Guardians at the Gateway

By Michael Miskwish

     From the earliest explorations by Hernando de Alarcón in 1540, the overland route, from mainland New Spain into Alta California across the Colorado River was recognized as strategically and economically important to Spanish colonizers, and, subsequently, the Mexicans.  The path was charted by Juan Bautista de Anza in his 1774-1775 expedition which was followed by the establishment of two missions in the lands of the Quechan in 1780-1781.   But the Quechan bristled at the heavy-handed disregard for their customs and traditions.  Missions La Purisima Concepción and San Pedro y San Pablo de Bicuner were attacked on July 17, 1781 and destroyed after a two-day battle.  The destruction of the missions left the Spaniards with only the difficult overland route up the Baja peninsula, or the grueling sea journey sailing against both the prevailing winds and the California Current.  

     The Spaniards regrouped and sought to utilize the Dominican Mission of Santa Catalina in the mountains of the Pai Pai people, south of the Kumeyaay, as a strategic location to launch attacks.  From there, the Spaniards sought to project their power through the Cocopa lands and reopen the route to upper California.  The Cocopa were able to hold off the Spanish soldiers with the aid of the swampy terrain of the Colorado River delta which hindered the use of horses and wagons.  Within ten years, the Spanish withdrew all but a colonial guard detachment and abandoned any further efforts to secure the Colorado River crossing.

Missing Person Candlelight Vigil

Forrest Boren Jr. commonly known as "Os" is from the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel Tribe located in county of San Diego, CA. He was last seen on October 16, 2020, in the area of Santa Ysabel, CA.  The family have been struggling to get the word out. The news won't pick up the story, social media is all they to spread the word. 
 
"Os" is one of thousands of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) men and boys who are missing or murdered in the U.S. but capture little media attention. 
 
Missing in San Diego County:  9 Native American's actively missing,6 male's and 3 females.
 
Unidentified Indigenous in San Diego County: 9 males and 1 female.
 
Unclaimed in San Diego County: 1 male
 
October 16, 2021, will be 1 year to the day that O's vanished without a trace. The family is asking the public to join them at the candlelight vigial as they keep hope alive by remembering Forest Boren Jr. "Os"
 
"Our people go missing three times over. The first time is physically. They're physically stolen, abducted, taken, murdered. Then they're missing in the data. The third time is -- they're not home with their families, they're not home in their communities,"  "That's why we have to be our own advocates". 
Colleen Medicine, Program Director at the Association on American Indian Affairs.
 
If you have ANY information, please call San Diego Sheriff’s Ranchita Substation 858-565-5200 Case # 20146703. 

Missing person page: https://www.facebook.com/Help-Find-Forrest-Boren-Jr-104789308108562 
 
#OurMenGoMissingToo  #MMIP   #IipayNationOfSantaYsabel
#SanDiegoCounty  #HelpFindForrestOsBoren
#CalAdvocatesForTheMissing
 
Forest Boren "Os"

Goodbye Columbus: Mexico statue to be replaced by Indigenous

 

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Christopher Columbus is getting kicked off Mexico City’s most iconic boulevard.Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the Columbus statue on the Paseo de la Reforma, often a focal point for Indigenous rights protests, would be replaced by a statue honoring Indigenous women.

“To them we owe ... the history of our country, of our fatherland,” she said.

She made the announcement on Sunday, which was International Day of the Indigenous Woman.

Link to AP article:

Dear Indian Voices

The Montgomery-Gibbs Environmental Coalition would like to bring to your attention to better inform the public about the toxic lead air pollution that is generated by general aviation airports not only all over San Diego County, but also nationwide. 

AACEC PhaseII Banner 728x90

In response to the alarming number of infections and lack of a federal strategy to address Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Governor Gavin Newsom called upon all Californians to deploy every resource within their control to confront and slow the lethal pandemic spread. As a result, the African American community has initiated a statewide “call to action” within faith-based communities to implement testing in church parking lots, campuses, and facilities. 

Through this effort, testing of at-risk, underrepresented, and under-resourced African Americans, and all community members appearing for a test, will be phased across the state beginning in Alameda County and extending in regular intervals to encompass San Francisco, Sacramento, Solano, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Gabriel, and San Diego counties.

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