Collaborating to Overcome Tribal Transportation Obstacles
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION
There are 109 federally recognized Native American tribes in California and many more state-recognized tribal groups seeking federal recognition. Early in the formation of the United States, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that tribal nations were deemed “sovereign, domestic dependent nations” distinct from states and foreign governments. Thus, tribal governments exercise sovereignty over their lands and governments in similar ways as states and the federal government, including in managing roads, bridges, highway access, and other mobility issues related to transportation. However, tribal access to resources to support transportation infrastructure is vastly different than that of states and counties to perform those same tasks. To address this critical issue, Dr. Theresa Gregor, Associate Professor in the Program in American Indian Studies, is leading an oral history project to examine the intergovernmental relationship between San Diego County Tribal Nations and the San Diego Association of Governments. In addition to serving as primary investigator (PI) for the project, Tribal Transportation Oral History of Mobility, Dr. Gregor also has forthcoming books, LandKeeping: Restoring Indigenous Fire Stewardship and Ecological Practices (University of Oregon Press) and California Native American Women: Their Lives and Contributions (Great Oak Press). Dr. Gregor’s research examines and contributes to the capacity building of tribal nations, increases the visibility of tribal leadership, and creates platforms to uplift their voices and experiences to create resilient and sustainable tribal communities.
Dr. Tyler Reeb, who serves as Interim Executive Director at the Center for International Trade and Transportation and as Co-PI with Dr. Gregor on the tribal oral history project, will develop a white paper summarizing lessons learned and ways that regional transportation and planning agencies can apply similar methods in partnership with tribal governments throughout California and nationally. The project is funded by the Pacific Southwest Region University Transportation Center. Dr. Reeb is also the editor and principal author of Empowering the New Mobility Workforce (Elsevier) and is a member of the Transportation Research Board Standing Committee on Native American Transportation Issues (AME30).
Dr. Gregor and Dr. Reeb met several years ago when Dr. Reeb arranged a meeting with Dr. Gregor to discuss tribal transportation and logistics. Dr. Gregor’s background and experience in nonprofit leadership and disaster preparedness for tribes intersected with Dr. Reeb’s work with the Pacific Southwest Region University Transportation Center. They were both interested in increasing the pathway for tribes to access university resources for transportation, trade, preparedness, and resilience. In spring 2023, Dr. Reeb contacted Dr. Gregor again, and this time, they were both ready and available to move forward with their collaboration.
They will present preliminary findings at Esri in Redlands, California, in October. Their report will translate findings into research needs to identify tools and strategies to support tribal self-determination in the current and future transportation environment. This assessment will define a strategy to identify the unique cultural, legal, political, geographical, and economic challenges that have historically prevented the accurate and equitable gauging of tribal technical assistance and capacity needs. Identifying these challenges forms a basis for a new generation of tribal leaders and researchers to use the vast resources of the National Academies to find solutions to those obstacles.