A campaign working to rename Squaw Valley in Fresno County is bringing the issue to the federal level after receiving pushback from community leaders.
This month, Fresno resident and member of the Dunlap Band of Mono Indians and Choinumni people, Roman Rain Tree, sent a proposal to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names asking to rename the rural town Nuum Valley.
"The word 'squaw' epitomizes the racism and sexism Native American women face," Rain Tree explained in a Change.org petition, stating that it has no place in vocabulary or as the name of a place.
The work to change the valley's name has been ongoing for the past year, but the movement has had trouble convincing Fresno politicians.
"Fresno County Board of Supervisors has so far refused to work with local Indigenous leaders to change this derogatory name," the ACLU of Northern California said.
In a video posted to Facebook Monday, Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig responded to Rain Tree's petition.
"I recognize that names have significant meaning. They're part of our identity and they shouldn't be easily changed," he said. "The first thing that needs to take place is we need to sit down and hear one another out."
Magsig encouraged Rain Tree to arrange a meeting with Squaw Valley residents, stating that "if there is to be a name change, the name needs to come from the local tribes there and also the local people who live in Squaw Valley."
The community of Squaw Valley should not be confused with the ski resort in Olympic Valley, which opted to change its name to Palisades Tahoe in September.
KCBS Radio has reached out to Rename Sq**w Valley Fresno County, but has not yet heard back.
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