Ka-Voka Jackson will make a presentation titled “The Changing Faces of Hualapai and Route 66” during this month’s Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series.
The presentation will be livestreamed on July 14 at 2 p.m. Eastern or 11 a.m. Pacific. Register for the free livestream here.
Jackson’s presentation will explore the history of the Hualapai Tribe and Route 66 in northwestern Arizona. Federally recognized in 1883 by President Chester A. Arthur, the Hualapai Tribe Reservation and its capital in Peach Springs, Arizona, were deeply influenced by the explosion in tourism brought by Route 66, and vice versa.
Step back in time and discover how the Hualapai people adapted to and thrived on the historic highway, the changes brought about by the construction of Interstate 40, and what this dynamic relationship looks like in the 21st century.
Jackson is the director of the Hualapai Department of Cultural Resources and serves as the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Hualapai Tribe, based in Peach Springs. She is responsible for safeguarding ancestral lands, historic sites and cultural resources while guiding preservation efforts that balance federal policy, environmental science and traditional ecological knowledge.
Jackson holds a master’s degree in Restoration Ecology from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, where her research focused on restoring native plant communities in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Her work includes leading invasive species removal and habitat restoration projects, advocating for the protection of sacred sites, and representing the Hualapai Tribe in environmental and cultural resource consultations.
Through her leadership, Jackson ensures that Hualapai history, values, and stewardship remain central to how the tribe’s lands and stories are preserved and understood today.
The Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series is monthly throughout the highway’s 100th anniversary this year. The series has speakers booked through October so far.