Beginning in the early 1990's CNIGA adopted a policy and made a commitment to educating state elected officials, local governments and federal representatives about California Indians and tribal government gaming. Since the last Indian mentioned in a California textbook died in 1880, we realized that we would need to educate Californians at all levels not only that Indians still exist and have contemporary lives, but that we have sovereign government status. We were not surprised in the beginning of our educational outreach to learn that very few Californians knew Indians and reservations exist in the state, or that we still struggle to overcome poverty and the bitter circumstances of the past. Even more shocking to people not familiar with Indians was that we wanted to achieve the self-governance, promised us in the U.S. Constitution, court decisions and federal policy. The critical issue was and will continue to be the recognition of tribal government status, jurisdiction and political rights as equal to the state's authority. Understanding that the state cannot and does not have the automatic right to dictate to tribal governments, as it does all other governments in this state, is the lesson that all Californians are grappling with. The extent that other governments come to respect our sovereignty will depend on many factors, but one will certainly be public recognition of tribal sovereignty and its historical basis. The goal of the CNIGA Public Relations Committee is constant communication. Communication is also hearing and responding with understanding to concerned and interested parties from neighbors to local and state government officials, as well as getting our story and point of view across. We have learned through our public relations efforts, that when we articulate whom we are and what we are trying to achieve, people listen and support us. Indians and non-Indians can get beyond old stereotypes, old history and prejudice. Ignorance is only our enemy and oppressor if we allow it to exist. So we are vigilant in weeding out ignorance wherever it may be growing. We exist to prevent and expose misinformation, misrepresentation and ignorance about Indian people, tribal government gaming and sovereignty.