American Indian Cultural District celebrates 6 years in SF
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Vendors and buyers at an American Indian Cultural District Craft Market.
The American Indian Cultural District (AICD) is hosting its first-ever block party this weekend, the latest milestone in a history that began well before San Francisco was founded.
The big picture: The celebration comes after AICD became the first of its kind to be formally designated a state cultural district in December, a move leaders hope will unlock more funding for its programs.
Driving the news: Expect a parade, live music, drag performances, Native vendors and remarks from special guests, including writer and filmmaker Julian Brave NoiseCat.
- The free event, set to take place 10am-3pm Saturday on Valencia Street between 15th and 18th, will mark the district's sixth anniversary.
San Francisco sits on unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land (known as Yelamu). The tribe lost the vast majority of its population after the Spanish conquered what is now California.
- This included forcing Indigenous people to assimilate into European culture, eradicating their traditions and subjecting them to forced labor and beatings. Many were imprisoned for decades.
Their fight for visibility includes the 19-month-long occupation of Alcatraz that started in 1969 and the Longest Walk, a 1978 demonstration during which hundreds of Native Americans walked from San Francisco to D.C. to protest policies limiting their rights.
- San Francisco has housed more than 28 Native-led organizations over the years, including the American Indian Historical Society and the world's oldest film festival dedicated to Indigenous stories.
- "It's not like we're trying to build a presence that never existed," said AICD executive director Sharaya Souza, who is Taos Pueblo, Ute and Kiowa. "We've always been here."
Between the lines: Indigenous people consistently face disproportionately high rates of poverty, health disparities and housing insecurity in San Francisco, yet struggle to secure funding, according to Souza.
- The district is working to commemorate the history of genocide against Native Americans across the city and bolster murals, event programming and legacy businesses through the creation of a cultural trail.
- "No matter where you go in San Francisco, you're always on Native American land," Souza told Axios.