This Saturday, Republic FC is teaming up with Wilton Rancheria and Sky River Casino to honor the culture and heritage of indigenous people in the region at Native American Heritage Night. In addition to on-field activations and presentations, special artwork will be displayed throughout the stadium, a makers market will showcase local, indigenous businesses, fans can claim a free scarf and pick up limited-edition merchandise items. In partnership with Wilton Rancheria and Republic FC’s in-house design team, the art was designed by Chairman Andrew Alejandre from the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians.
“The Miwok and Nisenan people have inhabited this region since time immemorial, but they are not alone here,” said Wilton Rancheria Chief of Staff Samantha Cypret on selecting Chairman Alejandre as this year’s featured artist. “There are Native people from Tribes across the nation who call this region home and tonight is a time to honor and celebrate everyone. Including Chairman Alejandre’s beautiful art on the scarf and other items is an exciting way to highlight some of the other Tribes in the Central California region.”
Chairman Alejandre’s path to graphic design started as a young boy as he saw his relatives share their passion and craft. “I grew up in a family of artists on my mom’s side. I was fortunate to have spent a lot of time around them as a young boy and was inspired to draw,” he said. “I continued to draw growing up and dreamed of owning a clothing brand one day, and that is where I discovered graphic design.”
After getting familiar with design software in high school and later accepting an internship at Tepa Companies – an entity of his tribe, he was accepted into the Art Institute of Sacramento and earned a degree in Graphic Design. He went on to build his own clothing brand before taking a role as Tribal Leader for the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians and now uses his skills and creativity to design branding for a wide range of Tribal-based companies and organizations, including Paskenta Brewery & Distillery and Rolling Hills Casino. “I have enjoyed working with my tribe, tribal organizations, and other tribes on projects. They are more meaningful, and I feel connected to them as a Native man and artist,” he said. “When I work on these types of projects, there is just a natural flow that happens while creating, it feels good and it feels right.”
For this year’s Native American Heritage Night artwork, Chairman Alejandre drew inspiration from designs found in Native American basketry, which holds significance for him and all Native people. “These basket patterns come from generations before my time. Our ancestors created and utilized them, and now we are able to showcase them in a modern way, while still paying respects and showing representation.”
For Chairman Alejandre, art and design are how he can share his culture, with his tribe, with other tribes, and the general public. “We as Native people are so proud of who we are, where we come from, and want to share that with the world, and it allows us to teach others a little bit about us,” he said. “Art is a way we can tell our story, we can share who we are, and where we come from. It’s been with us for many generations and is one of the strongest ways that we can continue to share our culture and traditions so that they can live on forever. We can continue to teach those who do may not know our ways of life, and most importantly make it be known that we are still here.”
The first 2,000 fans in attendance at Saturday’s match will receive a commemorative scarf designed by Chairman Alejandre. A special Native American Heritage Night shirt and hat will also be available in the Team Store.
