California to remove discriminatory name for Native American woman in more than 30 states
California officials are working to remove discriminatory designations against Native American women from more than 30 areas in California, according to the Natural Resources Agency.
The removal of the word “squaw,” which was deemed “derogatory” by the Secretary of the Interior in 2021, is part of AB 2022, a bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2022. The law calls for the name to be removed from “all geographical features and names of places in the province” by Jan. 1, 2025.
“This term is known as a racial, ethnic, and gender slur, particularly directed at Native American women. Its removal is an important step in recognizing the ongoing trauma and oppression Native communities have faced,” officials said in a news release. .
In a statement released on social media, the organization described the move as “a bold new step to heal past injustices.”
AMERICAN ACTIVISTS WHO ARE FIGHTING TO SAVE TRADITIONAL CULTURES IN A GLOBAL WAR THAT CONTINUES WITH PAIN.
A California ski resort whose name included a derogatory term for Native American women has changed its name to Palisades Tahoe. ((Photo by Slim Aarons/Getty Images)
A complete list of new California names is not yet available but was selected with the help of California’s Native American tribes and will be released soon, the environmental agency told The Associated Press in an email.
FLASHBACK: HARRIS REFUSED TO INTERVENE ON BEHALF OF INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO PROTECT WIND FARM SANCTUARY
Three California delegates from the Indian Rights Association meet with Representative Harry Shepard of California to present their claims to Congress. Guests Julia Ross Gardner of Piute, Celestine Pico Von Bulow of Pachanga, and Thomas Largo of Cahuilla. (Getty Images)
The Deputy Secretary for Tribal Affairs at the Natural Resources Agency Geneva Thompson said this is a very important step for Aboriginal people.
“Acknowledging those historical wrongs done to Native Americans is very important, but we need to take the next step toward healing,” Thompson said. “Even though there are differences between people, we can build societies that reflect and respect and celebrate those differences instead of dividing and perpetuating the mistakes of history.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
The California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names says it will use the approved names to replace the Jan. 1.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the California Natural Resources Agency for comment.
