Dear Governor Newsom and members of the California State Legislature:
We urge you to pass legislation to remove all of the “El Camino Real” mission bell markers from state highways and other lands within the jurisdiction of the state of California. As symbols of the domination and enslavement of Indigenous peoples in the California mission system, these bells do not belong on public display.
El Camino Real bell markers were installed over the past century to boost tourism and promote a fanciful, inaccurate and racist interpretation of mission history. Towering above public roads traveled by millions of Californians, these painful monuments glorify the Spanish mission system that sought to eliminate Native American cultures, spiritual practices and ways of life.
California’s missions led directly to the deaths of about 100,000 Indigenous people and were places of immense suffering and rampant abuse. Today’s California tribes that survived the missions—and subsequent Mexican and American colonization—continue to experience the impacts of historical trauma and most remain landless within their own territories.
Please honor the requests of tribal leaders by requiring that Caltrans, California State Parks, and other state agencies take immediate action to remove these harmful bell markers from public property. As a step towards addressing the damage caused by California’s legacy of installing and maintaining these symbols, please establish a process for consulting with tribal representatives regarding new truth-telling historical markers, signs and other initiatives honoring California’s Indigenous peoples.
Upon signing this petition, an email will be sent to Governor Newsom’s office.
1,633 | Kay G. | Yorba Linda, CA | Aug 30, 2024 | |||
1,632 | Hana I. | Yorba Linda , California | Aug 30, 2024 | |||
1,631 | Usuhe M. | West Covina, CA | Aug 22, 2024 | |||
1,630 | Aya Y. | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | Maintaining symbols of cultural genocide and enslavement in public spaces perpetuates systems of violence, erases true history, and is in no way acceptable. It also directly contradicts commitments made by Governor Newsome in support of Indigenous leadership, needs, and interests within the state of California. -Indigenous ally and museum professional. | Aug 21, 2024 | ||
1,629 | Olivia V. | San Francisco, CA | Aug 19, 2024 | |||
1,628 | Emily T. | Albany, CA | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,627 | Jayla D. | San Ramon, CA | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,626 | allison F. | Santa Clara, CA | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,625 | Nathan K. | Pacific Grove, CA | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,624 | lyn i. | los altos, ca | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,623 | Paige L. | San Francisco , CA | As an employee of a natural history museum who advocates for Indigenous Science, removing the mission bells is a big step towards correcting the narrative and boosting Native partnerships | Aug 13, 2024 | ||
1,622 | Kiernan H. | San Francisco , CA | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,621 | Daniela a. | San Diego, CA | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,620 | Jessica b. | Petaluma, CA | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,619 | Adam L. | San Ramon, CA | I am Amah Mutsun. | Aug 13, 2024 | ||
1,618 | Isabella L. | San ramon , CALIFORNIA | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,617 | Alexandria S. | San Gabriel , Ca | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,616 | Nicholas O. | Alhambra, CA | Aug 13, 2024 | |||
1,615 | Vincente P. | Albany , CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,614 | Julia L. | San Francisco, California | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,613 | Kenneth W. | Templeton, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,612 | Alexia G. | Stanford, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,611 | Kendall S. | Napa, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,610 | Max S. | Santa Cruz, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,609 | Hilary M. | Modesto, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,608 | Solange A. | Carpinteria, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,607 | Morgan O. | Minneapolis, MN | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,606 | Veronica S. | Morro Bay, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,605 | Dessy M. | Seaside, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,604 | Rodi B. | Templeton, CA | Chumash | Aug 12, 2024 | ||
1,603 | Anna G. | Gilroy, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,602 | Karen G. | Gilroy, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,601 | Solitaire M. | San Francisco, California | Rematriation is the future! | Aug 12, 2024 | ||
1,600 | Alvaro C. | Oakland, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,599 | Spencer R. | Arroyo Grande, California | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,598 | Emery W. | Sonora, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,597 | Lindsay H. | San Francisco, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,596 | Greg R. | San Francisco, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,595 | Natalie T. | San Francisco, ca | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,594 | Vanessa C. | Hanford, CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,593 | Chelsea S. | Boulder Creek , CA | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,592 | Joel S. | Bronx, NY | Aug 12, 2024 | |||
1,591 | Erin O. | San Francisco, CA | Aug 09, 2024 | |||
1,590 | Cameron M. | Yucaipa, California | Aug 09, 2024 | |||
1,589 | Bre F. | Ojai, CA | Aug 08, 2024 | |||
1,588 | Daniela C. | Oxnard, CA | Aug 08, 2024 | |||
1,587 | Terrina P. | Ventura, Ca | Aug 08, 2024 | |||
1,586 | Juan S. | Lompoc, Ca | LandBack | Aug 08, 2024 | ||
1,585 | Jackie V. | Lompoc, CA | LAND BACK | Aug 08, 2024 | ||
1,584 | Marlene E. | Port Hueneme, CA | Aug 08, 2024 | |||
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