UC San Diego’s investment in the Indigenous communities extends far beyond legislative compliance, supporting Indigenous health, storytelling and leadership across the campus and region. This includes:
Training for UC San Diego Community
Repatriation Coordinator Eva Trujillo ’20 (Siny ‘Iipay, Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians), under Chancellor Khosla’s direction with UC San Diego’s Office of Organizational Transformation, developed the university’s groundbreaking Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Compliance Training.
Created in direct collaboration with the local Tribal community, this training advances campuswide awareness of and strengthens adherence to NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA standards, aligning with the Chancellor’s vision of stronger and more reciprocal relationships with San Diego’s Native and Indigenous communities.
This training, accessible to anyone with UC credentials through an online learning platform, is the first of its kind in the University of California system. It focuses on creating a shared understanding of NAGPRA’s basic requirements for reporting the research and collection of Native American and Native Hawaiian cultural resources.
Indigenous Futures Institute
Established in 2020, the Indigenous Futures Institute (IFI) in the UC San Diego Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science builds Native health capacity through respectful research and community partnerships. Led by Executive Director Chag Lowry (Yurok/Maidu/Pit River), the Institute uplifts Indigenous knowledge, cultural practices and stewardship by amplifying the work of community knowledge-keepers.
Indigi-Con and Symposiums: Every July during San Diego Comic-Con, Indigi-Con honors Indigenous creativity with a three-day festival at UC San Diego’s Park and Market. Organized by the IFI, the event brings together creators, culture-keepers and fans for panels, exhibitions and conversations about Native futurism and ancestral storytelling. In February 2026, the Indigenous Futures Institute partnered with the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians and the Eyaay Ahuun Foundation to host the Indigi-Con Creators Symposium, a celebration of local history and Indigenous storytelling held on Native land. The symposium was the first in California to be hosted by a local Tribe.
Tribal Leadership Gatherings: In December 2025, the IFI hosted “All Together Now: California Native Women’s Leadership.” This on-campus symposium strengthened cultural and professional networks among Native nations across California. It featured panelists such as Chairwoman of the Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation Angela Elliott-Santos, California Rural Indian Health Board Executive Director Virginia Hedrick and Alison Richardson ’24, who shared their work, personal perspectives and insights on how UC San Diego can be a meaningful partner to local Tribes and Native families.
Campus Community and Academic Pathways
Looking ahead, Chancellor Khosla acknowledged that, while UC San Diego has made good progress in supporting its Indigenous ancestors and current community members, repatriation is a continuous duty: “I am committed to this work, the Native Nations, and the ancestors who are waiting to be returned home.”