Subject: More info & update on Tongva Burial Desecration- make it your AIM to call or email Today! Your VOICE HAS POWER- It only takes 5 minutes to make a phone call & save a sacred site- and piss off the people that need to put in check- STOP THE DESECRATION see our Notes & then call- Gloria Molina office, (213)- 974-4111-or email at the La Plaza de Arte and Cultura
Sent: Thu, Jan 6, 2011 6:37:48 AM
FROM: Members of the Gabrielino (Tongva) Community
DATE: January 5, 2010
RE: Removal of 90+ Historic Human Burials at the La Plaza de Arte and
Cultura, 501 North Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
The Background
“LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes at El Pueblo Historic Monument is a
multi-million dollar museum
dedicated to showcasing and preserving the history of Mexicans and
Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles. The museum is housed within the
historic Vickry-Brunswig and Plaza House Buildings next to Our Lady
Queen of the Angels Church (commonly known as "La Placita")... (Molina
2011)” LA Plaza is scheduled to open on April 15, 2011 (Painter
2010). This project is the pet project of Los Angeles County
Supervisor Gloria Molina, First District.
The LA Plaza (see http://www.facebook.com/l/34d3bNqk9kkMLKReoA_0x4vdkqw;www.lapca.org/) is located at 501 North Main
Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 and is within Los Angeles's first
consecrated cemetery (LA Cultural Monument #26). The cemetery contains
the remains of not only early Spanish and Mexican settlers but also
the Native Americans to whom they were intermarried. The cemetery
opened in 1822 and closed in 1844 when it was determined that the lot
was too small. According to the Los Angeles Archdiocese and other
documents, the remains were to have been removed and re-interred at
Calvary Cemetery.
In 2004, Los Angeles County approved LA Plaza's Final Environmental
Impact Report prepared to comply with the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA). Project refinements were proposed thus an Addendum
to the Final Environmental Impact Report was prepared a nd approved by
the County on September 28, 2010 (Sapphos 2010).
The Facts
In late October of 2010 while beginning work for the Campo Santo
Memorial Garden, human remains were uncovered (Painter 2010). Over 40
sets of remains were initially removed and “bagged” while trenching
with a backhoe for a fountain, a fountain that is to celebrate the
history of the Mexican-American people.
As remains continued to be encountered, an archaeologist was brought
on-site to continue with the removal with contextual and
archaeological information inadequately collected and/or destroyed.
Over 90+ remains have been removed to date.
On Dec 29, 2010, an archaeologist employed by the Sanberg Group
notified the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) of the
discovery of possible Native American remains. The remains were
interred with beads and a obsidian “biface” (Letter, Meyers to
Hernandez, January 4, 2010). The NAHC has attempted to investigate the
discovery but has yet to get a response from the responsible parties.
An informant on site stated that the project is “being rushed”, and
that the rest of the remains need to be removed within ten days. This
is a directive that is being given by Daniel Mendoza the on-site
foreman and ultimately coming from Gloria Molina's office and the Los
Angeles Archdiocese. Mr. Mendoza is acting as community contact and
incidentally, also happens to be the brother-in-Law of Gloria Molina.
The Issue
Once human remains were encountered, possible descendants should have
contacted in order create a plan for appropriate removal and reburial.
The Los Angeles Archdiocese has a list of those that were interred at
the cemetery. This did not happen.
Additionally with the discovery of possible Native American remains,
the NAHC should have been contacted by the project proponent, as per
the California Health and Safety Code § 7050.5, so that a Native
American Most Likely Descendant could be designated. This did not
happen.
The Irony
This museum is supposed to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments
and contributions of the Mexican and Mexican-American communities to
the development of Los Angeles. However, the fact that these early
settler burials, the very people the Museum is supposed to be
honoring, are being removed in secret is ironic. The excavation of
this cemetery in a rushed, haphazard and unscientific way, without
community involvement, is a travesty.
Additionally, the possibility that Native American remains are being
removed without participation of the Gabrielino (Tongva) Nation is
illegal under California law. Although the LA Plaza opening on April
15, 2011 is imminent, this is no reason to desecrate burials or
inadequately document this important part of history. Not only is the
Mexican and Native American pasts being destroyed, but also the past
of all Los Angeles's citizens.
Who You Can Do
Please contact the following people, offices and public entities to
ask why these burials are being hurriedly removed, why the most likely
descendants have not been contacted regarding the removal, why the
archaeological information is not being properly documented, why those
who are doing the work are not professionally trained archaeologists
with experience removing human burials. Tell them if they really want
to celebrate the accomplishments of the Mexican and Mexican-American
people, they need to do right by the early settlers and Native
American ancestors interred in the cemetery.
City of Los Angeles
Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor
200 North Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 485-2121
Fax: (213) 978-0750
mayor@lacity.org
County of Los Angeles
Dawn McDivitt, Chief Executive Office-Capital Projects
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Gloria Molina
Los Angeles County Supervisor, First District
Hall of Administration Office
856 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 974-4111
Fax: (213) 613-1739
gmolina@bos.lacounty.gov
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes Foundation
Miguel Angel Corzo, President and CEO
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes Foundation
1055 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 800
Los Angeles, Ca 90017
(323) 260-3412
Daniel Mendoza
1055 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 800
Los Angeles, Ca 90017
(323) 260-3412
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Bishop Edward W. Clark
Our Lady of the Angeles Pastoral Region
3424 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010-2202
(213) 637-7000
info@la- http://www.facebook.com/l/34d3bQv8AtN-ZVItu8S_dxqlwWQ;archdiocese.org
Bibliography
Associated Press
2010 Crews unearth bones at downtown LA historic site. Signon San
Diego. November 9, 2010.
http://www.facebook.com/l/34d3b5MlXToJcE34yGqklUCR57g;www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/nov/09/crews-unearth-bones-at-downtown-la-historic-site/,
ccessed January 5, 2011.
Los Angeles Department of City Planning
2009 Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) Report.
http://www.facebook.com/l/34d3bz7ijYkRs5pizpj5IWRJzsA;cityplanning.lacity.org/complan/HCM/dsp_hcm_result.cfm?community=Central+City,
accessed January 5, 2011.
Los Angeles Department of City Planning
2010 Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) List
http://www.facebook.com/l/34d3bhGCRp0FV_idAMQ7uukAYBw;www.preservation.lacity.org/files/HCMDatabase111510_0.pdf,
accessed January 5, 2011.
Molina, Gloria
2011 “About Gloria Molina: Biography”
http://www.facebook.com/l/34d3bRoBhO_YLm9bmSt3veN_OOQ;molina.lacounty.gov/PDFs/About%20GM-BIO.pdf, accessed January
5, 2011.
Painter, Alysia Gray
2010 Plaza de Cultura y Artes Opening Set. NBC Local Media.
http://www.facebook.com/l/34d3bX5G17-l8Y8ye6e2QfAoyFg;www.nbclosangeles.com/around-town/events/La-Plaza-de-Cultura-y-Artes-Opening-Set-102966004.html,
accessed January 5, 2011.
Sapphos Environmental, Inc
2010 Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for LA Plaza de
Cultura y Artes. http://www.facebook.com/l/34d3bcyvHsX4SwaR1vSGaeWDsUg;file.lacounty.gov/bos/supdocs/56770.pdf,
accessed January 5, 2011. | 
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