SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Approximately 627,855 acres of Southern California’s vast desert are eyed to become a national treasure.

A federal bill announced Tuesday would establish the new Chuckwalla National Monument in eastern Imperial and Riverside counties, east of the Salton Sea.

U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler (both D-Calif.) and Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25) announced the legislation titled the Chuckwalla National Monument Establishment and Joshua Tree National Park Expansion Act of 2024. As its name implies, the bill also includes language to expand Joshua Tree National Park by approximately 17,915 acres with previously designated public lands.

A primary difference between national monuments and other kinds of sites, such as national parks, is how they are established. For example, Congress can create national parks by passing legislation. U.S. presidents create national monuments on federal lands to protect significant natural, cultural or scientific features — Congress granted them this authority in the Antiquities Act of 1906.

In an April 16 letter to President Joe Biden and Department of Interior Secretary Debra A. Haaland, Butler, Padilla, and Ruiz — along with 23 Democratic congressional members from California — urged the president to use the Antiquities Act to expedite the monument’s creation.

Lands within the proposed monument are home to over 150 plant species, many of which cannot be found anywhere else, and over 50 sensitive animal species, according to the bill’s text.

The proposed monument area also includes the homelands of the Iviatim, Nüwü, Pipa Aha Macav, Kwatsáan, and Maara’yam peoples (Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan, and Serrano nations). Designating the Chuckwalla National Monument would help protect important spiritual and cultural values tied to the land, such as multi-use trail systems established by indigenous peoples, sacred sites and objects, traditional cultural places, geoglyphs, petroglyphs, pictographs, and native plants and wildlife, according to the bill’s supporters.

Chairman Thomas Tortez Jr. of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians applauded the bill and said that for thousands of years the tribe has called the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument lands home.

Erica Schenk, chairwoman of the Cahuilla Band of Indians also voiced support.

“The area includes village sites, camps, quarries, food processing sites, power places, trails, glyphs, and story and song locations, all of which are evidence of the Cahuilla people’s and other tribes’ close and spiritual relationship to these desert lands,” Schenk said.

Jordan D. Joaquin, president of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, said the lands encompass the tribe’s “origins, history, songs, religious ceremonies, ancient sites, trails, petroglyphs, artifacts, and intaglios that are spread throughout our traditional territories. Our footsteps are etched into the landscape since the beginning of time and we continue to persist in modern times, still providing stewardship over these lands. We are wholeheartedly in support of the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument.”

While the land has important tribal significance, the national monument would be accessible to all people.

“The Chuckwalla National Monument is good for the environment, the economy and public’s health,” Ruiz said. “It aims to protect pristine wildlife habitats, endangered plants and animals, and sacred sites of significant spiritual importance to local tribes, crucial for their cultural preservation. Additionally, it will enhance tourism and economic opportunities in our region and provide a new venue for constituents to hike, bike, and enjoy the breathtaking landscapes and natural beauty of our desert. This monument will play an important role in addressing California’s and our nation’s climate change goals while promoting the growth of renewable energy.”

In addition to input from tribal leaders, the Chuckwalla National Monument boundaries were crafted with feedback from leaders within the renewable energy industry, conservation groups, utility companies, community organizations and youth leaders, according to the bill’s supporters.

The boundaries weave through the desert around tribal lands, as well as around areas established for electric power lines, sites designated for renewable energy construction and military installations.

“The Chuckwalla National Monument will protect environmental resources and tribal lands while creating an energy corridor for the electric power lines essential for the state’s clean energy future,” said Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO, Edison International.

The proposed Chuckwalla National Monument supports the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, which identified public lands suitable for renewable energy development; the monument boundaries were specifically drawn to avoid DRECP areas, according to supporters.

“This legislation is a testament to the reality that conservation and renewable energy progress go hand in hand,” said Raisa Lee, senior director of development, Clearway Energy Group.

Solar Energy Industries Association was also involved in crafting the legislation.

In total, proponents garnered nearly 40 comments in support.

Not everyone is in agreement. Some opponents say the proposal would eliminate desert mining and could restrict some desert recreation activities. As of Tuesday afternoon, a Change.org petition opposing the legislation had garnered over 1,500 signatures. The signatures could not be verified.

According to the April 16 letter to Biden, the Chuckwalla National Monument would contribute to the administration’s goal of permanently conserving 30 percent of U.S. lands and coastal waters by 2030.

Last week, it was reported that Biden plans to expand two national monuments in California. The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in the Angeles National Forest and San Bernardino National Forest is proposed to grow by about 110,000 acres. The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties would expand by about 13,000 acres.

The exact timing of an expansion declaration is unclear, but it is likely in the coming weeks — and could coincide with April 22, 2024, Earth Day, sources told reporters.

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On Jan. 21, about 20 teens met at Soboba’s multipurpose room to be taught how to bead a hand lanyard, which can be used as a keychain. Teachers Kathy and Lexi Lopez facilitated the four-hour workshop that included a lunch break of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.

Kathy and her daughter Lexi have had their own beading business for several years and Kathy said they were asked to teach the workshop because of a strong interest in having the teens learn the skill. She said it was also because TANF’s Regional Prevention Manager Harold Arres is a friend and regular customer of Lopez Beading and thought it would be good for young people to learn how to create their own items.

Many youths were beading for the first time, but some were using knowledge from a past ornament beading workshop and incorporating their skills in making something new. The art of beading takes patience, focus and time. By the end of the workshop, many were only half done with their lanyards so a part two is expected to be scheduled to complete their projects.

Each beader was given the creative freedom to choose their own colors and make their own design which produced one-of-a-kind and very personal lanyards. Roslyn Valenzuella, 15, was beading for the first time while her friend Suun Nelson, 14 had beaded an ornament during the holidays.

“Getting started is the hardest part,” Suun said. Her comment was echoed by many others.

Sisters Ariana Rosas, 16 and Aleksia Rosas, 13 thought keeping each row straight was difficult as well. They came from Riverside to participate in the workshop. Aleksia chose to use her mother’s favorite colors so she could present the lanyard as a gift.

“I’ve done earrings before, but I’ve always wanted to know how to do lanyards,” Alayna Resvaloso, 16, said. “I’m still learning by trial and error, making sure each row is tight.”

Utilizing tiny blue, black and dark luminescent beads that reminded her of thunder, Alayna said she was thinking about giving her finished lanyard to her dad because his favorite color is blue.

Nashashuk Resvaloso, 18, a proficient beader already, attended to help others. A favorite beaded item is hats, which may be offered at a future workshop.

Lexi has been beading since she was 15 and enjoys working with her mother and grandparents in their beading business. But she was also very hands-on in helping the teens learn about the important techniques that will help be successful.

“This is the first time I’ve ever taught a class and it’s going better than I expected,” Lexi, 23, said. “It takes a lot of patience and persistence and I always tell them that it’s okay to mess up.”

Lanyards are one of her favorite beaded items to make and Lexi said it is definitely the company’s biggest seller, but she likes to sometimes make bracelets or other things she is in the mood for.

Kimani Sanchez, 14, is from Soboba and this was her first attempt at beading. She found it “pretty easy” and was enjoying herself. “I wear a lot of beaded earrings so I want to try making some of my own someday.”

She chose her favorite color of pink for her lanyard and followed the pattern on one of the full lanyards provided as samples. “Once you get the hang of it, you can finish it pretty quickly,” she said.

Angel Crawford has been with the Soboba Tribal TANF program for more than a year as its transportation coordinator. She makes sure that youths from Riverside, Mountain Center and other outlying areas can participate in Tribal Cháamcha Lówwivuktum (TCL) activities that include field trips, youth conferences, workshops, classes on timely topics and a summer youth internship program.

Crawford said workshops at the Soboba Indian Reservation are usually scheduled once a month and last a few hours. She said the TANF team takes into consideration interests that the youths have in deciding what to offer. The last workshop, making leather pouches, was led by Tony Soares. Before that was one on making pots.

She was seated among the teens, trying her hand at beading for the first time. She said the most difficult part was getting started and counting to make sure she had the correct number of beads for each row. “After the first two rows, you’re fine,” she said.

Christopher Lagunas, 12, has beaded a bracelet on his own and beaded an ornament through the program. “I chose black and blue with white as an accent color,” he said, adding that techniques are little different depending on the project but being patient is the most important thing to master no matter what is being created.

For more information, www.lopezbeading.com.

The post Beading is taught to teens at Soboba appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The bill encourages school districts, county offices of education and charter schools to form California Indian Education Task Forces with Tribes local to their region, or historically located in their region, who will help develop high quality curricular materials, including the correct and proper depictions of Native Americans.

Soboba Tribal Chairman Isaiah Vivanco welcomed the opportunity to host this important event for Assemblymember Ramos who is a longtime friend of his and the Soboba Tribe. He said it was a two-year battle for this bill to endure the Legislative process so it could be put on the governor’s desk for approval.

“We appreciate all the effort, time, consultation and everything else that Assemblymember Ramos has gone through to get the bill to where it’s at today – ready to be instituted within our school districts to tell our true story,” Vivanco said.

Among the Roundtable panelists were two San Jacinto High School students who traveled to Sacramento with a delegation from Soboba in March to support the bill when it was under consideration. Su’la Arviso and Rhianna Salgado are also members of the Four Directions Native American club at the high school and recently organized a Gathering of the People where they highlighted all cultures represented at the campus and in the community. Ramos attended that event and spoke about the importance of schools teaching accurate historical information regarding Native Americans.

At the Roundtable, Su’la said, “This bill will not only help clear up the misconceptions but also provide a better understanding of who we are and where we come from.” She shared that being able to provide cultural demonstrations via the club helps give her fellow students a better understanding of Native Americans than what they read about in textbooks.

Rhianna, of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians and Cahuilla Band of Indians, said that she was grateful to be given the platform of testifying on behalf of AB 1703 in Sacramento and to being invited to the Roundtable “where our voices can be heard.” She stressed the importance of teaching, and having students learn, the true history and culture among different Tribes throughout the state and not just have them all lumped together into one stereotype.

Ramos thanked both students for their insightful words and said they are both great examples of how the youths are already working hard to correct the misconceptions by engaging in their classrooms, on their campuses and in their communities.

“How much better would it be for a Native American student from a local Tribe to open a textbook and read the factual history of who they truly are and see it being taught to every student in their classroom?” Ramos said. “That’s where we want to get to. We want to get to that point so everybody is learning about who we are and breaking down those misconceptions.”

Other panelists, virtually and in person, included Tribal and educational leaders who stated their support and reasons why they feel this bill and subsequent implementation is so valuable to Californians.

The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians is utilizing its strong relationship with the San Jacinto Unified School District to provide support for AB 1703.

“Hopefully we can take steps here locally to be a model to show other Tribes and districts in the state what San Bernardino and Riverside counties can do,” Vivanco said. “We will put our best foot forward and lead this charge. I know there is a lot more to be done and a lot more than can be said or talked about, but we are excited to move forward and progress.”

To Ramos, Vivanco said, “Thank you for what you are doing at the capitol and for making a difference in our lives, and for bringing attention to these serious matters.”

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