Land Acknowledgement

The ALEX theater operates on Tovangar (To-VAA-ngar) lands of the Gabrielino-Tongva people. This region was occupied by the Tongva, who lived in villages spread out over 4,000 square miles, including the southern Channel Islands. In the Glendale-Crescenta area, the village sites of Wiqanga, Tujunga, Hahamongna, Ashwaangna, and Maungna were established to oversee and steward resources and provide trade with one another. This acknowledgement demonstrates our institution’s commitment to the process of dismantling the legacies of colonialism and cultural imperialism. We acknowledge the ongoing violence towards Indigenous people through systemic inequality. We pay our respect to the Indigenous peoples who lived and continue to live upon this land, and whose rich history, artistic practices, and spirituality are tied to this land. It is within our responsibility as a cultural institution and our commitment to diversity and inclusion to embody a commitment to Indigenous rights and cultural equity. We sincerely invite you as an audience member to take a moment to reflect on the history and legacy of displacement, migration, and settlement.

It is our intention to work with local Native American arts councils to better inform our land acknowledgment practices and anticipate that it will evolve over time.