The Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community plans to host a Native American convocation for students graduating in the Maricopa County Community College District.

SRPMIC President Martin Harvier made the announcement on Wednesday, March 26, and it comes only weeks after the college district decided to cancel Native convocations to comply with orders handed down by the Trump administration.

“This action came quickly and without any consultation with any local tribe or other minority organization, being that Scottsdale Community College is located in Salt River, and so many of our members receive their education from SCC, we knew we had to do something to address this issue,” Harvier said.

Harvier made the announcement in a social media video update to the Community after meeting with leaders of the MCC governing board. 

Harvier said SRPMIC Council has agreed to host all 2025 Native American Maricopa Community College graduates because “honoring all Native American students for their accomplishment is the right thing to do.”

An early May celebration is planned, with more details coming, Harvier said.

In late February, with federal funding at risk, the college district started removing a variety of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives due to President Donald Trump’s executive orders set by the U.S. Department’s Office of Civil Rights. This included Native convocations, which are usually smaller events held to celebrate groups of students. 

The college district is one of the largest in the country and oversees 10 community colleges, including SCC, which is located along Chaparral Road on the western edge of the Community. Most of the 10 colleges have some sort of Indigenous-led student club and at least three have a Native American student center, program or institute. Native students make up about 2% of the nearly 89,000 student population, according to the college district.

O’odham Action News will continue to monitor this story.

Follow this link to watch SRPMIC President Martin Harvier’s video to the Community. Click here.