Author Archives: admin
Reflections on Institutional Change
In 1983, my father was a young Native graduate student organizer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Thirty years later, I followed in his footsteps as a graduate student at the same institution. In the years between, … Continue reading
Chi-miigwetch, Kimo.
“Welcome cousin,” he told me. I had never had a teacher welcome me into the classroom as a relative until that first Tuesday in college. “Crees and Chippewas, we’re cousins,” I explained to the other students, who were clearly confused … Continue reading
DH Tools
Hi again! I’ve been playing with some DH tools to help me visualize changes in federal grant allocations for Indian education over time. Today, I was looking for a tool that would help me see trends geographically, temporally, and categorically (types … Continue reading
Consultation and Collaboration: NIEA Hill Day 2017
This week, I got to attend the NIEA’s 2017 Hill Day. I came to listen and to learn what people are thinking about with regard to recent Indian education legislation. It was so exciting to hear leaders in Indian education … Continue reading
My goals for you (thoughts on a new semester)
This semester, I’m team-teaching a first-year seminar called Colonialism, Power, and Resistance. These were my first-day-of-class thoughts: As we start a new semester (and for you, a new school and new phase of your lives), I hope our time together is mutually … Continue reading
#DNAIS
This past week, I had the opportunity to attend the National Endowment of the Humanities-sponsored workshop on Digital Native American and Indigenous Studies (thanks, NEH!). We were a diverse group of about thirty attendees representing tribal governments, tribal museums, universities, … Continue reading
The Importance of Seeing Each Other
I love the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association annual conference. I love that it seems to be guided by LaDonna Harris’ “four R’s” (relationship, responsibility, reciprocity, redistribution) and that at NAISA, I don’t have to explain my research principles … Continue reading
ESSA Listening Sessions, round 1
Today, I had the privilege of spending several hours learning from tribal leaders at the Department of Education’s tribal consultation in Orlando. The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Office of Indian Education, and the White House Initiative on American Indian … Continue reading
Native Leaders Symposium 2016: Historical Trauma and Healing
Yesterday was a beautiful day in Chapel Hill! We had almost 200 people come through the Carolina Inn for the 2016 First Nations Graduate Circle Native Leaders Symposium to learn about what our community and campus leaders are doing to support … Continue reading
Indigenous People’s Day
Last October, I got to read the 2015 proclamation changing “Columbus Day” to “Indigenous People’s Day” for the town of Chapel Hill. I grew up here, and getting the chance to read this in my hometown was a pretty incredible experience (please forgive my … Continue reading