Elizabeth FastHorse
Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians

Elizabeth FastHorse grew up on the Rincon Indian reservation where she raised by my grandmother, and grew up with a sister, and cousin located in Valley Center, CA (North San Diego County) and is an enrolled tribal member of the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians. Elizabeth is the director of Education and Cultural Learning Department for the Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Indian Indians providing cultural and educational programing to American Indians in the Los Angeles County.

Michelle A. Enfield
Navajo

Michelle Enfield is of the Red Running Into the Water people Clan (Tachii’nii), born for the Black Streak Wood People clan (Tsi’naajinii), her maternal grandfather’s clan is of the Near The Water clan (Tó’áhaní), her paternal grandfather’s clan is of the Bitter Water clan (Todich’ii’nii), this is how she is Navajo, Dine. She is originally from Lukachukai, Arizona but now resides in Los Angeles, California. She is the Program Coordinator at the Red Circle Project at APLA Health & Wellness and works specifically with the Native American population by providing HIV education.

Angela Mooney D’Arcy
Juaneno Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation

Angela is from the Native Nation whose traditional territories include the area now known as Orange County.  She has been working with Native Nations, Indigenous people, grassroots and nonprofit organizations, artists, educators and educational institutions on environmental and cultural justice issues for nearly twenty years.  She is the Executive Director and Founder of Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples, a Los Angeles-based, Indigenous-led community organization and Affiliate of the Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples dedicated to building the capacity of Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples to protect sacred lands, waters, and cultures.

2017 Gala Emcee
Stanley Ralph Rodriguez

Stan is a member of the Santa Ysabel Band of the Iipay Nation. Stan is holding the office as legislator for the band and a board member for California Indian Storytellers Association, plus a board member for Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival. He has participated in the master apprentice program. Stan is a proponent for language immersion and developing oral situational fluency as a primary goal for language instruction

Ba’ac Garcia

Ba’ac is an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation from the Chuk Kukut District.   Ba’ac is a name in the O’odham Language that translates to “Eagle”.  Ba’ac is a high school student currently residing in Orange County.

1st Dance:  Ba’ac is known as a Fancy Feather Bustle dancer.  Now everyone come to the edge of your seat and hold on to your glasses as he rock these moccasins on the dance floor.

2nd Dance:  Ba’ac is coming to us now in a traditional outfit with an eagle bustle where he is showcasing a story of the warrior.

Mel and The Class of “68”

Gary Hutchins “Drums And Vocals”,
In his music carrier has performed in Lake Tahoe, Reno and Palm Springs

Jack Long “Bass and Vocals”
Has been riding the music scene since he started the first Surf Band in San Diego in the 60’s
has played Jazz to Rock from Texas to South Carolina and now is back in Southern Ca.

Mel Vernon “Guitar and Vocals”
Has played music in Hawaii, Grand Cayman and Resorts thru out Southern Ca. Playin the classic music of his generation from the 50’s 60’s and 70’s.

Raye Zaragoza

Raye is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and performer whose multinational heritage (Native American (O’odham), Mexican, Taiwanese and Japanese) deeply informs her music. This perspective can be heard in her independently released song “In the River,” a response to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota. The quiet yet powerful track resonated strongly with listeners and went viral in late 2016, garnering half a million views on the video, national media coverage, and a Global Music Award and Honesty Oscar.