Tribe gives thousands to small businesses
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
(Photo courtesy of Tansu Philip)
Kalle Benallie
'I hope that what we do here today prompts others to do the same, which is support our local businesses, give as much as you can'
Kalle Benallie Indian Country Today
Fifty small businesses in California were clueless about how much money the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians were going to give them. It was a big surprise of $20,000 each.
Tribal Chairman Ken Ramirez broke the news to the business owners in a livestream event and said he aspires that it will encourage others to help businesses.
"I hope that what we do here today prompts others to do the same, which is support our local businesses, give as much as you can … to keep our communities thriving," he said.
Tansu Philip, owner of the cafe Viva La Boba in San Bernardino, California, said she was surprised by the amount of money they received, and so far have caught up on their payroll, fixed a broken door and plan to host more community events in the future.
"Once the COVID regulations have shifted a little, we're going to be able to do a lot more," Philip said. "Usually, we host pop-ups, community clean-ups, tea tastings, just more events to outreach to the community."
The tribe and the Inland Empire Economic Partnership, a non-profit organization, pre-selected the businesses in San Bernardino County due to the devastating economic impact from the pandemic.
"Some sectors have been disproportionately affected, namely accommodation, food service, health care, social assistance industries, have seen the most job[s] lost and number of hours of work decreased," Paul Granillo, president and CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership, said.
(Related: 'Help is on the way? Depends on the type of small business')
Another recipient of the donation, Jovanna Rodriguez, owner of Jovi's Diner for nine years, said they have been open for limited hours, and gradually let all their employees go by September last year. She and her husband have been the only ones working since.
"Now we can bring them back and just keep our business going because we were so uncertain of how we were going to do it, if we were going to stay in business," she said.
Rodriguez said she knows many of the other businesses who were helped and is thankful that the tribe thought of them.
"We were extremely grateful because we needed it. Just really happy that I was able to share that with 50 other small businesses in San Bernardino," she said.
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians said they wanted to give the money to practice Yawa', which means "that acts on one's beliefs" in Serrano.
"As we grew and found ways to independently sustain ourselves, we never lost sight of our Yawa' as we found ourselves in a position to bring aid to the community that once helped us," Audrey Martinez, business committee member of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, said.
Tribal Secretary Johnny Hernandez said businesses were selected based on:
- Businesses who implemented COVID-safe practices through social distancing, mask wearing and sanitization.
- Businesses who took part in the San Bernardino County's COVID-compliant Business Partnership Program in 2020.
- Businesses located near tribal lands and ancestral lands in the mountains and high desert.
- Businesses hit the hardest.
Kalle Benallie, Navajo, is a reporter-producer at Indian Country Today's Phoenix bureau. Follow her on Twitter: @kallebenallie or email her at kbenallie@indiancountrytoday.com. Benallie was once the opening act for a Cirque Du Soleil show in Las Vegas.
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Ashenigewin translates to ''giving back'' in the Anishinaabe language and is part of our culture.
taking action while others won't.
Thank you for posting this article Kavika. It truly is a wonderful story. And indeed it is part of your culture, but, also that of many other Tribes, and is also one of the Native American Ten Commandments:
Most, if not all, of the Tribes that have Casinos give a part of the money they make at the Casinos to hep other Tribes who are not large enough to afford a Casino, as well as give back to their community and city.
The Native American Ten Commandments are as important to the Tribes as the Biblical Ten Commandments are to Christians, perhaps more so to many.
These Ten Commandments are a part of Native American Culture and Spiritual beliefs. They are a reflection of who we are, what we hold important to our everyday life.
A positive news story! Awesome. Now can someone give me $20K? LOL!
Would you like it in wooden nickles?
Cash only please.
Shoot, last week I would have taken $20,000 in wooden nickels. Anything to keep warm...
I am so impressed that Mission Indians took it upon themselves to open up their hearts and their wallets and help out the less fortunate in their community. Think about if everyone who could afford to do this, did. They bring hope to my heart about humanity.
Wonderful story Kavika.
These were small mom-and-pop businesses that didn't have a chance of getting a PPP loan or anything from their banks.
I read that Tom Brady and his 'companies' got a chunk of the money...
Yes, they did and shortly thereafter he went out and bought an expensive boat...
I wish somebody would form a commission to look into this sort of thing. And then charge them all with fraud
So do I. Between Brady and Kanye getting the money, that is enough (for me) to start an inquiry right there.
No. No way. And I cheered for his silly behind.
He really did, didn't he. What a turd.
If this doesn't set a wonderful example of how things can be done, I don't know what would.
This is wonderful.
Last week during the bad weather, the Saracen Casino in Pine Bluff had to close because they had no water. They donated most of the bottle water they had to the city because most of the city has been without water for the last 4-5 days
Excellent
So we have a not-rich community giving aid to people who are in need.
Meanwhile, the already-rich are doing everything to prevent government aid to people who are in need.
What is wrong with this picture?
Good question.
Among native tribes, our culture is one of helping when every possible, ''paying it forward'' is not unique for us, it's part of what makes us what we are.
Awesome seed; love it!
What a wonderful way to support their neighbors!
It's the mom-and-pop businesses that didn't get PPP. Those that are struggling to stay afloat. That is great use of monies/donations to those that really need it.