This February we are highlighting Native Bruin Mattie Kamahana Bassey.
Mattie Kamahana Bassey graduated from UCLA in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor in American Indian Studies. She is Kanaka Maoli and Japanese on her mother’s side and Cherokee, German, Irish, and Scottish on her father’s side.
During her time at UCLA, Mattie served in various positions in the American Indian Student Association (AISA), specifically as secretary, treasurer, pow wow director, Youth Conference director, and vice-president. She also worked for Retention of American Indians Now! (RAIN!) as an administrative assistant, peer counseling coordinator, and wellness coordinator.
Upon graduation, Mattie worked in student affairs at UCLA including two years as the RAIN! project director. Since then, she has worked as a property manager in the Bay Area and is currently blessed to be a full-time stay-at-home mom to her three children.
“The greatest lesson I learned from my time at UCLA is that it is a beautiful privilege to serve and work in tribal communities. I know the Creator blesses each of us with unique life experiences and talents that we can use to uplift and strengthen our communities. That joy of serving is something I hope to pass on to my kids.”