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Enrique Salmón has been appointed Cal State East Bay’s inaugural tribal liaison to develop greater partnerships and communications between the university and the Indigenous and Native communities in the region. The new position takes action beyond the university’s existing land acknowledgement to foster understanding of our regional history, its influence and impact. 

Salmón, who is also a Professor of Ethnic Studies at Cal State East Bay, will work closely with President Cathy Sandeen to build important relationships with tribal leaders from local Indigenous and Native communities. Over the past year the university began a formal effort to repatriate tribal remains and artifacts to local tribes.

As a member of an Indigenous community, Salmón has cultural knowledge essential to establishing and building relationships with leaders from the Muwekma Ohlone tribe, whose land the Cal State East Bay community gathers on.

“It’s become increasingly important for me to play a role in helping the members of our campus understand the long history of our campus through today where we occupy the land of Native Californians,” Salmón said. “It’s not just occupying the land — it’s where we live, learn, play and work — and I want to help the (campus community) understand how we’ve gotten here today and where they fit in the long history of the occupation and broken promises.”

The university has already adopted a land acknowledgment. However, Sandeen — who appointed Salmón to his new role — says there is much more work to be done. 

“The university’s commitment to the land where we gather must include action as a way to respect and honor the very important living relationship between Indigineous people and the region,” said President Cathy Sandeen. “We have faculty and students who incorporate these practices in their learning and research on native plants, wildfire mitigation, societies and culture, and the establishment of a Tribal Liaison elevates the possibilities. I am grateful to Professor Salmón for his expertise on indiginous peoples and ideas how we can further our collaboration.” 

As part of his work, Salmón plans to work with local tribes to build an ethnobotany guide as well as a native garden on the Concord campus. 

He also said he hopes that he can use his role as tribal liaison to attract more Indigenous and Native students to Cal State East Bay.  

“The Indigenous student population on our campus is lower than I would hope it would be,” Salmon said. “There are a lot of Native California students who want to go to college, but they don’t come to Cal State East Bay. As a tribal liaison, I’d like to have a role in recruiting more Native American students and students in general.”