“WHERE YOU BELONG” – The City of Colton’s new slogan! This summer will start another inclusion effort in South Colton. A new amendment to the city’s Cultural Resources Element Update will now incorporate “The United Nation of Black Seminoles” making Colton the first city in California to recognize the largest underrepresented tribe in the state. The Cultural Element update will also include the “Two Spirit” Native American experience which is the LGBTQ population within various California tribes. After the Civil War many Black Native Americans along with former slaves migrated to the west many of which made their homes in the Inland Empire in order to purchase and lease property at a much lower rate compared to Los Angeles and Orange County. These “Freedman” in an effort to avoid the “Jim Crow” laws of the South formed communities (unrecognized reservations) only to be displaced again in Palm Springs, Big Bear and other cities. The fact that many of these Black Native Americans lived side by side with other Native Americans in the South and even fought in the Indian Wars did not factor into various tribes excluding there Black tribal members once the Federal Government granted them the right to create long term land leases with developers and participating cities. Until now the Black Seminoles of California have had no voice. Many displaced Black Seminoles after being forced out of Section 14 in Palm Springs made their homes in South Colton and to this day have not been recognized by other Native American Tribes in Southern California. Starting in 2025 all CA School districts will be mandated to teach California Native American History due to Assembly Bill 1821 introduced by Assembly Member James Ramos. “This will be the first time that Black Seminoles will have a chance to tell their stories” says South Colton Diversity Committee Chair Eugene Valdez. The compartmentalized struggles of individual tribes in California have purposely excluded the Black Seminoles in what has been a successful strategy to retain Federal funds through the practice of Blood quantum testing and Sovern Nation Council meetings. SPONSERED BY GENE VALDEZ

The City of Colton Where You Belong