Jacob Alvarado Waipuk

Lecturer, Chair of Tribal Relations, Tribal Liaison, Division of Diversity and Innovation
Email: [email protected] | Office: PSFA-162 

Jacob Alvarado Waipuk (tribal member from San Pasqual Kumeyaay) is part of the Kumeyaay Nation that resides in San Diego, California. His village is called San Pasqual or Amulkulkul in the Kumeyaay language Ipai Aa, “Language of the People." The name of his clan is called Waipuk, which means “kingsnake.” The village was located originally in the San Pasqual Valley. On his father’s side he is Lipan Apache, and Sun Clan. He graduated from San Diego State University and received a Bachelor of Arts in American Indian Studies and studied abroad at The University of British Columbia where he focused on First Nations studies. During his time at SDSU he was the president of the Native American Student Alliance. Jacob also teaches the Kumeyaay language, songs, and traditions of the Kumeyaay nation. He is currently in the JDP Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership at the University of California, San Diego and Cal State University, San Marcos where he focuses his research on schooling environments for indigenous youth, and the importance of indigenous teachings. He has worked eleven years with the youth of the San Pasqual Education Department teaching them the Kumeyaay songs, language, stories, traditions, and way of life. Everything he does is for the youth of San Pasqual, and being in higher education pursuing a Doctor of Education is all for his people, so that he can bring back what he learned and create educational pathways.

Jacob has supervised, trained, and coordinated the Technology and Culture Kumeyaay Literacy Education (T.A.C.K.L.E.) program for 8 years which is an 18-year-old partnership with University of California, San Diego. Undergraduate students and faculty assist with instruction to our Pre-K to 3rd grade computer literacy education, language and culture. Responsible for developing implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting progress of the program; providing supervision, and guidance and teaching undergraduate students Kumeyaay history, language, and culture. He is co-writing a book about his experience with this program.

He is a board member for Indigenous Regeneration which exists to inspire Native communities on re-generative living concepts, through food cultivation, medicinal farming, culture and eco-village education programs, to achieve re-indigenization of true Tribal Sovereignty. He also was a board member many years for Inter-Tribal Sports in which unifies tribal youth and communities through structured athletic programs while providing necessary resources and developing a strong foundation in culture, leadership and wellness.