Media Contact: 

Charmaine Nelson (626) 344-4325

Email: Charmainen@pasadenaseniorcenter.org 

CALIFORNIA’S NATIVE AMERICAN INDIGENOUS HISTORY FOCUS OF FALL MASTERS SERIES AT PASADENA SENIOR CENTER

Join members of the Gabrieleno-Tongva Nation as they share the Native American Indigenous experience, traditions and future, in the Fall Masters Series, beginning on Tuesday, November 3 and running consecutive Tuesdays through November 17 at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. onsite at the Pasadena Senior Center.

With a special focus on California, members of the ‘Gabrieleno-Tongva Nation will share the history, traditional practices and understanding of contemporary issues facing Indigenous people locally and on the national level. The series will further explore how the natural world continues to guide Indigenous cultural practices, responsibilities and ways of living in harmony with Mother Earth.

To attend all three lectures, tuition is only $45 for members and $50 for non-members. Individual lecture tickets may be purchased for only $18 for members and $20 for non-members. The lectures are in-person and will not be recorded. Reservations are suggestions and tickets will be available at the door.

In the three sessions, program curator and host Jose Castro will explore:

Tuesday, November 3 — Gabrieleno-Tongva Historical Overview

We begin the series with an overview of the history of Indigenous peoples in California, beginning with life before European contact and continuing through the arrival of the Spanish and Mexican governments. Presenter Dr. Kimberly Morales Johnson is an enrolled member of the Gabrieleno-Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians. Her family maintains tradition and continuity to their Nation by living on their ancestral homeland and knowing its precious history.

Tuesday, November 10 — Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Resources

Presented by Gabrieleno-Tongva member Seth Johnson, this session will explore the cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples in California, with a special focus on Gabrieleno-Tongva traditional ecological knowledge. Focusing on Pasadena and the Arroyo Seco, we’ll explore the deep connections between people, plants, animals, water, and the land. We’ll also look at how these traditions are connected to the local landscapes that have sustained Gabrieleno-Tongva people for generations.

Tuesday, November 17 — Current Gabrieleno-Tongva Political issues and Native Futurism

Presenter Samuel Lopez will finish the series with an examination of contemporary political issues affecting the Gabrieleno-Tongva people, including sovereignty, federal recognition, land rights, cultural preservation and the protection of sacred and ancestral places. In addition, the session will explore ‘native futurism,’ looking beyond survival toward a future centered on cultural revitalization, self-determination, land stewardship and creating opportunities for the next generation to remain connected to their culture, community and ancestral homelands.

The Pasadena Senior Center’s mission is to improve the lives of older adults through caring service with opportunities for social interaction, fitness programs, basic support and needs services, education, volunteerism and community activism. With 10,000 Americans per day becoming older adults, the center is a leader in addressing issues of aging and provides innovative, cutting-edge, nationally recognized programs for this population group.

As a donor-supported nonprofit, the center operates without any local, state or federal funding and provides more services to older adults than any other organization in the San Gabriel Valley. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. To learn more visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org or call 626-795-4331.