HIGHLAND, CA – Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation recognized four non-profit organizations who have made significant positive impacts in local and Indigenous communities at the 2025 Forging Hope Awards held at the Yaamava’ Theater at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel.
Honorees were recognized for their critical work in education, healthcare, essential services, and empowering Indigenous communities.
The 2025 honorees for the Yawa’ Award are:
- Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino (LASSB) – Since 1958, LASSB has provided essential pro bono legal services to low-income families across San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
- UC Riverside Native American Student Program – The Native American Student Programs (NASP) office at UC Riverside offers vital educational, cultural and social support to Native American and American Indian students.
- St. Mary Medical Center – Providence St. Mary Medical Center has provided quality care to the High Desert community for nearly 70 years. From its humble beginnings in 1956, St. Mary has grown into a renowned 213-bed hospital, offering advanced medical services such as trauma care, cardiology, and obstetrics.
- Native American Land Conservancy (NALC) – Established in 1998, the NALC is dedicated to preserving sacred sites off-reservation in California’s ancestral territories and beyond. NALC works to protect cultural, biological and historical aspects of sacred lands.