Beyond Recognition

Corrina Gould, a Chochenyo/Karkin Ohlone woman, has spent decades struggling to protect her ancestors' burial places, now engulfed by San Francisco's sprawl. As her tribe is not recognized by the federal government, Corrina has no legal recourse for protecting their homeland. In Beyond Recognition, we see Corrina and her allies occupy a sacred site to prevent its desecration by developers. When this fails to stop the development, they vow to follow a new path: to establish the first women-led urban Indigenous land trust.

Beyond Recognition tells the inspiring story of women creating opportunities to preserve Native cultures and lands in a society bent on erasing them. Through cinéma vérité, interviews, and stunning footage of urban nature, the film introduces Corrina Gould, Johnella LaRose, and Indian People Organizing for Change as they embark on a journey to transform the way we see cities. The film invites viewers to examine their own relationship to place, revealing histories that have been buried by shifting landscapes.

Beyond Recognition points to the intersection of human rights, women's rights, and environmental protection, spotlighting a California story that has worldwide resonance. The filmmaking process was a collaboration between the Indigenous participants and the filmmakers. Corrina Gould and representatives from the now thriving Sogorea Te’ Land Trust are available to participate in post-film discussions.