San Manuel leadership present the Yawa’ Award to Jimi Castillo and Raul Garcia on behalf of American Indian Changing Spirits. Photo courtesy of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
Long Beach nonprofit American Indian Changing Spirits was recognized Thursday evening by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for their dedication to providing treatment for American Indians who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction.
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians hosted the 10th Annual Forging Hope Yawa Awards on the reservation to celebrate the work of nonprofits in the Inland Empire and Indian Country who contribute to the beneficial needs of American Indians.
Recipients were awarded for embodying the time-honored Serrano concept of Yawa’: “to act on one’s beliefs.”
San Manuel recognized the organizations that demonstrated the essence of Yawa by making a difference in the areas of economic/community development, health, education and special projects.
The 2018 Yawa’ Award recipients are:
- American Indian Changing Spirits (Long Beach), for their dedication to providing culturally-centered treatment to American Indians who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction
- Think Together, Inland Empire (Riverside, San Bernardino), for providing safe, after-school programs that help prepare students for college and career.
- Path of Life Ministries (Riverside) for their commitment to restoring the lives of formerly homeless individuals through their Employment Pipeline Program.
- Americans for Indian Opportunity (Albuquerque, N.M.) for their work to grow Indigenous values-based leadership for Native professionals through their Ambassadors Program.
Designed by the youth of the reservation and encased in glass, each honoree received one of the designed awards to commemorate their dedication to acting on their beliefs–hand-painted, traditional gourd rattles.