Mission Creek Tribe Economics
Donation protected
Hello supporters,
This is Tony, Chairman of Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians. It’s been a while, and I want to be upfront: I’m asking for something by reaching out to you here. I’m asking if you would support our cause this year by donating $40 or more here at
gofundme.com/Missioncreek for our Economics and Tanf Foundation’s Annual Drive running between November 1st 2015 through November 16th 2016.
I know what you’re probably thinking: “Wait, Why does a Native American Tribe (Indians) need money? Don’t they all own Casinos and Resorts? Doesn’t the Federal government give those checks every month? Don’t they get free benefits? Well, the short answer is “No” … but more specifically “Not ONE CENT! What this funding will do is help jump start this tribe’s ability for economics and Tanf Departments. We are relying on generous donors like you, to help create and support these programs. . After we jump start these two departments, there is much more work to be done.
Let me share some history about Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians people and Reservation.
Termination of Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians Reservation:
During 1953–1964, more than 100 tribes were terminated, approximately 1,365,801 acres (5,527 km2) of trust land were removed from protected status, and 13,263 Native Americans lost tribal affiliation. As a result of termination, the special federal trustee relationship of the Indians with the federal government ended, they were subjected to state laws, and their lands were converted to private ownership.
The tribes disapproved of Public Law 280, as they disliked states having jurisdiction without tribal consent. The State governments also disapproved of the law, as they didn't want to take on jurisdiction for additional areas without additional funding. Consequently, additional amendments to Public Law 280 were passed to require tribal consent in law enforcement. On May 3, 1958, the Inter Tribal Council of California (ITCC) was founded in response to the pressures of termination and other issues.
Many scholars believe that the termination policy had devastating effects on tribal autonomy, culture and economic welfare. The lands belonging to the Native Americans, rich in resources, were taken over by the federal government. The termination policy had disastrous effects on the Mission Creek Band of Mission Indian Tribe, forcing many members of the tribes onto the public assistance roll.
Termination had a devastating effect on the health care and education of Indians along with the economic stability of tribes. Along with the end of federal control over land came the end of many federal services which included education and health care.
Education:
By 1972 termination clearly had affected the tribes' education. There was a 75 percent dropout rate for the Mission Creek Band of Mission Indian Tribe, which resulted in a generation of children who had only a ninth grade education. The tribes lost federal support for their schools, and the states were expected to assume the role of educating the Indian children. The Mission Creek Band of Mission Indian children, for example, did not have their own tribal schools anymore and were discriminated against within the public schools. The Mission Creek Band of Mission Indian tribes education program became a part of Joint School District Younger children were still able to attend schools close to their homes, but high school students had to travel to over 50-100 miles to high schools. Sometime to Los Angeles. All terminated tribes faced new education policies, which gave the children fewer educational opportunities that were not as good as what the whites received.
The idea of termination was to restore complete sovereignty to the United States, and to encourage assimilation into a modern, individualistic society, rather than a savage tribal mentality. In 1966 3rd and 6th graders' success on the California- Riverside-San Bernardino Test for basic skills was compared to the rest of their school district (Joint School District Los Angeles). The school district had a composite grade for the 3rd and 6th graders of 82 percent and 60 percent, respectively. However, the four schools composed mostly of Indian students had drastically lower scores. From these test scores, it can be seen that education was not improved when termination occurred and the Indians' level of education was nowhere near that of whites in the area.
Terminated tribal children struggled to stay in school, and those who did were excluded from programs that paid for higher Indian education. In 1970 the BIA began to make annual grants that gave scholarships to Indians to attend college. This helped the non-terminated tribes, but individuals within terminated tribes, like Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians, were not allowed to apply for these funds. As a result, individuals who were successful and managed to graduate from high school had trouble going to college because they could not apply for scholarship assistances.
Health care:
The Indian Health Service provided health care for many Indian tribes, but once a tribe was terminated all tribe members lost their eligibility. Many no longer had easy access to hospitals and had no means to get health care. For example, the Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians people had no tribal hospitals or clinics. The tribal hospital in San Bernardino had to close because it did not meet state standards, and the lack of funds available prevented the county from making improvements. Along with the hospital, the tribal clinic was also closed after termination occurred. When there was a tuberculosis epidemic, 25 percent of the people were affected and had no means to get treatment because there was no longer a hospital or a clinic. The health standards of Indians fell well below those of whites. The Mission Creek Tribe had three times the infant mortality rate as the rest of the state. Dental care was also affected by termination; ninety percent of school age children in the Mission Creek tribe were in need of dental care, which was no longer provided as a free service since they did not have tribal status. The Southern California tribes who were terminated, much like the Mission Creek tribe, also felt the effects of termination on their health care services. In a 1976 survey, 75 percent of the Indians in Southern California reported needing dental care and 30 percent were in need of eyeglasses. In addition to affecting adults, schools also reported that the primary problem for Indian children was the need of medical treatment that their parents could not afford.
Many Indians relocated off the reservations during termination and also had no access to health care. When they relocated they were given private health care for six months, but then they had none unless they were close to a city with an Indian health care facility. Eventually the Bureau of Indian Affairs could not provide necessary health services for the many tribes that were terminated, and Congress began reform the Indian health care policy. In 1955, the Indian Health Service was transferred from the administration of the BIA to the Public Health Service, which resulted in an almost immediate improvement in funding, training and services. By 1964 the reforms were leading to progress, as Indian life expectancy rose from 51 years in 1940 to 63.5 years.
Economy
Termination, although not the only cause of Indian poverty, had a significant effect on it. The Mission Creek tribe proves a strong example of this; although the economy of the Mission Creek tribe had never flourished, it became even worse after the tribe was terminated. Prior to termination, Mission Creek Tribe income centered on the land rental to Horse owners and cattle owners, which was built on a community philosophy and tried to employ as many individuals as possible. After termination the land was run down and business and unemployment rose to between 18 and 28 percent. With no new industry and the new taxes being introduced, 80 percent of the tribal population fell below the poverty line. In the 1960s, they were forced to sell ancestral land and went from having $10 million in a federal reserve to being considered a "pocket of poverty". Welfare costs within the county also increased during the period of termination. In 1963, tribal members were given a total of $9,723 for welfare, but by 1968 the amount had nearly doubled. As termination continued, the struggles only became worse for the tribe.
As termination continued, the unemployment rates continued to increase. The Mission Creek Tribe had 1000 individuals within the tribe and 820 individuals who were unemployed in June 1968. By June 1973, right before the termination policy ended, the tribe had almost a 40 percent unemployment rate, with only 1300 individuals in the tribe and 860 individuals who were unemployed.
The Mission Creek Indians experienced high poverty rates from the very beginning of termination, unlike the other tribes in the area, which was able to escape poverty for a brief period. The Agua Tribe had for years been living off Tourism and revenue from leasing tribal lands.
Repudiation:
By the early 1960s, some federal leaders began opposing the implementation of any more termination measures, although the administration of President John F. Kennedy did oversee some of the last terminations. Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon decided to encourage Indian self-determination instead of termination.
“ Forced termination is wrong, in my judgment, for a number of reasons. First, the premises on which it rests are wrong.... The second reason for rejecting forced termination is that the practical results have been clearly harmful in the few instances in which termination actually has been tried.... The third argument I would make against forced termination concerns the effect it has had upon the overwhelming majority of tribes which still enjoy a special relationship with the Federal government.... The recommendations of this administration represent an historic step forward in Indian policy. We are proposing to break sharply with past approaches to Indian problems. ”
— - President Richard Nixon, Special Message on Indian Affairs, July 8, 1970.
Some tribes resisted the policy by filing civil lawsuits. The litigation lasted until 1980, when the issue made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The 1974 Boldt Decision was upheld in 1980 to recognize those treaty rights that were lost.
On January 24, 1983, President Ronald Reagan issued an American Indian policy statement that supported explicit repudiation of the termination policy. Mission Creeks Reservation Was sold from the tribal members that rejected the, the then leaders to not fight for our tribal land that we have lived on for centuries.
Today and Our Future
Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians has fewer than 255 tribal members on record as of 2015; this is a significant reduction from over 2,777 in 1848. Most have died from Small Pox, Measles, and other Vaccine, curable diseases. Donors, please understand, These Vaccines cost money. The schools that the Indians from Mission Creek Band of Indians were sent to did not have the funds, resources to vaccinate Native American children.
The Serrano-Cahuilla mixture language is only spoke by less than 15 members of Mission Creeks Tribal Members. This will be a LOST dialogue, A extinct language forever.
Hope:
Our Tribal Hope is to build a facility building for its member to gather, A clinic for not only our tribal members, but for everyone to find medical help. A school to bring our children up to the public school standard. I heard this once, No child left behind!
TANAF, A welfare system to help pay for food, rental properties, start new business so that Mission creek can become self-sufficient in the coming years. Help and give back to the communities where we live and most of all buy back Ancestor Land from where we came and help secure the burial grounds of our Ancestors.
A tribal School on Saturdays to teach our Language, customs, traditions and songs.
Please Act Today!
What would you do if you knew that money was the only thing standing between your childs education, belief system, happiness, living on Ancestry land and their chance at a full and happy life? What would any parent do?
We can't let this happen. We can't stand by and watch our people lose everything again, suffer unimaginable family members and frustration and ultimately have our own Language die. What would we tell the next generation in a few years, when the loss of a tribe, culture, language is gone! What would we tell ourselves?
Please help support our urgent, lifesaving mission. Every cent counts, but even if all you can do is forward this link to as many people you know, you will have our eternal gratitude.
Help us. Join us in our quest and then check back often to see how your contribution helped spark a miracle. With your help, we will become one of the first tribes to bring its self out of poverty in history to survive by the people of The GREAT Nation.. Together we can make history and save thousands upon thousands of Mission Creek Band of Indians cultures and peoples dreams, so that never again does a parent, a child, a tribe have to break down in a food bank, a doctor’s office, a dentist office when they find out that they have no way to care for themselves.
With your help, the WORLD will know Mission Creeks Band of Mission Indians Success. .
Thank you. From the bottom our hearts, with all of the gratitude and affection we could possibly offer: THANK YOU!
Determined, hopeful and eternally grateful,
- Tony G. Lopez
This is Tony, Chairman of Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians. It’s been a while, and I want to be upfront: I’m asking for something by reaching out to you here. I’m asking if you would support our cause this year by donating $40 or more here at
gofundme.com/Missioncreek for our Economics and Tanf Foundation’s Annual Drive running between November 1st 2015 through November 16th 2016.
I know what you’re probably thinking: “Wait, Why does a Native American Tribe (Indians) need money? Don’t they all own Casinos and Resorts? Doesn’t the Federal government give those checks every month? Don’t they get free benefits? Well, the short answer is “No” … but more specifically “Not ONE CENT! What this funding will do is help jump start this tribe’s ability for economics and Tanf Departments. We are relying on generous donors like you, to help create and support these programs. . After we jump start these two departments, there is much more work to be done.
Let me share some history about Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians people and Reservation.
Termination of Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians Reservation:
During 1953–1964, more than 100 tribes were terminated, approximately 1,365,801 acres (5,527 km2) of trust land were removed from protected status, and 13,263 Native Americans lost tribal affiliation. As a result of termination, the special federal trustee relationship of the Indians with the federal government ended, they were subjected to state laws, and their lands were converted to private ownership.
The tribes disapproved of Public Law 280, as they disliked states having jurisdiction without tribal consent. The State governments also disapproved of the law, as they didn't want to take on jurisdiction for additional areas without additional funding. Consequently, additional amendments to Public Law 280 were passed to require tribal consent in law enforcement. On May 3, 1958, the Inter Tribal Council of California (ITCC) was founded in response to the pressures of termination and other issues.
Many scholars believe that the termination policy had devastating effects on tribal autonomy, culture and economic welfare. The lands belonging to the Native Americans, rich in resources, were taken over by the federal government. The termination policy had disastrous effects on the Mission Creek Band of Mission Indian Tribe, forcing many members of the tribes onto the public assistance roll.
Termination had a devastating effect on the health care and education of Indians along with the economic stability of tribes. Along with the end of federal control over land came the end of many federal services which included education and health care.
Education:
By 1972 termination clearly had affected the tribes' education. There was a 75 percent dropout rate for the Mission Creek Band of Mission Indian Tribe, which resulted in a generation of children who had only a ninth grade education. The tribes lost federal support for their schools, and the states were expected to assume the role of educating the Indian children. The Mission Creek Band of Mission Indian children, for example, did not have their own tribal schools anymore and were discriminated against within the public schools. The Mission Creek Band of Mission Indian tribes education program became a part of Joint School District Younger children were still able to attend schools close to their homes, but high school students had to travel to over 50-100 miles to high schools. Sometime to Los Angeles. All terminated tribes faced new education policies, which gave the children fewer educational opportunities that were not as good as what the whites received.
The idea of termination was to restore complete sovereignty to the United States, and to encourage assimilation into a modern, individualistic society, rather than a savage tribal mentality. In 1966 3rd and 6th graders' success on the California- Riverside-San Bernardino Test for basic skills was compared to the rest of their school district (Joint School District Los Angeles). The school district had a composite grade for the 3rd and 6th graders of 82 percent and 60 percent, respectively. However, the four schools composed mostly of Indian students had drastically lower scores. From these test scores, it can be seen that education was not improved when termination occurred and the Indians' level of education was nowhere near that of whites in the area.
Terminated tribal children struggled to stay in school, and those who did were excluded from programs that paid for higher Indian education. In 1970 the BIA began to make annual grants that gave scholarships to Indians to attend college. This helped the non-terminated tribes, but individuals within terminated tribes, like Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians, were not allowed to apply for these funds. As a result, individuals who were successful and managed to graduate from high school had trouble going to college because they could not apply for scholarship assistances.
Health care:
The Indian Health Service provided health care for many Indian tribes, but once a tribe was terminated all tribe members lost their eligibility. Many no longer had easy access to hospitals and had no means to get health care. For example, the Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians people had no tribal hospitals or clinics. The tribal hospital in San Bernardino had to close because it did not meet state standards, and the lack of funds available prevented the county from making improvements. Along with the hospital, the tribal clinic was also closed after termination occurred. When there was a tuberculosis epidemic, 25 percent of the people were affected and had no means to get treatment because there was no longer a hospital or a clinic. The health standards of Indians fell well below those of whites. The Mission Creek Tribe had three times the infant mortality rate as the rest of the state. Dental care was also affected by termination; ninety percent of school age children in the Mission Creek tribe were in need of dental care, which was no longer provided as a free service since they did not have tribal status. The Southern California tribes who were terminated, much like the Mission Creek tribe, also felt the effects of termination on their health care services. In a 1976 survey, 75 percent of the Indians in Southern California reported needing dental care and 30 percent were in need of eyeglasses. In addition to affecting adults, schools also reported that the primary problem for Indian children was the need of medical treatment that their parents could not afford.
Many Indians relocated off the reservations during termination and also had no access to health care. When they relocated they were given private health care for six months, but then they had none unless they were close to a city with an Indian health care facility. Eventually the Bureau of Indian Affairs could not provide necessary health services for the many tribes that were terminated, and Congress began reform the Indian health care policy. In 1955, the Indian Health Service was transferred from the administration of the BIA to the Public Health Service, which resulted in an almost immediate improvement in funding, training and services. By 1964 the reforms were leading to progress, as Indian life expectancy rose from 51 years in 1940 to 63.5 years.
Economy
Termination, although not the only cause of Indian poverty, had a significant effect on it. The Mission Creek tribe proves a strong example of this; although the economy of the Mission Creek tribe had never flourished, it became even worse after the tribe was terminated. Prior to termination, Mission Creek Tribe income centered on the land rental to Horse owners and cattle owners, which was built on a community philosophy and tried to employ as many individuals as possible. After termination the land was run down and business and unemployment rose to between 18 and 28 percent. With no new industry and the new taxes being introduced, 80 percent of the tribal population fell below the poverty line. In the 1960s, they were forced to sell ancestral land and went from having $10 million in a federal reserve to being considered a "pocket of poverty". Welfare costs within the county also increased during the period of termination. In 1963, tribal members were given a total of $9,723 for welfare, but by 1968 the amount had nearly doubled. As termination continued, the struggles only became worse for the tribe.
As termination continued, the unemployment rates continued to increase. The Mission Creek Tribe had 1000 individuals within the tribe and 820 individuals who were unemployed in June 1968. By June 1973, right before the termination policy ended, the tribe had almost a 40 percent unemployment rate, with only 1300 individuals in the tribe and 860 individuals who were unemployed.
The Mission Creek Indians experienced high poverty rates from the very beginning of termination, unlike the other tribes in the area, which was able to escape poverty for a brief period. The Agua Tribe had for years been living off Tourism and revenue from leasing tribal lands.
Repudiation:
By the early 1960s, some federal leaders began opposing the implementation of any more termination measures, although the administration of President John F. Kennedy did oversee some of the last terminations. Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon decided to encourage Indian self-determination instead of termination.
“ Forced termination is wrong, in my judgment, for a number of reasons. First, the premises on which it rests are wrong.... The second reason for rejecting forced termination is that the practical results have been clearly harmful in the few instances in which termination actually has been tried.... The third argument I would make against forced termination concerns the effect it has had upon the overwhelming majority of tribes which still enjoy a special relationship with the Federal government.... The recommendations of this administration represent an historic step forward in Indian policy. We are proposing to break sharply with past approaches to Indian problems. ”
— - President Richard Nixon, Special Message on Indian Affairs, July 8, 1970.
Some tribes resisted the policy by filing civil lawsuits. The litigation lasted until 1980, when the issue made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The 1974 Boldt Decision was upheld in 1980 to recognize those treaty rights that were lost.
On January 24, 1983, President Ronald Reagan issued an American Indian policy statement that supported explicit repudiation of the termination policy. Mission Creeks Reservation Was sold from the tribal members that rejected the, the then leaders to not fight for our tribal land that we have lived on for centuries.
Today and Our Future
Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians has fewer than 255 tribal members on record as of 2015; this is a significant reduction from over 2,777 in 1848. Most have died from Small Pox, Measles, and other Vaccine, curable diseases. Donors, please understand, These Vaccines cost money. The schools that the Indians from Mission Creek Band of Indians were sent to did not have the funds, resources to vaccinate Native American children.
The Serrano-Cahuilla mixture language is only spoke by less than 15 members of Mission Creeks Tribal Members. This will be a LOST dialogue, A extinct language forever.
Hope:
Our Tribal Hope is to build a facility building for its member to gather, A clinic for not only our tribal members, but for everyone to find medical help. A school to bring our children up to the public school standard. I heard this once, No child left behind!
TANAF, A welfare system to help pay for food, rental properties, start new business so that Mission creek can become self-sufficient in the coming years. Help and give back to the communities where we live and most of all buy back Ancestor Land from where we came and help secure the burial grounds of our Ancestors.
A tribal School on Saturdays to teach our Language, customs, traditions and songs.
Please Act Today!
What would you do if you knew that money was the only thing standing between your childs education, belief system, happiness, living on Ancestry land and their chance at a full and happy life? What would any parent do?
We can't let this happen. We can't stand by and watch our people lose everything again, suffer unimaginable family members and frustration and ultimately have our own Language die. What would we tell the next generation in a few years, when the loss of a tribe, culture, language is gone! What would we tell ourselves?
Please help support our urgent, lifesaving mission. Every cent counts, but even if all you can do is forward this link to as many people you know, you will have our eternal gratitude.
Help us. Join us in our quest and then check back often to see how your contribution helped spark a miracle. With your help, we will become one of the first tribes to bring its self out of poverty in history to survive by the people of The GREAT Nation.. Together we can make history and save thousands upon thousands of Mission Creek Band of Indians cultures and peoples dreams, so that never again does a parent, a child, a tribe have to break down in a food bank, a doctor’s office, a dentist office when they find out that they have no way to care for themselves.
With your help, the WORLD will know Mission Creeks Band of Mission Indians Success. .
Thank you. From the bottom our hearts, with all of the gratitude and affection we could possibly offer: THANK YOU!
Determined, hopeful and eternally grateful,
- Tony G. Lopez
Organizer
Tony Lopez
Organizer
Desert Hot Springs, CA
