NATIVE VOICES: Poetry Festival on January 17, 2015

last 4th Sunday concert of 2014

Our 2014 benefit concert series ends today, Sunday, November 23, with the creative harp music of Rebecca El-Saleh. She will play a program of classical and contemporary harp music, with vocals, including some of her own compositions. She will be joined by fiddler Daniel Laxer.
If there ever was a perfect venue for harp music, it is certainly our Gathering Hall! With our acoustics, you will hear even the softest notes. Don't miss your chance to hear this. We are all looking forward to this wonderful final 4th Sunday concert of the year. The concert starts at 3 p.m. at 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave., Banning. Your $10 helps us save and share Southern California's Native American Cultures.

Dragonfly Gala: Native Foods

What's for dinner? At the August 9 Dragonfly Gala, you can expect the amazingly delicious (and healthy) food of Chia Café. They combine Native foods in traditional and modern dishes. And if you've never had Daniel McCarthy's barbecued turkey and beef ... well, you'd better find out what you've been missing. RSVP 951.849.7736 to buy your tickets or reserve your spot at the dinner tables.

Here is the menu:

Turkey

Beef

Rabbit Stew

Calabasitas

Pinto Beans

Salad greens

yucca blossoms and nopales

Dessert:

Mesquite Cookies

Sourdough Peach Cobbler

Drink: Prickly Pear Chia Punch 

Details:

Time to Celebrate!

Sunday concert!

Lecture on Leadership

James Ramos, who blazed a path of leadership and became the first Native American serving the public in varied state, regional, and county governmental posts, will lecture on leadership at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 9, 2014, at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave. in Banning. Your $5 helps us save and share Native American cultures.

Ramos, of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, is the first Native American:
• Elected as a San Bernardino County Supervisor (serving the Third District since 2102);
• Elected to the San Bernardino Community College Board of Trustees, where he served as president (2005-2012);
• Serving on the California State Board of Education (since he was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2011).

Ramos also is chairman of the California Native Heritage Commission, and has served on that commission protecting California Indian cultural resources since appointed by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008. He also is the immediate past Chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

His civic leadership includes service on numerous boards and organizations promoting business, economic, and social opportunities in Inland Southern California. His numerous awards for service and leadership include an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Northern Arizona University (2009), recognition from the California League of High Schools for his support of the education community of Region 10 (2010), and the Congressional Community Leadership Award (2003).

Ramos was born and raised on San Manuel Indian Reservation, where he and his siblings lived in one of three mobile homes along Victoria Avenue. He began working at an early age, and today he’s a successful entrepreneur, operating two restaurants in the San Bernardino area. He and his wife of 24 years, Terri, are the proud parents of four children. Ramos earned his associate’s degree at Victor Valley Community College, his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Accounting from California State University, San Bernardino, and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Redlands.

Ramos has a deep commitment to the preservation of California Indian culture. He is co-founder of the San Manuel Band’s Cultural Awareness Program, and serves as director of the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference held annually at California State University, San Bernardino. He is one of the founding board members of the nonprofit Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, which saves and shares Southern California’s Native American cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts.

Lecture on Leadership

Flute Music on May 25

Walk the Walk! on May 3

Dorothy Ramon Learning Center will showcase free family fun that includes Native American songs, stories and flute music on Saturday, May 3, 2014, and also will host a benefit art show featuring “Visions of Prehistoric Rock Art.”

Free fun

The free music, storytelling, crafts for kids, and more from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Center’s San Manuel Gathering Hall, 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave., are part of Saturday’s Art Walk and Art in thePark events along San Gorgonio Avenue, Banning. Explore Banning's Art District at the Center and at the Banning Art Gallery, Bells Studio, and shops along San Gorgonio Avenue.

Join our Dragonfly Wind Flute Ensemble and Center Leader Ernest Siva for Native American songs and stories. Free!

Our nonprofit Center, which saves and shares Southern California’s Native American cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts, also will offer a benefit art show,  “Visions of Prehistoric Rock Art,” featuring artist Charles La Monk.

Discover Prehistoric Art
La Monk explored out-of-the-way and obscure locations to discover prehistoric rock art. He shared his discoveries through his own art. He used eroded sand and rock and applied it over a white lead base to simulate rock. He then used a frayed deer-hide brush to reproduce the strokes and dots of ancient rock artists in his renderings of the prehistoric rock art. The nonprofit Center and California State University, San Bernardino, are selling La Monk’s works to benefit our Center’s work to save and share Southern California Native American cultures and to support the university’s internship programs, which also serve the Learning Center.

For more information: (951) 849-7736.

April Benefit Concert

Mary Ann Andreas Remembers

Mary Ann Andreas will talk about leadership at our Dragonfly Lecture on April 21 at 6 p.m. at San Manuel Gathering Hall at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave., Banning. Your $5 will go toward our nonprofit programs saving and sharing Native American cultures. In this 2013 interview for the City of Banning's 100th birthday, Mary Ann Andreas remembers the days when there was no electricity on Morongo Reservation. 

Be Inspired

Mary Ann Andreas (Courtesy of Mary Ann Andreas)

Be inspired. Meet a Leader. Dorothy Ramon Learning Center is honored that our next Dragonfly Lecture on MONDAY APRIL 21 features Mary Ann Andreas. She'll talk about her experiences, and the importance and qualities of leadership. Mary Ann Andreas is Morongo Tribal Council Vice Chairman and former Chairman. She has been an important leader in Morongo Band for many years. She also is a respected leader in state and community politics, as well as cultural affairs. Please join us at the Center and be inspired. Details: Monday, April 21, 2014, 6 p.m., 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave., Banning. Your $5 supports the Learning Center's nonprofit work to save and share Southern California's Native American cultures, languages, history, and arts. (Photo courtesy of Mary Ann Andreas)

Discover

Journey With the Winds: Flute Concert

Journey with the winds on a shamanic quest to the chanting, storytelling, and unique spirit flute music of Omani Nagi. 

The next cross-cultural concert to benefit Dorothy Ramon Learning Center is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, March 23, 2014, at 127 N. San Gorgonio Avenue, Banning. Your $10 helps support the Center's programs. 

Omani Nagi is a natural composer, musician and singer. His hauntingly unique form of music is shared on traditional Native American and custommade wooden Spirit flutes with ancient flavors ranging from the lands of Turtle Island (Pre-America) to the sands of Ancient Egypt. Omani Nagi will be sharing selections from his recently released original debut album, "NATIVE!", with compositions from his upcoming albums. 

They Came From Outer Space

Perseid meteor shower, courtesy of Coconino National Forest, AZ

They come from outer space and land on our planet. They're meteorites, and they've been fascinating people for centuries. 

Learn more about meteorites February 24 at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center. Dr. Stephenie Slahor, author of a new book, Meteors, will share stories about some of the world's most famous meteorites. Learn about the origin of meteors and how they're studied. 

Your $5 will support The Center's work to save & share Southern California's Native American cultures, history, arts, and languages. Dr. Slahor's book will be available for sale at $10.

DETAILS:

6 p.m. Monday, February 24, 2014.

San Manuel Gathering Hall at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center

127 N. San Gorgonio Avenue, Banning, CA

$5 supports The Center, a 501(c)3 educational nonprofit

Songs for the New Year