Brescia determined to share Choctaw culture

Working with the Ethnic Heritage Program in the 1980s to spread the word about the Choctaw people is the most memorable part of Dr. William Brescia’s distinguished career.

Even though Brescia is not a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians himself, his contributions, assistance, and familial connections in a a way makes him part of the family.

“Even though he’s not a Tribal member, his children and grandchildren are with the Tribe, and he has a connection to the Tribe and its people,” said Misty Brescia, daughter of William Brescia and director of the Office of Public Information for the Tribe. “Even during his retirement, he still comes in and helps the Tribe with various projects.”

Rahka Brescia, sister of Misty Brescia and daughter of William Brescia, said her father’s involvement with the Tribe was memorable.

“Helping spread our language and giving it more exposure is one of the best things he helped us do,” Brescia said. “Back in the 1980s, he did a lot of speaking to Elders and recording stories about the cultural aspect of the Tribe.”

Along with his Tribal contributions, Brescia is a family man with diverse cultural roots. His father was Italian, so he grew up in an Italian home even though his mother was from Arkansas. 

Misty Brescia says he’s learned how to make “wonderful Italian meals” throughout the years.

Brescia grew up in Chicago. His mother’s family lived down in Philadelphia, and his father’s family would take him down South for vacations here. He didn’t go onto the Choctaw Indian Reservation until he worked for the Tribe in 1974. He remembered his mother telling him the family was part Choctaw, which was his inspiration for working with the Tribe.

“Growing up, my mom always told us that we were part Choctaw,” Brescia said. “I was not happy with where I was in my career, so I called the Tribe, and they told me they had a bilingual education position and asked if I was interested. I packed everything, including the dog, into my car and came down to Philadelphia.”

Brescia is a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, with three children, Misty and Rahka Brescia, and his stepson Christopher Ellis, 11 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. 

He loves to spend time with his wife, Jimmie Brescia, a Neshoba native. He enjoys tending to his garden, a practice he does often and fully embraced after retiring from his planning position with the Tribe in May 2021.

“He’s the best daddy in the world,” Misty Brescia said. “He’s an avid gardener. Everywhere he’s lived, he’s made a fabulous garden with vegetables and fruits. He’s always gardening, and it’s what he does the most in his retirement. He’s a big Bull Winkle and Rocky fan and a White Sox fan since he’s from Chicago.”

William Brescia’s most recent contribution to the Tribe was his involvement in applying for the “Build Your Future” grant in spring 2021 to assist Tribal students in high school and college. With his assistance, Tribal students have more access to programs and internships at Mississippi State University.

Brescia’s long line of accomplishments includes a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction at the University of Wisconsin, Curriculum Director for the Bilingual Education for Choctaws of Mississippi (BECOM), director of the “Follow Through Program” to support Tribal students in early grades and their teachers to make the students were successful, and a position with the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation in Seattle.

In 1981, Brescia worked for the Tribe’ Ethnic Heritage Program in 1981, wrote a book called “Choctaw Tribal Government” in 1982 which the Tribe still refers to today, got a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University, taught Instructional Technology at the University of Arkansas for five years, and was the director at the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Center in Memphis from 2006 through 2014. He finally returned to the Tribe as a planner from 2014 until his retirement in 2021.

Brescia still says his favorite accomplishment is highlighting the Choctaw Culture through the Ethnic Heritage Program.

“I was about preserving the language and culture of the Choctaw people, and I worked hard on involving them wherever I could, and I’m happy I was able to do that,” Brescia said.

Misty Brescia said her father was applying for grants constantly and doing whatever he could to help the Tribe.

“Dad did so many things for us,” Brescia said. “When he first worked for the Tribe, I wasn’t even born yet. The second time he worked with the Tribe, I worked directly with him, and the most success we ever had was under his supervision.”

“With every aspect of his life, whether professional or personal, you can tell he loves what he does, and he wholeheartedly puts 100% into everything,” Rahka Brescia said.

Now retired, Brescia enjoys spending time with his family, gardening, and still assists the Tribe with various projects.