California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the opening of the first phase of the California Indian Heritage Center in West Sacramento, stating that the project was designed with tribes from across the state to reflect and honor Native cultures and traditions. According to the post, the center is intended to continue sharing California’s full story. Online users reacted after the announcement, with several questioning the use of the term “Indian” rather than “Native American” and others raising concerns about state spending priorities.
In the video, Newsom stands in front of interpretive signs and displays at the California Indian Heritage Center site. The footage shows him speaking and gesturing toward the exhibits, then cuts to outdoor structures with seating areas and shade elements. Visible on-screen text and spoken words include “Happy Native American Heritage Month in California,” references to “the physical manifestation of our” partnership and “the first phase of this program,” and remarks noting “this is a point of pride” and “of course we are so proud of the contributions of our native peoples.”
He continues, “We are also proud of the fact that California made a formal apology which I did not too far away from here a number of years ago,” adding “and here we are fast forward today with a new governor-elect in New Mexico, Dave Holland. It’s a pretty extraordinary moment in our history” and calling it “a very proud moment” for “our future.” The clip does not show the full ribbon-cutting ceremony or prior events at the site.
According to the accompanying post and official statements, the first phase is an outdoor welcome center on a 51-acre property at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers in West Sacramento. It includes interpretive exhibits, gathering spaces, trails, and seating, developed with input from tribes across the state. California committed $100 million to the project in the 2018-19 budget, with plans to raise additional funds for future phases.
The same location was the site of Newsom’s 2019 formal apology for the state’s role in historic actions against Native Americans.
Responses to the Sacramento Announcement
Some X users focused on the terminology, writing “Is this Indian or Native American?” and “so is this for people from India?”
Others questioned spending priorities, with one stating “And once again, as always, nothing to help reduce the cost of living” and another calling the funding a “monumental waste of money.”
In contrast, statements from tribal chairmen and state officials in the governor’s office release and related coverage expressed support for the milestone. Roberts said the center represents “an important step toward honoring the histories, cultures and living traditions of California’s Native peoples” and noted, “seeing this vision take shape on our ancestral Patwin homeland carries especially deep meaning for my people.”
Tarango stated that the center “creates a place to share our traditions, languages, and stories, connect Native communities, and let visitors learn about the living cultures that have shaped California for generations.”
West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero called it “an important moment for the tribal communities who have worked for years to bring this vision to life.”
The opening of the first phase adds another chapter to California’s ongoing efforts to address its history with Native tribes, as planning continues for later stages of the center.
