The occasion was the national opening of the American Indian Museum at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.

Echoing that event was a gathering and ceremony on the Grossmont campus of all who wished to join in this designated “Native People’s Day of Healing.” The Grossmont ceremony, titled a “Grand Gathering Ceremony,” as held in the Main Quad.

“Grossmont College is honored to host this significant ceremony to acknowledge one of the most important events in contemporary Native American life,” said Dr. Ted Martinez, Jr., president of Grossmont College. “Our event further enriched our campus life and supplemented the classroom experience for our students

“These resolutions are meant to provide the foundation for a new era of positive relations between U.S. and Indian governments,” said Grossmont Cross-Cultural Studies instructor Tom Gamboa, “while intended to help heal the divisions in our land and reconcile all Americans as one people, with one destiny.

“The next Native American generation will never have to wait for an apology,” said Gamboa, an ardent advocate for Indian education. Gamboa initiated a scholarship fund and developed a new certificate of proficiency in Tribal Gaming, Culture and Policies. “This is something I never thought I would see in my lifetime. Indian battles are now different. Diplomas are our new weapons and education is our new strategy.”

The Grossmont event included performances by Native American artists and community leaders attended. Major sponsors for “A Day of Indian Unity and Healing” at Grossmont include WACO, the American Indian Movement San Diego Chapter, the Council of American Indian Organizations of San Diego County, and the Grossmont Cross-Cultural Studies Dept.