce said. “I think that goes along with being able to take care of the land and take care of native plants and such.”
The backstory: The land acknowledgement is the result of a November 2024 resolution that apologized for the historical mistreatment of Indigenous communities in public schools and directed district staff to explore ways to incorporate more lessons about the history and continuation of local tribes.
What's next: While there is a spoken version of the acknowledgement, the resolution does not require it to be read at LAUSD events. The district did create a list of resources to help educators discuss the land acknowledgement with their students and plans to offer related professional development workshops.
Go deeper:
The Los Angeles Unified School District Board voted unanimously to add a statement to its website acknowledging the role of the region’s Indigenous communities.
LAUSD adopts land acknowledgment, recognizing connection to Indigenous peoples
The land acknowledgement recognizes the Gabrieleño and Fernandeño Tataviam peoples as the original and continuing stewards of the 710 square miles that make up LAUSD.
"This land acknowledgement will be an honor to our tribe because you are identifying our past, giving us a voice in the present and giving us visibility in the future," said Anthony Redblood Morales, the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians Gabrieleno Chief. “Wa-at Guata Ta yi Honuka — in the memory of our ancestors — thank you.”
LAUSD’s land acknowledgement
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We acknowledge that the Los Angeles Unified School District operates on land originally and still inhabited and cared for by the Gabrieleño and Fernandeño Tataviam peoples, who have stewarded this land for generations.
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We recognize these Indigenous communities' ongoing presence and contributions and honor their connection to this region.
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We recognize Gabrieleño people as the original stewards of the Los Angeles Basin, and the nearby coastal lands, and the Fernandeño Tataviam as protectors of the northern valleys. These lands have and continue to hold deep cultural and spiritual significance to their people and have shaped the community we live in today.
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We pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders), and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present, and emerging and commit to supporting Indigenous communities through education ensuring their voices are heard and their legacies are respected.
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We commit to deepening our understanding of the histories and cultures of the Native peoples of this land. This acknowledgment demonstrates our ongoing efforts to build and sustain relationships with Indigenous communities and contribute to healing and reconciliation.
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We acknowledge that the Los Angeles Unified School District is located on lands traditionally stewarded by the Gabrieleño and Fernandeño Tataviam peoples. We recognize the Gabrieleño as the original caretakers of the Los Angeles Basin and the Fernandeño Tataviam as guardians of the northern valleys. As we learn and grow, we commit to understanding Indigenous histories and cultures, fostering relationships with these communities, and contributing to healing and unity.
The land acknowledgement follows a November 2024 resolution that apologized for the historical mistreatment of Indigenous communities in public schools and directed district staff to explore ways to incorporate more lessons about the history and continuation of local tribes, such as:
- Including stories, literature, and instruction that center Native voice and tribes in the curricula
- Prioritizing native plants in greening efforts
- Improving teacher understanding of Native history
The district invited several local tribes to help shape the land acknowledgment's language, including the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians.
Tribal President Rudy Ortega Jr. recounted how nearly 3,000 people were enslaved at Mission San Fernando in the late 18th century. By 1880, only a few dozen Fernandeños remained. Today, there are about 900 tribal citizens.
Though the tribe and many others in Southern California are not federally recognized, Ortega said the district’s acknowledgement makes a difference.
”It brings that value of honor and privilege to understand that the school district recognizes the first people of Los Angeles before it was called Los Angeles,” Ortega said.
What else the resolution does
While there is a spoken version of the acknowledgement, the resolution does not require it to be read at LAUSD events. The district created a list of resources to help educators discuss the land acknowledgement with their students and plans to offer related professional development workshops.
Junie Ponce, a 2023 LAUSD graduate who is Chicane and Diné, remembered learning about California’s tribes in the past tense.
“ When I started to be more active within the native community in L.A. I was like, wait, these people still exist and they're still thriving,” Ponce said.
Ponce said the district’s land acknowledgment is long overdue and hopes the district offers deeper lessons about the region’s Indigenous communities and more resources for Native students.
“I think with people having more knowledge, it brings curiosity,” Ponce said. “I do think it's important to have an understanding of the culture of the people whose lands we're on.”
Learn more about LA’s Indigenous communities
Los Angeles has a vast and varied Indigenous population including descendants of the region’s original inhabitants; Native Americans from other parts of the United States; and Pacific Islanders and the Indigenous diaspora of Latin America.
