Film Place Where I Belong to be included in California Model High School Curriculum Uplifting Native Voices

The new Native American Studies Model Curriculum (NASMC), explores two critical federal laws—ICWA and NAGPRA—that aim to reverse generations of harm inflicted on tribal communities. Co-authored by educators Chris LaMarr (Paiute, Pit River, Maidu) and Maggie Peters (Yurok/Karuk), one of the lessons “Righting Historical Wrongs: Laws Protecting Tribal Sovereignty and Cultural Heritage” offers students a powerful entry point into broader conversation about tribal sovereignty, cultural preservation, and justice.

A central feature of this lesson is now going to be the short film Place Where I Belong, which brings the Indian Child Welfare Act to life through personal testimony. The video offers a compelling, humanizing narrative that highlights how ICWA has protected Native children and families, reinforcing the law’s continuing importance in the survival of tribal cultures. This emotional and resonant perspective helps students connect deeply with the lesson’s themes, reminding them that history is not just about laws and policies—it’s also about lived experiences and the strength of communities fighting for their future.

Through this lesson, students gain a meaningful understanding of how federal laws like ICWA and NAGPRA emerged from Native advocacy and resilience, and how they continue to serve as essential tools in the fight for tribal self-determination, healing, and cultural continuity.

The Native American Studies Model Curriculum (NASMC) is a state-funded free TK-12 educational web-based platform for educators in California developed and maintained by the California History Social Science Project (“CHSSP”), pursuant to California Education Code section 51226.9. The NASMC will be available for use in the Fall of 2025 on the We Are California website.

We send out a special thank you to Maggie Peters for the honor of including the film in this transformational curriculum