With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Native Americans March In LA, Reminding Angelenos Of Our City’s History
The Reyes Family of Los Angeles (they declined to give first names) at a protest for Indigenous people's rights in downtown Los Angeles on July 4, 2020. Sharon McNary/LAist
()
Demonstrators from local Native American tribes gathered near Olvera Street on Saturday to support the Black Lives Matters movement, and to remind Angelenos that Native people thrived in the area we now call Southern California hundreds of years before Spanish colonizers arrived and enslaved original inhabitants.
Several hundred people participated in what was dubbed the “Farce of July.”
Tina Calderon, a descendant of the Gabrielino-Tongva people, called on Americans to renounce the documents on which our government was built.
“Strike the Declaration of Independence,” she said. “Strike all those things that were built on thinking that white people are supreme, and let’s build this nation in consultation with Native people, because we always knew how to take care of our Earth Mother.”
Support for LAist comes from
Tina Calderon, who is descended from Gabrielino and Tongva Native American families, issues a blessing on demonstrators at Father Serra Park near Union Station in downtown L.A. (Sharon McNary/LAist)
()
The demonstration began with a blessing, in which herbs were burned in a large shell, their aromatic smoke fanned with a feather as participants gathered in a silent circle. Speakers included representatives from Black and Latino rights organizations.
Marching through downtown L.A., the group then passed landmarks significant to Native Americans, including a graveyard containing unidentified remains of Native people that were found during the construction of L.A. freeways.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.
Best of LAist