WHEREAS, A branch of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) epidemic includes a high proportion of Indigenous students entering university with a history of victimization, marginalization, oppression, and sexual violence, that is a continuum of violence related to ongoing settler colonialism;
WHEREAS, College students who have survived sexual assault rarely perform at their prior academic levels, are sometimes unable to carry a normal course load, and frequently miss classes and recent data from the Postsecondary Policy Institute show that less than 10% of Native Americans receive their associate degree, and only 16% attain a bachelor's degree or higher; and
WHEREAS, A lack of campus visibility impedes the participation of Indigenous and Native students, leading to a college access and completion crisis among Native American students who require cultural safety policies that enhance their visibility on campus to combat the history of violence and erasure that Indigenous peoples have faced to move beyond face value knowledge of Indigenous peoples; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges recognize Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day on May 5th;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges hold campus-wide events, such as informational sessions and peacemaking circles centered around Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges encourage the hiring of Native American and Indigenous faculty to serve as Title IX and Title V advocates
for Native and Indigenous students who experience sexual violence and discrimination on campus.
The SSCCC deeply respects and honors the experiences of Native American and Indigenous students across the California Community College system. While this resolution was not formally advanced during the current cycle due to limited capacity, the SSCCC remains committed to elevating Native and Indigenous issues as a statewide student advocacy priority. With the recent addition of a Tribal Liaison position, we are committed to more intentionally centering Native American voices and perspectives within our work.
As part of this commitment, the SSCCC supports efforts to recognize Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day on May 5th, to encourage campus-wide engagement through events such as informational sessions and peacemaking circles, and to advocate for the hiring of Native American and Indigenous faculty who can serve as culturally competent Title IX and Title V advocates for students experiencing sexual violence and discrimination. We look forward to working in partnership with Native and Indigenous communities to further this important work.