WEST COVINA – The West Covina City Council voted to investigate why an Indigenous land acknowledgment and blessing was canceled during the city’s centennial celebration which led to public demands for accountability and answers for the decision at the latest City Council meeting.
During the council meeting Wednesday, West Covina Mayor Rosario Diaz and councilman Tony Wu were under fire for the decision to cancel the part of the city’s centennial celebration that included a land acknowledgment and blessing to be delivered by Jamie Nicole Rocha of the Gabrielino-Shoshone Nation of Southern California. The city manager apologized at the meeting and the council approved an investigation into the decision to cancel the presentation.
More than 30 people attended the City Council meeting in support of Rocha and asked the council members for accountability during public comment. Some asked for an apology. Others called for resignations.
Councilman Brian Tabatabai invited Rocha to participate in the city’s centennial celebration over the weekend. Rocha set up a booth to share the culture and history of the Gabrielino-Shoshone Nation at the celebration on Saturday and was prepared to address those in attendance at 6:30 p.m.
Tabatabai said Rocha’s presentation was approved by City Hall via proper channels, however Diaz and Wu said they were unaware of Rocha’s participation in the ceremony.
Tabatabai shared the presentation Rocha prepared for the celebration.
“The city of West Covina acknowledges the Indigenous people as the original caretakers of the lands we now reside on. We Acknowledge that the City of West Covina are located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Gabrielino-Shoshone, Tongva and Kizh Nations. We not only recognize the importance of acknowledging our ancestral history of our city, but to also acknowledge that these Indigenous communities still thrive here to this very day. While the history may be painful and violent to recall, it is not only necessary but vital to acknowledge this so history will not repeat itself.”
Tabatabai told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune other members of the council said the statement was “too political” and inappropriate for the city’s centennial celebration.
Wu left the celebration after Rocha’s presentation was canceled. Diaz told Tabatabai that Rocha’s statement was akin to her “celebrating her Sweet Sixteen at Diaz’s Quinceanara,” the Tribune reported.
After supporters of Rocha addressed the City Council for more than two hours in public comment during the meeting, Diaz addressed those in attendance.
“I was not informed of the change to the events that were to take place,” Diaz said. “Miss Rocha was offered the opportunity to say a prayer for the city of West Covina. Miss Rocha declined. She was not denied her opportunity — she simply just refused.”
Eileen Rocha, the mother of Jamie Nicole Rocha and one of those attending the meeting, shouted, “You’re a liar,” after Diaz’s comments. Several of those at the meeting joined Eileen Rocha in shouting at Diaz.
Diaz left the council chambers while the rest of the council members remained. When she returned, Wu asked the crowd to allow her to speak. She asked the city attorney to organize an investigation into the decision to cancel Rocha’s presentation.
“Councilmember Wu and I are being labeled as racist. This is uncalled for and not true,” Diaz said at the meeting.
Wu told the Tribune he supported Diaz’s request for an investigation into a “misunderstanding.”
“I am not angry with anything, I didn’t even know we had the program,” Wu said. “Our city manager never even told us we had this program or change. We texted and called — but nobody answered our phone calls. So we were very surprised. The only thing we have issue with is why we did not know the insert was coming in.”
Tabatabai welcomed an investigation and apologized for the council’s lack of accountability.
“I think everyone came here tonight to hear accountability for the silencing, and we did not get that,” he told the Tribune.