Indigenous People’s Caucus
The SEIU 503 Indigenous Peoples Caucus (IPC) gives voice to the collective experiences and struggles of Indigenous communities. We are committed to decolonization, celebrating Indigenous cultures and knowledge, and uplifting one another regardless of tribal affiliation, federal recognition, geography, or national origin.
The IPC is here to educate everyone about the history, resilience, and ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples, past, present, and future, and to remind us that the labor movement is stronger when we honor the original stewards of this land.
The IPC Membership Meeting is held on the third Tuesday of each month from 6pm-7:30 p.m. Register here. For more information or to get involved, please email ipc@seiu503.org. Participation in the Indigenous Peoples Caucus is open to all SEIU 503 members and staff.
Here in Oregon, the IPC Caucus is:
- Enhancing opportunities for education by organizing events, trainings, and cultural workshops that center Indigenous history, sovereignty, and identity.
- Providing a venue for connection by linking SEIU members who identify as Indigenous or are allies committed to supporting Indigenous rights.
- Promoting equity and visibility by ensuring Indigenous voices and issues are represented in union policy, collective bargaining, and leadership spaces.
- Building solidarity with other caucuses and committees to strengthen collective power across all communities within SEIU 503
Caucus Leadership
Co-chair, Jean Jones: Jean Jones is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and SEIU 503. A dynamic visual artist, Jones specializes in block printing and fiber arts and also explores painting and poetry. Her work often highlights the natural world and our connection to it. Jones’s art has been featured on CTGR powwow merchandise, in the homes and workplaces of friends and colleagues, and among union members who support the Indigenous Peoples Caucus. She is also the artist behind the Indigenous Peoples Caucus’s new logos.
Co-Chair, Adela Wisdom: Adela Wisdom is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and SEIU 503. She works in the North Bend office in Child Welfare, with an emphasis on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), supporting the protection of Indigenous children and the preservation of tribal sovereignty, culture, and family connections. She is committed to advocacy, culturally responsive practice, and strengthening relationships between state systems and Tribal communities.
Treasurer, Vacant
Secretary, Vacant
Staff Advisor, Summer Trosko