Santa Clara University to Host Symposium on Challenges of the Federal Recognition Process

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Santa Clara University will hold its inaugural Native American Symposium on Friday, May 5, 2023, from 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM. Guests can attend in person or via live stream.

The symposium is being planned in collaboration with the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. This year’s Symposium will focus on “Challenges of the Federal Recognition Process.” The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe is not federally recognized, which is true for many Native American tribes that were colonized into the mission system, as well as other tribal communities whose ancestral territories are located throughout present-day California.

Attendees will hear from Tribal Chairwoman Charlene Nijmeh; learn about the history of Bay Area indigenous peoples and gain a greater understanding of the federal recognition process and the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe’s efforts to re-establish their federal recognition. Native American Coalition for Change, an SCU student group, will also participate in the program.

Santa Clara University is located on the ancestral homeland of the Ohlone and Muwekma Ohlone people and the site of Mission Santa Clara, the eighth of the 21 Alta California missions. This symposium builds upon the efforts of the university to better address the history and legacy of the lands upon which the university was founded and to continue building a stronger partnership with local Indigenous communities in the spirit of reconciliation.

About Santa Clara University

Founded in 1851, Santa Clara University sits in the heart of Silicon Valley—the world’s most innovative and entrepreneurial region. The University’s stunningly landscaped 106-acre campus is home to the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís. Ranked among the top 15 percent of national universities by U.S. News & World Report, SCU has among the best four-year graduation rates in the nation and is rated by PayScale in the top 1 percent of universities with the highest-paid graduates. SCU has produced elite levels of Fulbright Scholars as well as four Rhodes Scholars. With undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, and graduate programs in six disciplines, the curriculum blends high-tech innovation with social consciousness grounded in the tradition of Jesuit, Catholic education. For more information see www.scu.edu.

To register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/native-american-symposium-challenges-of-the-federal-recognition-process-tickets-620893237387