i want to thank the dancers and singers and drummers for sharing their heritage with us and just adds to this special event and be sure to tune in through november. thanks. [applause] >> all right. thank you michael and i would like to call to the stage at this time mr. joaquin torres the director of neighborhood service from the mayor's office. good to see you again. [applause] >> well, good evening everyone and just to reaffirm on behalf of mayor lee it's a pleasure to have you here tonight in city hall, our humble abode. to all of the musicians and performers

and nice to bring life into sometimes these cold walls and we we can. kqud and to all of you for coming out of the studio and brings your presence into here city hall. i know the broadcasting world is happy from the election results last night and we can continue to deliver programming for our communities. [applause] and i know we were inspired by the president's words last night when we talked about the importance of diversity and here in san we are no stranger to that language when we celebrate all the different communities we have here in san francisco and the filipino and native american community here in san francisco. we continue to build upon our

city's long standing history and celebrate diversity and multiculturalism as a part of our lives and here we celebrating the american indian and enriches the great history of our city. these events are special to us and gives us the opportunity to recognize the unsung heroes whose work goes unnoticed and it's an opportunity to share with the larger community and i would like to thank the native american organizing community and the health center, the health center of santa clara, our office and i would like to make a special note of one of our employees who has been diligent for serving communities in san francisco and lois figueroa and thank you for the work that you do on behalf of the communities and of course

you recognize the american aids project. [applause] to borrow from the president's words and our san francisco and our bay area community moves forward because of you. we move forward because of you, and the honorees and your work that rerecognize tonight and recognizes the triumph that left from depression to the greatest heights of hope. the belief that each of us will pursue our dreams we are a san francisco, a bay area family and we rise or fall together as one nation and one people, and so i would like to invite up to the stage to receive what we present in recognition of this important event lynn hunt, the ceo --

[applause] -- of the indian health center of santa clara county. on behalf of mayor lee and recognizing and honor of the committee we would like to say on resolve on behalf of the mayor and city and county of san francisco we recognize this as national indian month here in san francisco. [applause] >> smoky bay singers. two starts, napsters. two starts. here we go.

(drums and chanting).

>> how about a big round of applause for all our dancers. here we go. indian way. [applause] napsters, keep it going. make them dance. dancer style.

there you go. get it. the dancers were lead in by larry harrison and will be lead out. (

chanting). >> all right. one more time. how about a big round of applause for all our dancers, for all our singers? [applause] >> all right. it's a great honor to bring to the stage at this time liz hunt on behalf of the american indian health center santa clara valley. [applause] >> thank you earl and thank you everybody. it's an honor to be here. i am liz hunt and we have been honored to serve the american indian community in the south bay for over 35 years. it is my pleasure to introduce our

first honoree. izatzi hernandez. [applause] she is the program prevention substance abuse coordinator at the health center. she is a mother of two and she is pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology. she serves as a board member for the american indian alliance of santa clara county and actively engaged with san jose inter community and works with healthy styles and life choices and has been chaired san jose power wow and held in year.

each her they hold a sporting event to bring natives together to promote wellness. she believes in these events lie the developing in youth the sense of self worth and resiliency necessary for them to succeed. she prides herself in the design and implementation of an art curriculum that includes, but not limited to bead work, dancing and sewing and a firm believer in these traditions and intrinsic values instill solidity and pride in being responsible individuals in a contemporary landscape. in addition her years of dance experience has lead her to be a respected and decorated and sought after resource for many bay area presentations. she regularly has theater

performances and in leading discussions and after hour mentorship activities. she is a member of the ingenuity project developing a documentary about native american social issues. she founded a area of bay area artists and honor those who have given the permission to share these traditions and does so through her work and involvement and let's now watch a video. >> i am anacita hernandez and i work with this program. there are great things about dang and on the surface it feels good. and brings a sense of pride and for myself and for other

people. it's an honor to dance in the arena and wear the regalia. when things happen, when we face those obstacles or hit those speed bumps we will have something to look at. we will something to fall back on. this is where i am and i have my daughter and making her proud of me, you know, doesn't happen everyday but it feels really good, and when i was able to share that information with her, and have her blessing and her proud of me -- [inaudible] but to give back and that kind of thing [inaudible]. all the different groups and teams and all the people that i am able

to share like my life with and be a part of their life i just really -- very fortunate. >> and let's welcome her to the stage. [applause] >> so i want to present this award on behalf of kqmd and the native american community to this amazing young woman and does so many important things and does wonderful things for for our community. thank you

anacita. [applause] >> thank you. pepperoni, crackers -- oh wait, this is my grocery list. i was really trying not to be emotional, but all the work they do and all the time that i spend, and it really is just me being a mother, and i'm very fortunate to have my family, to have all my friends, and the greet teams that i work with. i am really fortunate to have them in my life and without them, without having support i wouldn't have been able to do a

lot of the things i have been able to do, and also to be surrounded by dreamers because you know to have that inspiration, to see them, to see other people dream and dream big it really inspires me and i always feel that i'm not doing enough because i am surrounded by these amazing people. and -- i'm happy to see my family here. because you are my family. i'm so far away from home. my family -- they live in arizona, and today i have my son with me

and this is chanto and he is representative. i get to have home with me everyday. i love my children and my grandmother -- one of the really important lessons that i learned and i carry with me a lot is when my daughter was born she was only a few months old, and we were with my grandma, and she was helping me take care of her one day, and my baby brother was about four or five, and the living room was just full of toys. every room had some toy in it, and my grandmother she was carrying my daughter lily anna and we were coming into the room at the same time and as she came through

the door she tripped over a toy and i was so scared because my daughter was only a few months old but boy did she know how to fall. she just rolld and my daughter -- she was still fully intact. she didn't hit the ground. she wasn't even crying. i was so amazed by the way she was able to roll and fall, and so as an adult thinking back on a lot of my memories and remembering like the different lessons that people have brought to me. i remember my grandmother -- she knew how to fall but she knew how to fall, and so when i come to those points in my life where i feel like i'm falling i just know that we know how to do that.

we know how to roll and we know how to roll and when we work hard we know how to work hard and do it with some style, so i am really fortunate to have just a great family and i am really honored. thank you. [applause] >> is this somebody's purse up here? i know it's not mine. i went through it. there is no money in it now. it's nice when they leave gifts up here for

me. with great pleasure i would like to introduce michael dur ran. michael dur ran come on up, a good friend, colleague. [applause] >> good evening. i would like to thank everybody for being here today. i can't hear myself. my name is michael dur an and the counseling director at the health center in san jose california. i am here to speak on behalf of gwen spriar and the american indian alliance. it was created in the 90's to provide voice to the community in santa clara valley and

started by laverne robert and provides two annual powwows and numerous fundraisers. gwen has been part of the alliance for about 15 years now. gwen is a elder and retired from the american indian district titles four, seven and nine of the indian education act. she has moved beyond the limits of her duties for the families in her district. she spends time volunteers for all community functions that the alliance puts on. the families that she serves remember her fondly and all that she did for them. she offered her talents to powwows, food booths, graduations and dinners and let's watch a video on gwen stirrer.

>> i am [inaudible] known as the keepers of the western door. they're on the western side of new york and they're the biggest of the tribes. i'm the one -- i'm the one that creeks that runs through our reservation now. indian community -- there was nothing in the beginning. for 20 years that i work in the school district helping the children understand that their heritage was important, and important to be proud of being indian, and so that gave them reasons to study harder and to be a better student and stay in school. where you come from is important and what your background is and your family,

so we have to have indian education. i don't think i'm a hero. i just had a job to do, and did it with the children at the school district, but i also like to include the whole community. that's why we put on the powwows and have different events where everyone could attend. be proud that you're indian. >> so we would like to present gwen with this local hero's award from kqmd. thank you very much for what you have done for the community, for yourself and the community and all the relations and gwen is going to be saying a few words. we're going to present her with this bag here and thank you. >> why thank you michael. it's very nice to hear the good words about me, and my son even has

flowers i see. thank you very much tom. i have three sons. tom and middle son and he has a son also named tom but he is here today from palm springs. you live in palm springs tom? >> all over. >> all over. and thank you and i would like to thank my other friends. i saw so many of them here tonight and it's really nice that you came for our -- not just my friends but the friends of anacita and the others. thank you for coming. i also really think that we should thank kqmd. who else shows indian movies and honors indian people like tonight? this is a great, great honor to be here in city hall of san francisco. the person that

nominated me for this award is laverne roberts. maybe some of you knew her as laverne morrisy. she went home to her reservation. she is piute and went to her home. where is her home? >> [inaudible] >> in earring ton nevada. we went there once and she has a beautiful house and live there is and now she is even running for the council of her tribe. laverne was going to surprise me and be here this evening, but she had an outbreak of one of her illnesses. her foot started to bleed and now she has to be on crutches for a while, so she

had to turn in her plane ticket and her taxi fare, but otherwise she would have been here tonight and many of us know laverne and we would like to say a prayer that she gets better soon and can come and see us. this is for laverne. yes. please let's clap our hands for laverne. [applause] >> thank you. laverne roberts was honored here in this space two years ago. thank you laverne. and i think i can say a lot more about being indian and how much i am proud to be indian. i did work in the school district for more than 20 years, and the people that i

work with they still call me up and tell me their troubles, and ask for help sometimes, but thank you very much for all of you to come tonight. [applause] >> all right. thank you gwen and anaciata as well. i saw your family over there and got a bunch of hugs. all right. is shirley here yet? is shirley cavara here yet? good to see you shirley. calling to the stage at this time amanda bloom. [applause]

>> it's a great honor for me to introduce shirley. for any of you that know shirley. whatever shirley wants she gets so she said i had to introduce her and here i am. sheerly is amazing woman and was at alcatraz and taught children and supported me as a single mother, took care of my child there and i think she's one of the amazing woman in the community and this is a long over due award for her and congratulations shirley. [applause] so now we're going to -- now we're going to have a video. >> my name is shirley cavara and work for oakland school

district and early education and people come from san joaquin valley and my family is located in the area. the best thing about working here is meeting all the families, and connecting with the kids, and when it finally clicks to them "oh that's what that means". even if it's small steps with some kids it's a great feeling that you have made an accomplishment in their lives that they will remember, so here it started down at ice age and moved to second avenue because it got too big want there was a preschool there and out grew that area and we had three choice in oakland to have the child care center at

and the parents chose this one and up in the hills and don't feel like you're in oakland and conducive to our setting and lifestyle as indian people, and a lot of our kids that graduated here are doing community work. they're out there working with their people so we have made a strong impact with kids and you don't think about it. you just do what you do and what comes natural in working with kids and it's the only -- within the state of california the only urban american indian child development center. that couldn't have happened unless it involved the community and the staff and people that trurl cared to keep it going. >> one of the things i forgot to say there was a time when it was in danger of being closed and shirley lead the efforts to keep it open. [applause]