Exploring local history is key to understanding who we are, in all our diversity, and deepening our connection to the place we call home. It's necessary to explore with an open mind, because what history reveals may not always fit with what we've learned about our shared past. 
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When we set out to create "Stories from the Past" 2019, one of our goals was to uncover stories about the indigenous peoples whose roots in Santa Clara Valley date back more than 10,000 years. We were fortunate to interview Val Lopez, Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, who described how the Amah Mutsun are recapturing their cultural identity from a history of enslavement that began in Mission Era California. L...