Native and Indigenous Caucus Hold Tribal College Visit and Lobby Days

During CFA’s Lobby Day, members of the Native American and Indigenous Peoples Caucus (NAIPC) participated in a powerful and grounding visit to Sacramento State’s Wileety Native American College, the first of its kind in the CSU system.

This visit was hosted by the Sacramento State Council for Racial and Social Justice Representatives and executive board in the Esak’timá Center. It offered caucus members the opportunity to learn directly from founder Annette Reed about the college’s development, from its initial vision to its implementation and current success.

Through the conversations with faculty, staff, and students, NAIPC members witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of culturally grounded curriculum, community-centered support systems, and institutional commitment to Native student success. There were student testimonials, including pathways into graduate programs, like those at UC Davis, that underscored the college’s role as a critical model for expanding Native-serving spaces across the CSU.

Wileety Native American College is not just a program; it is a blueprint and foundation for how the CSU can better serve Native communities across the state. The significance of this visit is not shown solely in Wileety’s success, but the ability for it to be a replicable model that can inform future development of Native-focused programs and colleges throughout the CSU system.

Following the campus visit, the NAIPC members brought these insights to the State Capitol, where they met with legislators to advocate for CFA’s legislative priorities and uplift the needs of Native and Indigenous communities during CFA’s Lobby Days. A highlight of the day was a meeting with the staff of Assemblymember James Ramos, the first California Native American elected to the State Assembly. In this meeting, NAIPC members discussed opportunities to strengthen support for Native faculty and students, while also identifying areas for future collaboration on legislation that addresses systemic inequities in higher education.

“It was a very enlightening experience,” said Marty Behler, co-chair of NAIPC and San José State lecturer. “I’m grateful for CFA setting us up to visit Sacramento State and Assemblymember Ramos’ office to echo what our needs are.”

Looking forward, this is an opportunity for CFA and its legislative partners to continue to support Native and Indigenous success by encouraging campus efforts to invest in culturally responsive programs like Wileety, advancing policy that increases access and retention for Native students, and ensuring Native faculty are supported, represented, and resourced within the CSU system. With a continued collaboration between the union, legislators, and campus communities, this work has the potential to create lasting structural change for the Native and Indigenous Community.

“Our caucus had an engaging experience at Sac State at the Wileety Native American College with Dr. Annette Reed and the faculty,” said Sandy Kewanhaptewa-Dixon, co-chair of NAIPC and Cal Poly Pomona professor. “The caucus members enjoyed visiting Assemblyman James Ramos’ office and participating in Lobby Days in Sacramento. We were honored to represent our Native faculty and union colleagues at Sacramento State and at the State Capitol.”