“The Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission stands in solidarity with our Indigenous brothers and sisters and denounces the inexcusable attacks by (now former) City Council President Nury Martinez, and Councilmembers Kevin de Leon and Gil Cedillo as well as the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor ex-president Ron Herrera.
To be Indigenous in Los Angeles is to be part of a rich and diverse family with strong, proud, beautiful members from the United States, South America, Central America, Mexico, and Canada.
An attack on the dignity of any member of our family is an insult to all. In the words of the first Indigenous president of Mexico Benito Juarez (Zapotec), “Respect for the rights of others is peace/El respecto al derecho ajeno es la paz.”
We also stand in unity with all residents of Los Angeles regardless of race, creed, or orientation. There is no place at any level of local leadership for intolerance, racism, or bigotry. Hateful comments directed at Black, Latino/a/x, LGBTQ+, Asian and Armenian communities cannot and will not be tolerated.
We must move forward with one united voice that will hold offensive actions accountable, uplift marginalized communities, and work together to improve the quality of life for all peoples today and our future generations.” – Chair Cheri Thomas (Quinault/Yurok)
Last modified: October 20, 2022