Partnering with Indigenous Students and Communities
TCC’s support for indigenous community members has been most successful through the intentional building of partnerships and student-led initiatives. Indigenous students organized as early as 1973,189 with the most active group being the Student Koalition of Indian Natives (SKIN), formed in 1977.190 Although the group only existed for a few years, SKIN brought notable activist speakers to TCC191 and was an outspoken voice for indigenous people on campus.192
Photo: As part of their “Indian Days” weeklong event, SKIN brought Ramona Bennett (Puyallup) and John Trudell (Dakota; American Indian Movement [AIM] chairman) to TCC to speak on issues of native sovereignty.
In 1989, a Native American Club was revitalized,193 and with the support of the new Multi-Cultural Student Support Program, the club remained active through the 1990s. The group became the Native American Student Union (NASU) in the early 2000s.194 With NASU, TCC began co-sponsoring and hosting the TCC-Tacoma Public Schools (TPS) Pow Wow in 2006. The free event celebrates indigenous culture and marks the graduation of Native TPS students.195
In the most recent years, the language of Coast Salish peoples has been introduced to campus via the Lushootseed Learning Group via the Puyallup Tribal Language Program. The program created the learning materials the group uses to support their practice meetings and periodic “Lushootseed Spotlight” messages to campus.196
Other collaborations have included TCC Athletics working with the Puyallup Tribe to design special home game jerseys for “Native American Heritage Night” basketball games,197 and highlighting indigenous art from the Washington State art collection in the new Center for Innovative Learning and Engagement (CILE).
Photos: TCC alumnus and artist Paige Pettibon (Confederated Salish and Kootenai) – who was also featured in a solo exhibit at the Gig Harbor gallery – designed and painted Lushootseed signs for the Sustainability Garden; "Holding the Door" by Shaun Peterson, one of the works of art by indigenous artists in the CILE.
