Born and raised in San Francisco, CA, Jolivette lived in the Bay Area for decades before moving to Southern California.

[6] Jolivette earned his bachelor's degree in sociology with a minor in English literature and a certificate in ethnic studies from the University of San Francisco.

"[3] He earned his doctoral degree in sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2003, with a dissertation titled "Creole Diaspora: (Re)articulating the Social, Legal, Economic, and Regional Construction of American Indian Identity.

"[7] Jolivétte was a professor and chair of the American Indian studies department at San Francisco State University from 2010 to 2016.

[8] He became the founding Director of the Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) Program at the University of California, San Diego, in 2020.