UC President’s Native American Advisory Council celebrates President Drake’s legacy of impactful change and leadership

On June 10, 2025, the University of California President’s Native American Advisory Council (PNAAC) held its last meeting of the academic year — President Drake’s final Council meeting as UC president — in Oakland.

Comprised of tribal leaders, educators, scholars, policy makers and faculty and staff members throughout the UC system, the PNAAC advises senior UC leadership on a broad range of issues affecting Native American UC community members’ experiences.

At the June meeting, PNAAC members reflected on President Drake’s significant efforts on behalf of the Native American community throughout his tenure. This included the Native American Opportunity Plan, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria UC Scholarship and enhancing repatriation efforts.

Led by PNAAC Chair Lorelle Ross (Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria) and PNAAC Vice Chair Merri Lopez-Keifer (Luiseño, San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians), the Council presented President Drake with a traditional Native American blanket featuring a design titled, “Bear Medicine,” to honor and thank him for his commitment to Native American students, staff, faculty and tribal communities across the state.

“In many Native traditions, the bear is a sacred teacher — one who walks between the worlds of power and healing. ‘Bear medicine’ is more than strength. It is the quiet courage to go within, the wisdom to heal with purpose, and the fierce love that protects what is sacred,” shared Lopez-Keifer, who is also executive director of the UC Berkeley Center for Indigenous Law and Justice.

“President Drake has taught us that healing is not passive — it is active. Whether advocating for those who have been unheard, breaking down barriers that should never have existed, or creating spaces where equity can take root and thrive, President Drake has dug deep — into systems, into communities, and into himself — to uncover what needed to be mended. He modeled strength, not as dominance, but as resilience. Not as noise, but as presence. And in doing so, he reminded us that real change begins when we have the courage to reflect, to listen deeply, and to act from the heart.

“We honor not just what President Drake has done, but who he is: A healer. A protector. A change-maker. A bearer of medicine that this world so urgently needs. May we walk beside him in gratitude. And may we carry forward his legacy with the same strength, compassion, and unshakable commitment to justice.”

Learn more about the PNAAC. For questions, contact UCOP Graduate, Undergraduate and Equity Affairs.