5 minute read
The journey toward purpose: Turning points in Lopez's life
The journey toward purpose:
Turning Points in Lopez’s life
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Jameson Lopez is a rising advocate and role his accounts of the 1973 Wounded Knee takeover, model for Native education: he is a member of the jumping off waterfalls with playmates on the White Quechan tribe, a PhD candidate at ASU, a father Mountain Apache reservation, and meeting now Vice and husband, a decorated military veteran, and a President of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Paul 2015 Pat Tillman scholar. Most notable for being a Russell who was his dorm counselor at a Native magnetic figure for his involvement in education, it is camp years ago. surprising to learn that Lopez had a dislike for school “My mom is my inspiration, my dad is my teacher,” growing up. Lopez said. “When I think about the
“I hated school,” Lopez, “What matters persistence of higher education, 33, said. “I hated going from kindergarten all the way to is that you keep that’s where a lot of the work that I do stems from. My parents gave me 12th grade. For whatever reason, I didn’t fit in.” in your heart the an example. They gave me how you should be interacting with Native Born and raised in Phoenix, Lopez grew up people and why students. My dad built relationships and trust with a lot of students. My in a predominantly white you’re doing it... mom trained maybe thousands of neighborhood and had difficulties acclimating in You can’t forget teachers to go back and teach in their own communities and I think, ‘Wow, school where peers taunted him for being Native. the need of our what a legacy to follow.’” At 18, Lopez embarked on his “I got some slur likes... dirty Indian or a drunk, or that community." college journey by enrolling at American Indian College where he, we got lice or ashy elbows. The last two are kind of like his parents, traveled to reservations to speak true,” Lopez said, laughing. “I’ve got lice. I don’t have with Native youth. Loving college, he graduated with it anymore, though, or I hope not anyways.” his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in
Although he disliked his schooling as an urban 2008. With numerous veterans in his family, Lopez Native, it was his parents’ profession as American decided to carry on this tradition and enlisted in the Indian College faculty members that inspired his United States Army. life trajectory. Accompanying his parents as they “I knew that veterans within the Quechan traveled to a myriad of reservations and reserves community, as well as a lot of Native communities, across Turtle Island to recruit Native students, Lopez hold a really high regard when it comes to felt connected to every community. leadership,” Lopez said, “and I knew in some ways
“I love being around Native people,” Lopez said. that I was meant for leadership, so that was a path “That’s where I knew my home was, not just on my that I wanted to take.” own reservation but on reservations all around.” After being away from home for a year of training,
Riveted by the unique adventures that rez life Lopez’s life had a turning point when he met his offered and the people he encountered, Lopez future wife. says his memorable childhood moments include “In 2009, my training ended in August, then that’s meeting a Kiowa activist in Oklahoma who shared when I met my wife in true army fashion,” Lopez said.
“I came home and a friend introduced us when I was on leave, and the rest is history.”
Married nine months later, Lopez was deployed in August of 2010, and he spent a year in Iraq as a platoon leader. After being honorably discharged and receiving a Bronze Star Medal in 2012, Lopez returned home, enrolled in ASU’s master’s program and encountered new challenges that came with returning to school.
“I went back into the classroom (where it) changed for me,” he said. “It wasn’t the same, and some of what I experienced overseas changed me, too, as it would anybody.”
Persistent, he graduated with his master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction at ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College in the spring of 2013 and has been enrolled in the PhD program since.
As a father of two, Lopez said that family has had a profound influence (Photo courtesy of Chrissy Blake.) on his life journey. Their support has pushed him to challenge himself and set an example Graduating this spring, Lopez has strived toward for his children, just as his parents had done for him. his dream career by accepting a faculty position at
“Having kids in general is amazing,” Lopez said. the University of Arizona in Tucson. He leaves Native “Now that I’m a father, I tuck them in bed, I read them a students not only his own legacy, but also words of story, and I say ‘I hope I’m being a good dad because advice on persistence in college. I have a great dad.’ It’s about placing trails for a new “What matters is that you keep in your heart the generation and further pushing the boundaries. The people and why you’re doing it,” he said. “You can’t challenging part of this is challenging myself. As far forget the need of our community. That’s also what’s as helping me on my educational journey especially, going to help give you motivation to finish things, there’s a lot of things that I wouldn’t have done without strive for more and to not lose sight of what you need my wife. She always believes in me, ushering me to do and what you’re trying to accomplish, is always along. She just makes life more meaningful.” keeping your community in the back of your mind.”
Center for Indian Education Arizona State University P.O. Box 871311 Tempe, AZ 85287-1311
We would like to thank the following for their TREMENDOUS support in developing Turning Points.
