Mt. SAC to celebrate California Native American Day

September 22, 2025 - 09:42 AM

More than 400 students from eight neighboring schools will visit Mt. San Antonio College on Sept. 26, as part of the College’s celebration of California Native American Day.

Observed annually on the fourth Friday in September, California Native American Day honors the state’s Indigenous peoples and provides opportunities to learn about Native American culture. The day became an official state holiday in 1998.

While Mt. SAC held a commemoration last year, this will be the first time the College’s First Peoples Native Center has hosted younger students on campus to participate. The visiting students, ranging in age from 12 to 19, will take part in an array of cultural and educational activities.

Highlights of the day include a keynote address by Carlos Two Bears Gonzalez, a Gabrielino Tongva tribal member, as well as interactive workshops and activities such as corn husk doll making, huichol beading, archery on the Library lawn, two-spirit storytelling, Native dance, discussions about Native homes, and the “Mayan Sky” planetarium show.

For First Peoples Native Center Director, Dr. Primavera Reza-Nakonechny, the turnout is beyond expectations.

“We were expecting about 100 to 200 students to say they wanted to come, but it ballooned to 400,” she said. “There’s a high need and a high interest.”

Feedback from the high school counselors have stated that this event looks “amazing”, and they are definitely interested.

The event’s success reflects both local demand and broader educational trends. Los Angeles County has the largest Native American population in the United States, yet there are only a limited number of Native Centers in the region. Additionally, with ethnic studies courses now offered in high schools—and a statewide ethnic studies requirement beginning in 2029—students and educators are eager for real-world experiences that complement classroom learning.

“This visit aligns perfectly with their ethnic studies curriculum,” Reza-Nakonechny said. “For many of these students, it’s also their very first time stepping onto a college campus. To have that first experience connected to Native culture and community is truly special.”

The event was made possible through collaboration with Mt. SAC’s TRIO Upward Bound program and High School Outreach, whose staff leveraged existing relationships with area high school principals and counselors to bring students to campus.