Violet was born in Santa Rosa and is a member of the Kashaya Pomo from Stewarts Point Rancheria. An alumnus of Point Arena High School, she is proud to have followed in the footsteps of her grandparents, Essie and Sydney Parrish, carrying on her cultural and religious traditions. She is a graduate of Santa Rosa Junior College, graduating with an AA and AS in Computer Science in 2001.

She has been employed by the Santa Rosa Junior College, since 1994 as a student, then hired on permanent in 2001 as the Facility Operations Energy Management Tech, and works part time as a card dealer at the River Rock Casino.

She is a mother of two, a 30 year old daughter and a 26 year old son and one Grandson. Her life partner of 24 years, Lorenzo Jaquias, was born and raised in Hawaii.  

She has been studying Hula for 18 years, under Kumu Shawna Alapa’I, under whom she Unikied under in September of 2016 as Olapa (Hula dancer).

She loves the friends that I’ve made being involved with the Hui hear at the JC.  I wish to do all I can to help new arrivals from the Islands feel at home here as much as I can or however that is possible.