About Us

The Native American Faculty and Staff Association (NAFSA) is an alliance of higher education professionals committed to building strong Native communities by affecting meaningful change in higher education policies and practices that support and improve the educational experiences and success of Native faculty, staff, and students.

Purpose

Our purpose is to advocate for culturally relevant, and evidence based professional development in areas that enhance the knowledge of Native and non-Native administrators, faculty, and professional staff who work with Native students.

Mission

The Native American Faculty and Staff Association mission is to affect change in higher education at Santa Rosa Junior College in ways that improve the experiences and educational outcomes of American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Aboriginal students.

NAFSA works to enhance the professional development of Native and non-Native higher education professionals to improve Native student recruitment, retention, and graduation rates. By strengthening the capacity of these individuals, who are essential for Native student success, and promoting culturally appropriate practices, NAFSA improves the educational training and experiences of Native students, as well as the professional environment for staff and faculty at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Focus

The Native American Faculty and Staff Association seeks to focus on initiatives specifically related to the well-being of the Santa Rosa Junior College Native Faculty and Staff, including efforts to:

  • Create and sustain an American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN)/First Nations community at Santa Rosa Community College that celebrates achievements, acknowledges milestones, represents concerns and provides advocacy for community members when needed;
  • Create an environment that attracts, welcomes and retains AIAN/First Nations faculty, staff, and students;
  • Acknowledge the service that Native Faculty and Staff provide to students formally and informally through mentorship and other student assistance;
  • Develop effective, ethical, innovative, respectful, and culturally appropriate partnerships with our Tribal communities;
  • Improve the career pipeline for faculty and staff into the upper echelon of Santa Rosa Junior College;
  • Hire Native Education scholars and support Culture-Based Education (CBE), a pedagogy that centers culture and language learning, a current best practices for improving success outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native students;
  • Create an enlightened work and learning environment where issues of inequity and injustice can be effectively identified, directly challenged, and intelligently discussed.

Related Coalitions and Efforts at Santa Rosa Junior College

It is important to note that there are a number of American Indian/Alaska Native/First Nations (AIAN/ First Nations) coalitions and efforts involving Native faculty and staff. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Native American Summer Bridge Program
  • Day Under the Oaks Native American Celebration
  • Native American Heritage Month
  • SRJC Indigenous Peoples’ Day
  • SRJC Multicultural Museum
  • SRJC Native American Student Club
  • California Indian Museum Lark Field
  • Northern California Indian Development Council
  • Sonoma, Mendocino, and Marin Tribal Communities
  • California Big Picture Schools
  • SRJC BLAC, APISA, and LFSA Associations

There is overlap in the membership and participation in these groups, as well as with their respective focus, vision, and mission. To enhance the success of our Native faculty, staff, and students, NAFSA acknowledges the cultural importance of collaborating with these groups.

Our Native Santa Rosa Junior College community proudly highlights Native American and Indigenous culture through a variety of events, including, but not limited to, cultural speakers, panel discussions, films, on-campus and virtual gatherings, performances and literary forums.

NAFSA welcomes and includes all people regardless of race, socioeconomic class, color, national origin, religion, diverse perspectives, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, neurological or physical ability, veteran status, legal status, or education level.

Officers

Brenda Flyswithhawks - President

Sandy Sigala - Vice President

Maleese Warner- Recorder

Josephine McKay – Treasurer