What does sovereignty mean today? How do Indigenous communities carry forward culture, leadership, and identity while shaping the future?
On June 27, California Humanities invites you to experience a special live recording of Reclaiming Our Stories: Voices of Indigenous Peoples of California at the Autry Museum of the American West.
Hosted by Story Weaver and tribal judge Honorable Victorio L. Shaw (Hoopa Valley Tribe), the evening will bring together Native leaders, advocates, educators, and culture bearers from across California for a live conversation exploring Indigenous futurity, leadership, and the ongoing work of sovereignty.
The program will feature Episode 6, Futures of Sovereignty, with guests Erica Pinto (Jamul Kumeyaay), Juan Angel Reynoso (Ipai-Kumeyaay), Frankie Myers (Yurok), and Darlene Franco (Wukchumni Yokuts), whose work spans tribal governance, cultural revitalization, environmental stewardship, education, and community leadership.
The evening will also include special cultural presentations by Native singers and dancers, creating a unique opportunity to experience living traditions alongside contemporary conversations about California’s Indigenous past, present, and future.
This series was developed with guidance from an Indigenous Advisory Committee whose members include Christopher Peters (Karuk), Christina Snider-Ashtari (Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians), and Deborah Sánchez (Chumash, O’odham, and Rarámuri). Their leadership has helped ensure that Native voices and perspectives remain at the center of this project.
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Reclaiming Our Stories creates space for Indigenous perspectives that have too often been excluded from mainstream historical narratives. Through conversation, culture, and lived experience, the series invites audiences to broaden their understanding of California’s past, present, and future.
Whether you have followed the podcast from the beginning or are joining us for the first time, we invite you to be part of this memorable evening of storytelling, reflection, and community.
