Friends of Puvungna

Rebecca Robles is a member of the Acjachemem Nation. She graduated from Northern Arizona University with a B.A. in Business Management. She is also an accomplished healthcare provider with more than 30 years of experience working as a Registered Nurse. Rebecca recognizes that the preservation of Puvungna is of critical importance for our cultural, spiritual, and contemporary survival as Indigenous people of the land. She and her family continue the work of preservation and protection of sacred sites initiated by her late mother, Lillian Robles. Annually, the family hosts “Ancestor Walk,” a pilgrimage to several sacred sites along the southern California coast. Rebecca’s vision is to promote greater understanding and respect for Indigenous people of California.

Michelle Castillo was born and raised in Orange County, California. She is of Acjachemem tribal descendent. Raised by her advocate grandmother Jovita Castillo, Michelle was able to experience first hand what it takes to advocate for communities and for social justice. She began her own journey as an advocate in the early 1990s, working with at-risk and incarcerated youth. Today, she not only works with families and youth, but she also contributes countless hours caretaking sacred lands and waters.

Emily Holguin-Guillen was born and raised in Orange County, CA. She is of Ajachemem and Tongva tribal descent. Emily has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and over 22 years experience in healthcare. Emily is a wife, mother, social justice advocate, and land caretaker. Emily works with Indigenous Women Rising of Orange County as a Domestic Violence Advocate, raising awareness about our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples. Emily also works with local school districts to ensure our Native children are supported and continues to work with local colleges to educate the community about our continued Native existence. Caretaking for the land has helped Emily teach her husband and five children how to reconnect with themselves, their ancestors, and their roots. She believes caretaking for the land is not only a privilege, but a responsibility to give back to Mother Earth, our Ancestors, our community, and each other. She has put in many hours being of service to her community to continue the healing that is much needed today, in hopes it will touch the next seven generations. Emily feels privileged to be a board member and looks forward to continuing her work in the protection and preservation of Puvunga and all Sacred lands.

Frank Barraza is a member of the Acjachemen and Tongva Nations. He is a descendent from the villages of Putuidem, Alauna, and Trabuco, part of a long history of the Magdalena/Rios clan. He currently resides in the City of Paramount. He is a former City Commissioner, Chairman of the Parks and Recreation, and President of the Tepic Sister Cities. He is currently a Food Service Supervisor for over 29 years at Paramount Unified School District. Frank is a former Tribal Secretary/Treasurer for Juaneño Band of Mission Indians/Acjachemen Nation. He supports tribal functions in bringing all relations together, including: tribal meetings, gatherings, ceremony, and, most importantly, promoting protecting tribal lands.

Sonia Carmen is an Acjachemem elder and spiritual mentor. She has been volunteering and working in her tribal community for over 35 years. Sonia graduated from California State University at Long Beach, California (CSULB) with a major in Art and a minor in American Indian Studies. She mentored with our esteemed elder, Lillian Robles, working for the protection and preservation of Puvungna and other sacred sites in the 1990s. She understands her community and the importance of these areas and what they signify to the Native American tribal groups in this area. Sonia is also a certified Hypnotherapist and Reiki Master, working in this field for over 10 years. She understands the healing energy that is present on Puvungna and how it can assist the local tribal groups, as well as the general community.

Jorge Ochoa brings knowledge and experience to Friends of Puvungna and will guide us in the restoration of Puvungna. He began working with native plants through his employment with the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. The 2007 fire in Griffith Park gave Jorge the opportunity to cooperate on the Wildlife Management Plan, monitoring the recovery of flora. His interest in plants extends to their interactions and synergies with wildlife. Jorge left the Department of Recreation and Parks in 2009 to pursue teaching at Long Beach City College, where he currently serves as Professor of Horticulture. He now also serves on the advisory board of Griffith Park, where he remains involved through leading hikes and seminars and his ongoing documentation of the park’s native vegetation.

Tony Recalde was born and raised on Tongva land. He is the first generation of his family born in North America. His mother is from Zapotlán in Jalisco, Mexico, and his father is from Guayaquil, Ecuador. He earned a master’s degree in Education from Claremont Graduate University and was in the education field for twenty years before recently becoming the manager of a building supply company. Tony married Mona Morales—a member of the Gabrielino/Tongva Band of Mission Indians—ten years ago, and together they have an eight-year-old daughter named Elizabeth Rose Recalde. Puvungna is important to Tony because he knows that sacred spaces need to preserved for future generations.

Susan Salas was born and raised in Los Angeles, the land of the Tongva. Over the past three decades, she has been committed to the protection of sacred sites. Susan was a plaintiff in the 1993-1995 lawsuit to stop California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) from building on the undeveloped 22 acres of the sacred site of Puvungna. Over the past eighteen years, she has taught in the School of Social Work at CSULB. She feels fortunate to spend much time on the scared site of Puvungna. Susan believes that the preservation of scared sites is vital to sustain traditional spirituality and the health and wellbeing of native people throughout Turtle Island.

Jan Sampson graduated from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in 1979 with a major in Art and a minor in American Indian Studies. While attending university, she was involved in researching the history of Puvungna and often visited the sacred site. Since 1972, Jan has devoted her time to the protection of ancestors and Puvungna sacred lands. After college, Jan worked as an artist, designer, and tech illustrator in the aerospace business, drawing fighter jets and assembly parts. Jan was awarded the CSULB Lillian Robles Award in 2012 for her dedication to protecting Puvungna. In 2013, she was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the Native American Institute in Orange County (NAI) for teaching about Puvungna to its members. Jan was also secretary for the Save Puvungna Coalition and co-founder and board member for American Indian Changing Spirits Drug and Alcohol Program in Long Beach. Jan feels strongly about respecting and preserving Puvungna, and she has lived within walking distance of the sacred site for the last forty years.

Lloyd Valenzuela is an Acjachemem Elder. He was born in Orange County and went to school at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Llloyd has lived in Long Beach since he was 10 years old on a ranch his father established along the Los Angeles River. Lloyd went to Poly High School and then entered and served in the Marine Corps. He is the father of three children. He worked as a chemical engineer. Lloyd was active during the founding of Changing Spirits drug rehabilitation program in Long Beach. He has worked to support sacred sites, his culture and heritage, as well as the history of Native Peoples for many years. Approaching his 90s, he still tells us, “I am willing to help. You can count on me.”