Professor Jesus Valle Honored with 2025 Wilma Mankiller Memorial Award
Professor Jesus Valle
American River College is proud to celebrate one of its own, Professor Jesus Valle, as the distinguished recipient of the 2025 Wilma Mankiller Memorial Award for Human and Civil Rights from the National Education Association. The NEA is the nation’s largest union with approximately 3 million members in every state of the nation. This national honor, named after the legendary Cherokee Nation leader and fearless advocate for American Indian children, recognizes individuals who have profoundly impacted education and the achievement of equal opportunity for American Indians/Alaska Natives. Professor Valle’s fearless quest to maintain tribal sovereignty and opportunities for Native youth makes him a deserving honoree.
Wilma Mankiller, the first woman elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, remains a legendary figure. Her leadership brought vital improvements in healthcare, housing, and education to Indigenous communities, while her vision emphasized cultural pride, self-determination, and empowerment.
Professor Valle shared the personal impact that Wilma Mankiller had on his journey, “As a young adult, the role model of Wilma Mankiller impacted me because of her strength in service to her tribe. I’ve always looked up to her as one of the 'greats' in American Indian leadership. Over the years, I would come across various documentaries about her and watch them with interest. One memory of her inspiration to me stands out. In the year 2000, I was teaching at the tribal college outside of Davis, D-Q University. I remember walking down the long corridor in the instructional building and seeing various framed pictures of American Indian leaders. One of those pictures was of her, in black and white, seated with turtle shell leggings for ceremony up to her knees. I remember those turtles and her countenance; over the decades, that image has continued to speak to me, to motivate me, and to keep me focused on the joy of this journey.
Like Mankiller, Professor Valle has channeled these principles into transformative programs that uplift Native youth and celebrate Native heritage. As a tenured professor of English and Native American Studies, Professor Valle has spent decades bringing his personal heritage and a collective legacy to the forefront of higher education with ARC as the pillar of the movement. An enrolled citizen of the Texas Band of Yaqui Indians and Carrizo/Comecrudo and descended Isleta and Apache, Valle instills in students the importance of tradition, history, and cultural knowledge as cornerstones for building a vibrant future. His classroom is not just a space for academic study—it’s a center of empowerment.
Among Valle’s impactful contributions has been the establishment of ARC’s Native Resource Center, a location that provides a sovereignty-based approach to American Indian educational empowerment. Valle’s work extends beyond ARC. He has created professional development workshops that foster cultural understanding among educators across Northern California.
Professor Valle considers his work on the American Indian Summer Institute (AISI) his most life-affirming initiative. This summer retreat, co-created and co-sponsored by ARC and SMUD, introduces Native youth to college campuses along with Native programs and mentors, blending college components like program information and financial aid strategy sessions with cultural activities and connection into a single powerful experience. For many participants, AISI marks their first glimpse at higher education as an attainable path.
Professor Valle is a co-chair and founding member of the Sacramento Native American Higher Education Collaborative (SNAHEC). Through the efforts of SNAHEC, $30 million in state funding was secured for the Native American Student Support and Success Program (NASSSP) to roll out model programs styled after American River College at community colleges throughout California.
Professor Valle’s dedication spans 28 years of advocacy, mentorship, and an unwavering belief in the potential of tribal youth. His authentic approach—honest and rooted in lived experience—has made him a pillar for students navigating the complexities of post-colonial identities in higher education.
In honoring Professor Jesus Valle with the Wilma Mankiller Memorial Award, the NEA acknowledges his extraordinary accomplishments and his role as a modern example of the same fearless spirit.
Join us in congratulating Professor Valle!