For the first time ever, Southwestern College leaders and Native American community members gathered on Tuesday to raise a flag honoring the Kumeyaay/Diegueño Nation to commemorate Native American Heritage Month.
The flag raising is intended to honor the indigenous Kumeyaay people as the original inhabitants of the region that is now San Diego County and took place at noon at the college's Chula Vista campus on the Mayan Hall Patio.
The event also included speeches, music and inter-tribal dance performances. Representatives from the Barona Band of Mission Indians and Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians were in attendance as well as representatives from Southwestern College's Native American Student Association and Office of Student Equity Programs and Services.
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"By raising the Kumeyaay flag, Southwestern College proudly demonstrates its unwavering support and solidarity with all members of the community," a statement from the college reads. "This act symbolizes the college's commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where every individual is treated with respect, and dignity and provided equal opportunities for success."
Covering Native American communities
The Kumeyaay flag is the fifth besides the national and state flags that Southwestern College has raised in recent years, along with flags for LGBTQ+ pride, Black Lives Matter, Juneteenth, "Latinx/e" Heritage Month and Filipino-American History Month.
The flag raising coincides with recent news that SWC earned a state grant intended to bolster the academic success of Native American students on campus, "while propelling the development of Native American leaders and mentors to empower future generations."
