Creation of American Indian Heritage Month in the City of Los Angeles

Oyate Wayanka Po Win – People See This Woman is Joanelle Romero Indian name; given to her by Chief Leonard Crow Dog.

Local Tongva Spiritual Leader Jimi Castillo traditionally and officially recognized Joanelle Romero as “the First Lady of American Indian Heritage Month” for all Red Nations on October 27, 2006 in City Hall during the Mayor’s Reception for the inaugural celebration of the First American Indian Heritage Month in 2006.

American Indian Heritage Month in the City of Los Angeles was years in the making. In 2000 during a Lakota Sundance Ceremony, Joanelle Romero was given a vision-dream to create an American Indian Heritage Month in the City of Los Angeles. With nineteen local tribes and an estimated 75,000 people of native blood, Los Angeles is home to the largest urban American Indian population in the world. Approximately 350,000 American Indians reside in California. Since all other nationalities were celebrated with heritage months in Los Angeles, it was time for American Indians to also be recognized. Since 2000, Joanelle Romero’s Red Nation Celebration has been awarded annual grant funding from the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, making Red Nation the longest-standing American Indian non-profit organization funded by that Department.

In 2005, Romero invited Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to officially recognize American Indian Heritage Month; and in 2006, he accepted. This is unique, because other Heritage Months have been created by the City to provide performing arts for the City. For the inaugural American Indian Heritage Month in November, 2006, and as American Indian Heritage Month founder; Red Nation proudly created and produced seven successful events.

Mayor Villaraigosa presented Joanelle with a Certificate of Appreciation, acknowledging Red Nation as the founder of American Indian Heritage Month in the City of Los Angeles, recognizing the leadership of Founder Joanelle Romero and thanking her for bringing the heritage month to a reality. Governor Schwarzenegger honored Red Nation with a proclamation from the State of California.

Lt. Governor Bustamante further honored Founder Joanelle Romero and Red Nation Celebration with a resolution from the State of California. The County of Los Angeles also presented a Certificate of appreciation.

Red Nation continues to be recognized, honored and advised by American Indian officials and spiritual leaders across Indian Country. Red Nation Founder Joanelle Romero, is of the Cheyenne and Apache Nations, with a direct bloodline to Geronimo. She regularly participates in sacred Sundances on the Lakota Rose Bud reservation, where she was named Oyate Wayanka Po Win – People See This Woman by Chief Leonard Crow Dog. Local Tongva Spiritual Leader Jimi Castillo officially recognized Joanelle Romero as “the First Lady of American Indian Heritage Month” for all Red Nations, during the Mayor’s Reception for the first Heritage Month in 2006, because she had succeeded in unifying the interests of 19 tribes in the Los Angeles area.

Joanelle Romero was further acknowledged by Ellen Snortland, former President of United Nations Association, Pasadena Chapter in the Pasadena Weekly, 2006: "American Indians have every right to despise white folks and curse us, rather than bless us. And yet, there are leaders like Romero who boggle the typical pedestrian mind. Like Nelson Mandela, she is a prime example of forgiveness in action. Mandela had every right to call for a bloodbath when he was finally released from prison in South Africa. Mandela-like, Romero stands on his mighty global shoulders and calls for oneness, love and what she describes as female energy.” --partial quote.

The VISION CONTINUES We use our American Indian Heritage Month celebration to spread the message globally that Indian country is strong today. We remain a vital cultural, political, social, and moral presence, and we offer outstanding achievements in the performing arts.

As we expand our original vision and prepare for Heritage Month 2008 with 12 events scheduled, we invoke the power from our lineage to give voice to those with no voice and open cultural and economic opportunities to empower generations of people to live in harmony and respect for one another and to live in harmony and respect with our land.

There is only one water, one earth, one sky, one moon, one sun. If we loose touch with our native voice and tongue, we lose contact with the sacred traditions that teach us how to align ourselves with our land and all that is sacred to our communities.

WE do not walk this road alone; it takes the dedication of sponsors, volunteers, civic officials, state officials, tribal nations, local American Indian communities, and corporate sponsorships to create events of this stature.

Join us in Celebration and support of 2008 American Indian heritage month in the City of Los Angeles.

American Indain Heritage Month in the City of Los Angeles is the Intellectual Property of Red Nation Celebration.  

With Respect, Oyate Wayanka Po Win
People See This Woman
aka
Joanelle Romero

Founder/Producer
American Indian Heritage Month in the City of Los Angeles
Founder/CEO/Director/Producer
Red Nation Celebration

RED NATION CELEBRATION
American Indian Operated
Non-profit Since 1995
9420 Reseda Blvd. PMB 352
Northridge, CA 91324-2974
phone/fax: 818.904.9256
email: info@rednation.com
www.RedNation.com

* American Indian Heritage Month (AIHM) in the City of Los Angeles is the Intellectual Property of Red Nation Celebration
 

Partial Quote from Pasadena Weekly 2006

Written by Former President of United Nations Association – Pasadena Chapter

Ellen Snortland

American Indians have every right to despise white folks and curse us, rather than bless us. And yet, there are leaders like Romero who boggle the typical pedestrian mind. Thank goodness there are other people like Nelson Mandela, a prime example of forgiveness in action. He had every right to call for a blood bath when he was finally released from prison in South Africa. Romero stands on mighty global shoulders. Mandela-like, she too calls for “oneness,” love and what she describes as “female energy.”

Although the first "American Indian Day" was declared by the State of New York in 1916, a month long recognition of Native Americans was not achieved until 1990. In that year, President George Bush declared the first National American Indian Heritage Month on August 3. His action was based on nation presented by Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Congressional Delegate Eni aleomavaega (D-American Samoa). In each of the four previous years, Congress had enacted legislation designating "American Indian Heritage Week." This consecutive legislation allowed for the establishment of a month-long observance.

The purpose of National American Indian Heritage Month is to honor and recognize the original peoples of this land. The 1996 proclamation details their contributions to the past and to the future: Throughout our history, American Indian and Alaska Native peoples have been an integral part of the American character. Against the odds, America's first peoples have endured, and they remain a vital cultural, political, social, and moral presence. Tribal America has brought to this great country certain values and ideas that have become ingrained in the American spirit: the knowledge that humans can thrive and prosper without destroying the natural environment; the understanding that people from very different backgrounds, cultures, religions, and traditions can come together to build a great country; and the awareness that diversity can be a source of strength rather than division.

As we celebrate American Indian Heritage Month this year, we take note of the injustices that have been suffered by American Indian people. Even today, few enjoy the full bounty of America's prosperity. But even as we look to the past, we must also look to the future. Along with other mericans, American Indians and Alaska Natives will face new challenges in the coming century. We can ill afford to leave any of our people behind. Tribal America must figure as prominently in our future as it has in our past.

Let us rededicate ourselves to the principle that all Americans have the tools to make the most of their God-given potential. For Indian tribes and tribal members, this means that the authority of tribal governments must be accorded the respect and support to which they are entitled under the law. It means that American Indian children and youth must be provided a solid education and the opportunity to go on to college. It means that more must be done to stimulate tribal economies, create jobs, and increase economic opportunities.

Our bridge to the 21st century will rest upon the foundation we build today. We must teach our children about our past -- both the good and the bad -- so that they may learn from our successes and mistakes. We must provide our children with the knowledge and skills to permit them to surpass our wn achievements and create a stronger, more united American community. We must provide them greater opportunity. It was the Iroquois who taught that in every deliberation we should consider the impact of our decisions on the next 7 generations.

In recognition of the important contributions of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples to our country and in light of the special legal relationship between the tribes and the Government of the United States, and obligations pursuant thereto, we celebrate National American Indian Heritage Month.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 1996 as National American Indian Heritage Month. I urge all Americans, as well as their elected representatives at the Federal, State, local, and tribal levels, to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America he two hundred and twenty-first. WILLIAM J. CLINTON