May 6 Program Speaker is Native American Chris Lobo of Native Hands Wines
Join us Wednesday, May 6, in City Hall Council Chambers at 6 p.m. where our featured speaker will be Chris A. Lobo, a 9th-generation Mission Indian, with ancestral ties to three Mission Tribes: Juaneño, Luiseno and Diegueño. As one of the core families of San Juan Capistrano, his lineage can be traced through Mission sacramental records to at least eight village sites. Currently, he is an active citizen of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians. His family has been intimately involved in tribal affairs since the early 1900s. His great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were fierce advocates for Indian rights, serving in leadership roles within the Mission Indian Federation and Tribe. Notably, Chris’s uncle, Clarence H. Lobo, served as Chief of the Juaneños for 39 years, advocating for federal acknowledgment of their people and ancestral territory.
Professionally, Chris’s beverage experience spans more than 38 years, beginning as an opening team member at the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point and culminating in a 15-year tenure as Beverage Director of Operations, which he completed in 1999. In 2002, he founded his own wine company, Native Hands Wines, focusing on sales and marketing. During this time, he collaborated with many iconic brands and some of the finest restaurants and retailers in the region.
Chris will discuss his Native American heritage as well as his years of experience with crafting wine selections. A reception follows the presentation at our museum where Chris will allow us to sample his various vintages. Please join us for a very special evening.
