Virginia Hedrick
Virginia Hedrick is building her personal legacy through her work to change the way California uplifts its native population.
More than a decade working on behalf of California tribes has instilled in Hedrick a keen awareness that our state is home to the largest population of American Indians and Alaska natives of any state in the union. Her work with the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health is inspired by her belief in the responsibility that government—at all levels—bears to improve health trends for indigenous peoples.
On a personal level, Hedrick feels fortunate to have been raised in her home territory when so many American Indians deal with legacies of forced displacement. She celebrates her connection to her Yurok culture by taking her children kayaking, designing regalia with her daughters, attending jump dances and other cultural gatherings, and by proudly wearing the tribal tattoos on her chin, a deep reminder of the resiliency and future of California Native communities.
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