Your People Will be Standing on Your Shoulders: CINC Celebrates State Support
By Emily Clarke
On Wednesday, November 16th, assembly members James Ramos (Cahuilla / Serrano) and Eduardo Garcia presented the California Indian Nations College (CINC) with a $5 Million check on behalf of the state of California to help budget their pursuit of federal accreditation. The event was held at the Palm Springs campus of College of the Desert and consisted of speeches by both assembymen as well as representatives from CINC, COD, Kumeyaay College, and California Tribal College. The small crowd consisted of educators, students, and various other Native and non-Native community members, many of whom could be seen wiping their eyes or clapping in enthusiasm as they listened to the heartfelt sentiments of each speaker.
“There are only three things in life that people can’t take from you,” assemblyman James Ramos stated, “your spirituality, your culture, and your education.”
In the state of California, Native American students have the lowest rate of attending college. In fact, they make up only 1% of the student body within state school systems such as the University of California and California State. As assemblyman Ramons states, this is not because Native people aren’t interested in higher education, but rather because they don’t feel supported and encouraged. This check awarded to CINC is a step towards showing Native people that the state encourages and supports their opportunity and right to gain an education. Perhaps one of the reasons Native people are least likely to attend college is the historical relationship between Native communities and institutions such as the boarding schools. Historically, Native people were brutalized, erased, and silenced by the government as well as ignored when it came to higher education.
“But silenced no more,” assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, states within his speech, followed by a call to action stating that the state still has much work to do to show their support for California Native people and education.
Dr. Martha Garcia, the 8th superintendent and president of College of the Desert agrees with Garcia and states that “CINC will help break the cycle of Native education barriers within California.”
California Indian Nations College will be the first Native American accredited college in California in a very long time. In fact, there aren’t any fully accredited colleges for Native students in the state at this time. With federal accreditation, CINC will be able to apply for state and federal educational funding so that students may receive more financial aid and support. Celeste Townsend (Paiute / Shoshone), CINC’s president, says that this day, this financial support from the state, is truly historic. There are 35 federally accredited Native colleges across the United States, however, none are located in California. That is why CINC’s journey through the accreditation process is so important and valuable to the Native communities of California.
In my opinion, this act of support from the state is land acknowledgement in action. I can’t help but remember the ideas our friend Shaliyah Ben (Diné) explores in her interview, “Native Art in the Meadow.”
“A lot of institutions ‘talk the talk,’ but what is the land acknowledgement for if you don’t do the work,” Shay said.
With help from assembly members James Ramos and Eduardo Garcia, the state of California is just beginning to take their first steps towards “walking the walk,” as Shaliyah puts it.
Dr. Stanley Rodriguez (Kumeyaay – Iipay, Santa Ysabel), another speaker at the event, calls the accreditation process a “game,” that tribal colleges must play to get recognition and funding. Being a board member and instructor at Kumeyaay Community College, Dr. Rodriguez understands just how important accreditation is for Native institutions like CINC. Juliette Maestes (Hoopa Valley), the executive director of California Tribal College, feels similarly to Dr. Rodriguez and states that trying to make both change and opportunity at the same time is “not easy.” However, although the path to accreditation is a rocky one, California Indian Nations College, Kumeyaay Community College and California Tribal College have each other to lean on. Native peoples are no stranger to hardship, however, our sense of community and support for one another is what guides us through trying times.
Theresa Mike (Si-Mi-Hlot), who was born and raised in the Lummi Nation in Washington State, is CINC’s founder and visionary. Like many of the others, her speech was emotional and full of gratitude for the state’s contribution. She tells the crowd that today is so exciting she isn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. Towards the end of her speech, she points a strong finger towards the crowd and says,
“From this day forward, you are the ancestors, and your people will be standing on your shoulders.”
What is a degree if not a platform to stand on? The importance of education is not foreign to Native people, in fact, education and knowledge is rooted in our deepest traditions. However, due to the discouragement many Native communities have felt for generations, the pursuit of higher education within institutions such as colleges and universities has been low. This financial contribution as well as the support shown by Ramos and Garcia is a step towards raising the percentage of California Natives who attend higher education institutions. Additionally, with accreditation, California Indian Nations College can begin to help Native students gain their education as well as show support for Native education as a whole.
