About Us

Our original teachers- Guillermo and Anaii Aranda, first learned danza while they lived in San Diego, CA. At that time, Guillermo and Anaii were part of the Centro Cultural de la Raza, and it was there that they learned danza from Florencio Yescas- a danzante from Tacuba, Mexico. Guillermo and Anaii, along with their children, moved from San Diego to Redwind- a community in San Luis Obispo County that was largely focused on practicing and preserving indigenous ceremonies and traditions. Along the way, Guillermo and Anaii met and learned from various indigenous elders and medicine people while at the same time continuing to practice danza. In 1977, Guillermo and Anaii were part of caravana Teponaxtli, which traveled to Mexico City, where they were initiated into the danza by Florencio Yescas, and the sacred fire was handed down to Anaii.

After Redwind, the Aranda family moved to Watsonville and soon after began teaching danza to local children at Hall school, the group Whitehawk had not yet been created. It wasn’t until Guillermo and Anaii felt the children were ready to form a group that they formed Whitehawk. The children themselves suggested the name Whitehawk, and this was due to a white hawk constantly being around when the group would gather for practice. Since then, Whitehawk has maintained a steady flow of participants and has touched the lives of many, so much that participants who were once children have brought in their own children to join the circle and continue the legacy that has been planted in this community. As of now White Hawk remains the only danza group in Santa Cruz County, that holds the sacred fire from Cerro de Estrella, Mexico, passed down from Florencio Yesca to Anai-i Aranda and now under the care and Palabra of Maria Rebeca Moreno.

The Founding of White Hawk Iztatutli

Mission

The mission of White Hawk is to provide safe environments where youth can develop trust in themselves and others, to enhance the quality of life within their families and community and to develop a spiritual awareness through participation in traditional ceremonies and cultural arts.

Vision

The vision of White Hawk is to perpetuate the renewal and preservation of the cultural and traditional ways of indigenous America by making available to the youth of the Pajaro Valley the opportunity to participate in cultural and traditional activities that celebrate their ancestral ways, stimulate pride, dignity, self-esteem, and identity, activities in which they can learn respect for all life and creation, and understand the cycles of life and our place in this universe.

Meet the Team

Anai-i Aranda

Co-Founder, Executive Director Instructor and Mentor.
Anai-i began danza in 1972 at the Central Cultural in San Diego under the direction of Maestro Florencio Yescas. Moving to Redwind an inter-tribal community outside San Luis Obispo she established an Aztec dance group there and then moved to Watsonville co-founding White Hawk in 1980. Her dedication has always been to provide our youth with an opportunity to learn and experience our Indigenous traditions which stimulate pride dignity and self-esteem
Maria Rebeca Moreno

Director of Danza/ Maestra
Maria Rebeca Moreno began her journey in Danza Azteca at the age of 8 with White Hawk, a nonprofit organization devoted to preserving indigenous traditions. Through her passion and dedication Maria received the Palabara for White Hawk Iztatutli and became the director of Danza for White Hawk in 2004. Maria takes great joy in teaching young people and deeply values the opportunity to share indigenous dance with the community.
Monica Mendez

Board of Directors President
Monica Mendez has been a member of White Hawk Board of Directors since 1999 she has served in many different positions. (General Member, Secretary, Co-Treasurer, Historian, Vice President & President).
She joined White Hawk in the 5th grade after a Spectra/ Arts presentation at school . The drums and dancers were breathtaking and called to her.
She is grounded in keeping things as traditional as possible and always sharing the dances, songs and teachings as her teachers shared with her.
Eliazar de la Cruz

Board of Directors Vice-President / Director of Danza Sacramento White Hawk.
Eliazar De La Cruz is currently the Vice President of our non-profit board and director of Kalpulli Iztatutli de Sacramento. He is a dedicated father and an educator for the Sacramento City Unified School District. He believes in the importance of reconnecting youth to their ancestry and culture so that they may begin to heal from colonial traumas. Aka “La Cultura Cura”.
Stephanie Dieguez

Board of Directors Secretary/Liaison
Stephanie has been a dedicated member of White Hawks board of directors for the past decade. She joined White Hawk as a little girl and went through her own Xilonen Ceremony at 15 years of age. She is passionate about honoring the legacy of the founders and ensuring that Indigenous traditions thrive within the community.
Vanessa Gonzalez

Board of Directors Treasurer
Vanessa joined White Hawks circle during her undergrad years while attending UCSC. She has been serving as the White Hawk’s board treasurer since 2021.
Vanessa is passionate about helping children and youth through her work as a mental health therapist in Santa Cruz County. She feels it’s important for children and youth to stay connected/reconnect to their cultural roots and have a strong sense of cultural identity and pride.
Anabelle Rodriguez

Board of Directors Member