By Natalie Rodgers A new law has been passed, setting a precedent for bringing a sense of safety and closure to Indigenous Tribes. In a unanimous vote by lawmakers, California has passed a new bill that allows three Tribal nations to investigate Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) within their communities. American Indian and Alaskan Native people, especially women, have statistically experienced some of the highest rates of violence, abduction and murder in the U.S. Historically, these cases have been overlooked, leading to a lack of resolve and justice. In 2016, the National Institute of Justice reported that over 83%…
Author: Native Origins Community
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The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) has received a $50,000 grant from the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust to implement a six-month fellowship focused on empowering Native student veterans to success. The Naabaahii Ółta’í (Student Warrior): Native Student Veterans Peer-to-Peer Program is a mentorship opportunity that builds relationships between veterans based upon their shared experiences.The Native Student Fellows will collaborate to develop and implement a community-based project that will support the overall health and wellness of their TCUs and communities. This opportunity will help the participating Native student veterans discover how to best fill their roles both on…
In a significant nod to Native American valor, the U.S. Navy continues its tradition of honoring Indigenous heroes by naming its latest salvage and rescue vessel after a distinguished Native American Navy figure. The newest ship in the Navajo-class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue (T-ATS) series is named after Solomon Atkinson, an Alaskan Native and a trailblazing Navy SEAL, marking another chapter in the Navy’s ongoing commitment to recognizing the vital contributions of Native Americans to the U.S. military.Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro announced the honor on Metlakatla’s Founders Day, held in the Metlakatla Indian Community, Annette Islands…
November marks the celebration of Native American History month, a time where we come together and celebrate Indigenous culture, accomplishments and people in the Americas.For almost 100 years, Americans both Indian and non-Indian have advocated for a permanently designated place on the calendar to honor the contributions, achievements, sacrifices, and cultural and historical legacy of the original inhabitants of what is now the United States and their descendants: the American Indian and Alaska Native people.The quest for a national honoring of Native Americans began in the early 20th century as a private effort. As far back as the late 1970s,…
Denver, CO — At the heart of the American Indian College Fund’s latest PSA campaign, “Move Aside,” is the unwavering potential of tribal college students. Launching on Indigenous Peoples’ Day in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy Portland, the campaign shines a light on the growing number of Native Americans with college degrees (more than 300,000) while centering on and celebrating the Indigenous experience.W+K Creative Director Patty Orlando and creative team members Robin Maxkii and Brad Trost saw an opportunity to create something unapologetically Native — by subverting the formal and outdated everyday symbolism and language of corporate America and breaking tribal stereotypes.…
Chef Sean Sherman has been working in the culinary world for as long as he’s held a job. He began working at local restaurants in South Dakota during his high school and college years, and continued on this path well into adulthood. But one day, while working as a chef in a restaurant that celebrated exotic flavors and artistic cooking styles, Sherman realized that none of the food he cooked represented the Native land that the restaurant was built on. This realization was the first day of Sherman’s new mission: to research and recreate the dishes and cooking methods of…
Denver, CO. — The American Indian College Fund’s Ded Unskanpi (which translates from Dakota as “we start here”) Adult Basic Education Program will support five tribal college and university (TCU) partners through June 2024. Adult Basic Education (ABE) and literacy programs are essential to students’ success in an HSE program, college, career, and life, working to support students to develop literacy and problem-solving skills. The program will address the critical gap in the education pathway for Native students to help them earn their high school equivalency degrees, continue to college, find meaningful employment, and forge healthy lives. The program resulted…
As members of the National Native Scholarships Providers (NNSP), we believe school should be a place where young people feel free to learn, grow, and excel—while being true to their identities. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, and many young Indigenous people approach graduation with apprehension. Many graduates across the country decorate their graduation gowns and mortarboards to celebrate the occasion, yet some school boards, policymakers, and elected officials discriminate when Indigenous students choose to wear Native regalia, which is a spiritual and cultural tradition relating to their tribal identities. Pictured: Graduates at a tribal college graduation ceremony wearing…
The American Indian College Fund (the College Fund) has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2023 honor by Denver Post Top Workplaces. This is the College Fund’s fifth consecutive year on the list, which is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization including alignment, execution, and connection. “Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That’s…
Diversity in Health Care Scholarship Program to reduce ongoing health disparities in Native communities and diversify workforce. The American Indian College Fund is launching its Diversity in Health Care Scholarship Program with a $1.6 million grant from the United Health Foundation to reduce health disparities and outcomes in Native communities and to address underrepresentation of Native health care professionals in the workforce by providing academic and career services to American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) college students pursuing degrees in health care fields. The Diversity in Health Care Scholarship Program is expected to support a cohort of 60 Native scholars…
