Xavier Barraza

Xavier is an enrolled member of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians; his grandmother was Marie Arnold-Lincoln of Hopland, and his grandfather, Nelson Hopper of Big Valley. He has over 12 years of policy and legal experience representing tribal governments. His broad expertise encompasses Indian housing, tax, finance, lands, natural and environmental resources, economic development, tribal codes and ordinances, litigation, and veterans' affairs.

Xavier is also the co-founder of 7GenLeaders PAC, a Native American Independent-only political action committee. As a result, he has extensive knowledge of campaign finance, election, and voting rights laws. As an advocate for tribes in D.C., Xavier helped pass Congressional bills that provide tribes with housing development, allowing tribal veterans to access critical housing funds and authorizing tribes to lease above surface lands for development using tribal environmental review standards. He has worked closely with tribal leaders and tribal CEOs to provide testimony at Congressional hearings and develop strategies to obtain results in Congress and before federal agencies in D.C. In some cases, he has worked to prevent the passage of bills that would attack tribal housing, water, and sanitation funding.

Xavier was born in Sacramento and raised on his tribe's reservation in Hopland, CA. He is a proud alumnus of Sherman Indian High School, a Native American boarding school in Riverside, CA. Xavier lives on Capitol Hill in D.C. He enjoys concerts, movies, cheering for Bay Area teams, the gym, and cycling.