Native American Indian Commission to Mark 50 Year Anniversary at The Huntington

The Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission will mark its 50th anniversary with a panel discussion Monday, Oct. 12, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, at The Huntington in San Marino.

Community members and historians will use archives and personal stories to trace the commission’s founding and accomplishments and to consider its future, The Huntington said.

The Huntington describes the evening as a commemoration of the commission’s legacy of urban Indian leadership.

Amanda Wixon (Chickasaw Nation), associate curator of Native History and Culture at the Autry Museum of the American West, will moderate. The panel includes Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo), an assistant professor of law at UCLA School of Law whose research focuses on tribal sovereignty and federal Indian law. Commissioner Dawn Jackson (Saginaw Chippewa) and former Commissioner Rudy Ortega Jr. (Fernandeño Tataviam) round out the panel.

Ortega told the commission at its March 17 meeting that he would resign after 26 years of service on the commission, following his appointment as a commissioner for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

The commission was created in 1976 through a joint effort of the Los Angeles American Indian community and the Los Angeles city and county governments. Los Angeles County officially established it June 25, 1976. Its 15 members include five appointed by the county, five by the city of Los Angeles and five elected by the Native American community. Its primary purpose is to bring funding resources to bear on the socioeconomic problems of American Indians in the city and county, according to the commission. The Huntington says the commission serves the largest urban Native American population in the United States.

Commission Chairperson Mark Villaseñor told commissioners at the March 17 meeting that he and others were exploring the idea of a commemorative event at The Huntington and that the event should remain open to the public and the community.

Admission to the program is free, but registration is required, and registration does not include free admission to The Huntington. Guests should bring their registration confirmation and check in with Education staff at Rothenberg Hall beginning at 6 p.m. A reception follows the discussion.

NEED TO KNOW

Event: Celebrating 50 Years of the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission. When: Monday, Oct. 12. Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m.; check-in begins at 6 p.m. Cost: Free; registration required. Where: Rothenberg Hall, The Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Parking: Free, with lot entrances on Oxford Road and Allen Avenue. For more, email publicprograms@huntington.org or visit https://www.huntington.org/event/celebrating-50-years-los-angeles-citycounty-native-american-indian-commission