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Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association TANF Newsletter Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families July 2018 – Volume 21 Issue 7 UCSD Honors Eight Native American Graduates By Karin Giron, Education Coordinator, SCTCA TANF Escondido On June 14, 2018, the Intertribal with the “wrong crowd.” Resource Center (ITRC) at the University When he lost all hope and was of California San Diego (UCSD) hosted contemplating suicide as his last option, its annual Native Graduates Honoring Benally was approached by a stranger Ceremony. who sparked a conversation. Benally The Native community, campus said the stranger didn’t talk down to him community, friends and family gathered because he was homeless, but instead at the Sheraton in La Jolla to recognize made him feel like he mattered. This eight graduates. As is customary, the new-found friendship guided him to the ceremony began with a welcome and path he is on now. Benally encouraged blessing from Kumeyaay community the graduates and attendees to pursue member Stanley Rodriguez of the Iipay whatever their passion is in life and Nation of Santa Ysabel. provided his own road map for SUCCESS: After dinner, Abram Benally, Navajo, delivered the keynote address. Benally •See the goal gained prominence for his appearance •Understand the obstacle on the television completion series, America Ninja Warrior. An advocate for •Create a positive metal picture suicide prevention, he strives to inspire •Clear mind of self-doubt a generation by promoting health and wellness through calisthenics. •Embrace the challenge Benally knows about the value of hard •Stay on track work, setting goals and overcoming •Show the world you can do it. obstacles. He shared how his journey took him from being a college athlete at Arizona State University to being Each year the ITRC also honors homeless on the streets of Phoenix community members at their ceremony. at age twenty-two. He believes his Upon arriving, I was surprised to see my homelessness was a direct consequence husband, Richard DeCrane, and myself of the choices he made as a student; listed at this year’s honorees. instead of studying, he got caught up DeCrane, Apsáalooke and Diné, is a Sierra Trujillo, Mesa Grande Kumeyaay Indians (Continued on page 2) Tribal Members From Santa Ysabel And Viejas Attend Gathering Of Nations In New Mexico Contributed by Brandie Taylor, Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel Photo by Vanessa Christman On the last weekend of April, in four Gathering of Nations Grand about 25 Kumeyaay – including more Entries and were featured on the than a dozen children - attended the event’s Jumbotron. Gathering of Nations in Albuquerque, Relatives and Bird Singers and New Mexico. traditional dancers from Fort Yuma, The Ashaa Takook Bird Singers, Fort Mojave and CRIT attended the which consists of young men from Gathering as well. Santa Ysabel and Viejas, were invited The Gathering of Nations is an to sing on April 27th & 28th. annual event that draws well over Miss Kumeyaay Darilyn Pena of a thousand tribal members from Santa Ysabel and Little Miss Kumeyaay across the country. Reece Christman of Viejas appeared LA OL BA J N A D L L S U EST. 1875 I N S E I A Ñ O I N D (Continued from page 1) UCSD Honors Eight Native American Graduates widely respected community member. Each graduate was also given an The Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association This year he served as an advisor to opportunity to share their experience (SCTCA) publishes the Tribal Temporary Assistance for the Native American Student Alliance or thank those in their lives who Needy Families (TANF) Newsletter throughout the year at: and the Intertribal Resource Center on supported their educational journey. SCTCA / TANF a variety of topics, including this year’s All the graduates thanked their family, P.O. Box 1470 Powwow. He provided valuable guidance grandparents, and ancestors. A Valley Center, CA 92082 E-mail: [email protected] to the Native American students at common thread in all of their speeches (760) 746-0901 Ext. 100 UCSD. He has become an integral part of was the support provided by the ITRC ITRC programming, including teaching a and the students of the Native American The newsletter is designed and printed by Tribal Print beading class, leading the first annual Student Alliance. Source, a division of SCTCA. Powwow workshop and drumming for Sierra Trujillo of Mesa Grande, shared Native American Heritage Month. how her journey took her from several The purpose of the Tribal TANF Newsletter is to provide the tribal communities with information about services According to its program, the ITRC colleges and universities, until finally provided by the TANF Programs and other important issues recognized Karin Giron, Quiche, as an transferring to UCSD. She stated that concerning our rural/urban communities and families. “outstanding community member who she couldn’t have done it without the was a huge help in advising for this year’s support system she found at UCSD’s SCTCA provides services to San Diego and Santa Barbara Powwow.” They also acknowledged the ITRC. Alexandra Kilkenny Hansen, Acoma Counties and the following reservations: work I do at Southern California Tribal Pueblo, shared that she didn’t have a Barona Cahuilla Chairmen’s Association (SCTCA) through community when she first arrived at Campo Ewiiaapaayp our Tribal TANF program with Native UCSD. Fortunately, in her 3rd year she Inaja/Cosmit Jamul La Jolla La Posta youth and their families. As an Education stumbled upon the ITRC and admitted Los Coyotes Manzanita Coordinator, I provide academic, cultural she doesn’t know if she could have Mesa Grande Pala and prevention services to our Native made it without the community and Pauma Rincon youth residing in the urban areas of support she found there. San Pasqual Santa Ysabel northern San Diego. Santa Ynez Sycuan The main honorees of the Viejas night were the graduates. PLEASE NOTE: This ceremony is unique No articles or pictures published in the SCTCA TANF because each student is given Newsletter may be reprinted or used in any manner the opportunity to select without the expressed written permission of SCTCA. someone who’s played an SCTCA is not responsible for any errors / mistakes on integral role in their lives to submissions added to our newsletter. place their graduation stole and medallion on them. The Publisher: SCTCA stoles are hand crafted by Editor: Gary Taylor community member, Carla Contributor: Colleen Turner, Editor and Contributor, 1998-2018 Printers: Tribal Print Source Tourville, Tule River Yokuts, and the medallions were Copyright ©2018 hand-crafted by the DeCrane family. 2018 UCSD Native American Graduates Kayleen Fulton, Haida Tribe Lily Ramirez, NASA Member Master’s Degree in Oceanography Bachelor’s Degree in Ethnic Studies and Public Health Alexandra Kilkenny Hansen, Acoma Pueblo Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health Dalayna Sampton, Willamette Valley Clackamas Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology Izzy Narvaez, Hopi/Navajo Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science Sierra Trujillo, Mesa Grande of Kumeyaay Indians and Critical Gender Studies Bachelor’s Degree in Human Biology with a Minor in Religious Studies Brody Patterson, Mono Tribe Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science Monica Valdez, NASA Member Bachelor’s Degree in Physiology and Neuroscience 2 –––– DISPATCHES –––– Native Americans Veterans Washington Honored at Santa Ysabel Swinomish fishermen, Skagit River, 1963 In early June, the United States Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 on a vote regarding tribal sovereignty in the state of Washington. In this case, though, the deadlock was actually a dramatic victory for the Swinomish Indians – and Native Americans across the country. The Swinomish have been battling Washington for decades over The sky was a cloudless blue, but the wind was strong on the state’s damage to salmon habitats. The tribe contended the Memorial Day at the Santa Ysabel Indian Mission. state has decimated the salmon population, in direct violation of Near the beginning of a May 25 ceremony honoring Native the Stevens Treaties, signed in 1854. The state had given millions of acres to the Swinomish in exchange for “the right to take fish,” American veterans, one strong gust of wind toppled a large according to an article in the New York Times. But in the early Memorial Wreath. 1970s, the state “sought to control where Native Americans could The Wreath was quickly picked up and placed upright again. fish, and tribal members asserted their treaty rights through acts “This Wreath is a symbol of all those who fought for our of civil disobedience…and litigation,” theTimes wrote. country,” said George Arviso of the Rincon Band of Luiseno Federal courts have consistently sided with the tribe, ruling Indians. “And when this Wreath fell, it was picked up right away the state violated the treaties it had signed by destroying salmon habitats and reducing the amount of fish available to the and set right. This is what Memorial Day means. When one of Swinomish. But the state held it had its own rights that eclipsed our warriors fall, we are there to pick them up.” Native American sovereignty. The 30-minute ceremony in the Mission Cemetery honored The Supreme Court’s deadlock – because it did not strike down all Native Americans of the Iipay Nation, including those who earlier rulings- effectively upheld the federal courts that had ruled served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and Native American sovereignty and treaty rights were violated by Iraq and Afghanistan. Their names were read aloud by Stanley Washington. Rodriguez, a tribal member and Desert Storm veteran who For the Swinomish, the victory means the state must repair all the damage caused to salmon habitats near Skagit River. This served in the Persian Gulf.