Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Native American Affairs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Assembly adopts ACR 102, holds Native American Day ceremony and honors tribal leaders and students
Summary
The Assembly adopted ACR 102 recognizing California Native American Day and held a Native American Day floor ceremony that honored tribal leaders, educators, and students, and recalled recent state actions affecting tribal communities.
The California State Assembly adopted Assembly Concurrent Resolution 102 on June 4, 2025, officially recognizing California Native American Day and commemorating the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference. Assemblymember James Ramos, chair of the California Native American Legislative Caucus, opened the floor ceremony and recounted recent legislative milestones affecting California tribes, including a formal apology by Governor Newsom and laws addressing missing and murdered Indigenous people and tribal co-management agreements.
"This song is to all the ancestors, to all those that are here with us today, and for us to continue to carry their voices on," Assemblymember Ramos said as he introduced the ceremony and invited traditional performances from Miwok Nisenan, Yurok, and intertribal singers. Ramos described recent legislative actions in areas including tribal public safety pilot programs, the Feather Alert, and reburial of remains and cultural artifacts from university collections.
Members across multiple caucuses rose in support. "California is home to more Native Americans and federally recognized tribes than any other state in the country," Assemblymember Ash Kalra said, urging recognition of tribal contributions to conservation and government‑to‑government partnerships. Assemblymember Hadwick, a Republican member of the Select Committee on Native American Affairs, noted personal family ties and the need to strengthen partnerships and protections for tribal nations.
The Assembly presented a series of honorees during the ceremony. The clerk read biographical notes for each honoree, including:
- Judge Abby Abinante, chief judge of the Yurok Tribe and described on the floor as the first Native American woman admitted to the State Bar of California and the first Native American named a state judicial officer for San Francisco Superior Court. - Councilwoman Catalina R. Chacon of the Pechanga Band of Indians, recognized for advocacy on missing and murdered Indigenous people and the Indian Child Welfare Act. - Rosemary Salgado (posthumous recognition), a tribal leader of the Soboba Band (transcript lists "Sabo or Luiseno") noted for educational advocacy; a Rose Salgado Elementary School recently opened in her name. - Chairman Frederick "Quentin" (transcript: Quintin Beau Massetti) of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, recognized posthumously for service to tribal governance and statewide tribal organizations. - Three Clovis Unified graduates (Bella Garcia, Ethan Molina, Jenny Rocha) honored for asserting the right to wear traditional regalia at graduation.
The clerk reported 71 coauthors on the resolution; the Assembly adopted ACR 102 by voice vote. After the vote, Assemblymember Ramos opened the floor for a reception and noted a program with honoree biographies available via QR code and an evening reception at 6:30 p.m.
The ceremony recorded appreciations across party lines and emphasized both acknowledgment of historical harms and recent legislative steps to partner with tribes. The transcript records speeches, musical presentations, and a photo opportunity on the Assembly floor; no policy vote on funding or program implementation was taken as part of the ceremony other than adoption of the commemorative resolution.
