On this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Californians Together celebrates the rich multilingual heritage of Indigenous communities across California. The state’s original languages—spoken by Native peoples for thousands of years—are essential to the broader movement for multilingualism, biliteracy, and culturally sustaining education.
These languages are not relics of the past—they are living threads of identity, belonging, and resilience. The stories below reflect a statewide commitment to Indigenous-led efforts that reclaim the right to multilingualism and restore biliteracy as a foundation for equity and self-determination.
Reviving Biliteracy: Ukiah High’s Northern Pomo Program
In May 2025, four students at Ukiah High School graduated from an intensive four-year Northern Pomo Language and Culture Program. This initiative offers students the opportunity to develop biliteracy in English and Northern Pomo—reviving a once dormant language and positioning young people as future bilingual leaders and culture bearers. In addition to completing the program, two of the students earned the additional recognition of the California State Seal of Biliteracy. They are the first students in the state to earn the distinction in Northern Pomo.
Multilingualism in Motion: Oaxacan Languages on the Central Coast
UC Santa Cruz’s “Oaxacan Languages of the Transnational Central Coast” project highlights the role of indigenous Oaxacan languages in maintaining and strengthening cultural and linguistic bonds in the Central Coast’s Oaxacan diaspora. With support from a 2024 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, this initiative uplifts indigenous language as a powerful asset in California’s diverse Central Coast region.
Technology for Bilingual Futures: Owens Valley Paiute Language Tools
At Loyola Marymount University, Paiute computer science professor Jared Coleman is developing Kubishi—a suite of AI tools to support language learning and translation in Owens Valley Paiute. His work bridges technology and tradition to foster new bilingual learning opportunities grounded in ancestral knowledge.
Language for Life: Yurok Language in Daily Use
The Yurok Tribe Language Program integrates the Yurok language into everyday life—from home conversations to workplace settings and ceremonial spaces. This approach reflects the broader vision of multilingualism as a way of life, affirming that language access supports not only academic success, but also health, wellness, and community strength.
Building Bilingual Leaders: Nisenan Language Internships
Through its expanded 2025 internship programs, the California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project is preparing the next generation of bilingual leaders, advocates, and policy experts. These efforts are helping the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe build the legal and cultural infrastructure needed to sustain its language and identity.
Celebrating Indigenous Language Statewide
Events like the 2025 Languages of Indigenous Peoples Institute hosted by the California Association for Bilingual Education, and continued storytelling featured in News from Native California, elevate Indigenous language revitalization across the state. Advocacy events and storytelling platforms, like these, reinforce that biliteracy and multilingualism must include the voices of Indigenous communities.
At Californians Together, we advocate for a California where multilingualism is a right, not a privilege—and where biliteracy is a goal for all students. The revitalization of Indigenous languages is not separate from the movement for multilingual education; it is central to it.