Hello! We know we normally send these out on Thursdays, but in your inbox this week on Monday because today is Indigenous Peoples' Day! We're excited to send out some information about this important day, some events to go to if you're interested, and ways to celebrate! We hope you have a fantastic Indigenous Peoples' Day!

Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday to celebrate Native and Indigenous People, our contributions, and the continued existence of our communities! This day is intended to celebrate and honor our sovereignty, our resilience, and our joy! Indigenous Peoples' Day offers a fresh focus on Indigenous people to celebrate our history and stories as well as continue to stand against colonialism. The day is meant to be about reflection, recognition, celebration and education. While this is just one "official" day out of the year, Indigenous Peoples' Day is every day! 

For a little history, the widespread idea for creating and celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day took place during the1977 International Conference on Discrimination that was sponsored by the United Nations. Over a decade after this conference, South Dakota became the first state to officially recognize the day in 1989, and some cities in California quickly followed suit. In 1990, at another meeting of the International Conference on Discrimination, a discussion began on replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day. Approximately 29 U.S. states have moved away toward the celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day and over 195 cities have renamed and replaced it with Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Below is an article that articulates the importance of Indigenous Peoples' Day to two Indigenous students at Penn.

In 2021, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation that formally commemorated Indigenous Peoples' Day. While it is recognized on a federal level, it has not yet become a federally-recognized holiday, but there are bills in the House and Senate to officially recognize it as a federal holiday. The Indigenous Peoples’ Day Act, which was reintroduced in Congress just a few days ago on October 2, 2023, would designate the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day nationwide. While we, of course, do not need permission from the U.S. government to celebrate our day, having the day become an actual federal holiday could be beneficial. You can email your senators and representatives about why they should support the Indigenous Peoples' Day Act. You can read Biden's Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples' Day, 2021, below.

Indigenous Peoples' Day Film Festival

Johns Hopkins University 5th Annual Indigenous Peoples' Day Powwow 

DC Indigenous Peoples' Day Mixer

***21+ Event***

Event description: "Everyday is Indigenous Peoples' Day. But, we haven't seen each in months and what better time to meet up than the day that's for us? Let's celebrate being awesomely Indigenous in the nation's capital! Wear your turquoise, beaded medallions, skoden and Land Back shirts, brimmed hats, tradish attires and big earrings to the mixer. Come connect with other Native people in the greater DC area. Players Club DC has us at the downstairs lounge so we'll see you right when you enter. Games are cash only. The rooftop bar will be closed. You will need to buy your own drinks, but you can bring in outside food so feel free to order your dinner and come by. Contact Jourdan Bennett-Begaye via FB messenger for any questions!

NMAI DC: Welcome to a Native Place

Enjoy a free event where you can listen to tribal songs spanning from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa, Isanti Dakota, and Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium at the National Museum of the American Indian. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture in the past and present.

When and Where: National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, D.C., October 10th, 1:00 - 1:30 p.m.

If you can't make it to this event, NMAI holds multiple events throughout the year, and the museum is always free! 

Indigenous DC

Check out the Guide to Indigenous DC, a tour map and mobile application featuring 17 sites of importance that emphasize Indigenous peoples’ contributions to Washington, D.C. The guide was created by Dr. Elizabeth Rule (Chickasaw) to help her Native students feel that D.C. was their place, a welcoming place. It is recommend to get a rental bike or scooter and bring along a picnic for this self-guided and self-paced tour! Feel free to visit as few or as many as you want, or space it out over time. Anything goes!

Get Involved with the Baltimore American Indian Center (BAIC)

The Baltimore American Indian Center (BAIC) is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1968 that prioritizes cultural heritage preservation and education programs, with health, housing and employment-related services provided on an ad hoc basis. While the BAIC was founded by Lumbee Tribal Members, the Center is open to Native community members from all tribes and nations; they continue to serve as a hub for the American Indian community’s social and cultural activities. The BAIC is one of two resources in the greater Baltimore area where Natives can learn what it means to be American Indian and that educates non-Native people about the myriad cultures and legacies of American Indian and Alaskan Native peoples. The organization provides a welcoming, safe space for the Native community to gather; a place where people are treated with dignity, respect and understanding, and where cultural practices are kept alive.

A great way to celebrate this holiday is to support Native artists and Native-owned businesses! We have compiled a list of some of our favorite people and businesses to support, so please consider checking them out or bookmarking them for the future! 

2SPIRIT BEAUTY

2SPIRIT BEAUTY is an Indigenous-owned makeup business recently founded by an Indigenous Two-Spirit Diné person whose goal is to represent their own identity, uplift the Indigenous people around them, and amplify their voices within the beauty industry!

Cheekbone Beauty

In January of 2015, Jenn Harper founded Cheekbone Beauty, the very first Indigenous-owned and founded cosmetics company. Cheekbone’s aim is to make a difference in the lives of Indigenous youth through donations that support educational opportunities for them, and to create a space in the beauty industry where everyone, including Indigenous people, feel represented and seen. Check out their site below, and also check out a scholarship opportunity from Cheekbone Beauty later in the newsletter!

Indigenous-Owned Bookstores

Linked below is a list of some Indigenous-owned bookstores which carry many books by Indigenous authors, so you can support both the stores and the writers at the same time! While none of these stores are local, you can order from them online to support their store and get the items shipped straight to you!

Urban Native Era

Urban Native Era is an Indigenous-owned brand that is focused on Indigenous visibility through the art of Fashion & Design. They sell original collections and designs ranging from shoes, shirts, and pants, to accessories and headwear. Check them out!

Teton Trade Cloth

For all you crafters out there, we would like to introduce you to Teton Trade Cloth! Teton Trade Cloth by Lenape is owned by the Delaware Tribe of Indians. They are operated by a Lenape woman as our CEO and are 100% Native owned and operated. They sell many different types of fabric, beads, cloth, and other cratfing gear. Check them out below!

Eighth Generation

Eighth Generation is a Seattle-based art and lifestyle brand owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe. They partner with community-based Native artists around the country to design, manufacture, and market beautiful wool blankets and other gifts intended for everyone around the globe.

Learn Whose Land You're On

Native Land Digital has created a tool to help you find out whose land your on as you go about your travels. Treat these maps as a starting point and take some time to do your own research to learn about the history of the land and its people, and in engaging with communities themselves.

Follow Indigenous Activists and Changemakers

A great way to engage and learn year round is filling your timelines with Indigenous voices! Linked below is a starting place for giving your attention to Indigenous people and our important voices. 

Read Books by Indigenous Authors

As mentioned above with the Indigenous-owned bookstores, buy and read books (in all genres you could think of!) by Indigenous people. Here's a list of 14 books to get you started, and you can buy them from the bookstores listed above! 

Donate to Indigenous Causes and Grassroot Organizations

One of the best ways to celebrate is to support Indigenous organizations year round to help advocacy work and support Indigenous people in many different areas. Here is a list of 7 Indigenous organizations to consider donating to as you can. There are many, many more organizations out there, of course, so as usual, this is just a starting point.

Illuminative's "An Advocate's Guide to Supporting Indigenous Peoples' Day"

Illuminative has created an extremely thorough guide for allies surrounding Indigenous Peoples' Day. It covers topics from why we need Indigenous Peoples' Day, case studies, how to respond to opposition against the adoption of Indigenous Peoples' Day, how to advocate to elected officials and generate awareness, and much more. Please feel free to send this to anyone who wants to learn more about how to be an ally to Indigenous people. 

The Move Away From 'Columbus Day'

In recent years, there has been a push to stop celebrating Columbus Day because of the violent history of settler colonialism and the genocide of Native and Indigenous people. The history of Christopher Columbus is fraught with violence, slavery, and other horrendous human rights abuses. Celebrating Columbus Day heavily ignores the clear history of violence and genocide committed against the Native people of the land and erases our stories and narratives, which often get ignored when brought up. Linked below are articles that more fully explain the move away from Columbus Day and why his is a name that should not be celebrated. 

Each year, the Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy (MICA) office of Adele H. Stamp Student Union coordinates a campus-wide calendar of events to commemorate Native & Indigenous Heritage Month.

This year’s theme for Native & Indigenous Heritage Month is Learn My Story. This theme centers space for Indigenous students and community members to share their life stories, paths, while honoring their ancestors. Each Indigenous person has a different story, and each deserves to be honored and celebrated for their uniqueness. "Learn My Story" is a call to action for non-Indigenous people to learn from, make space, and advocate for the lived experiences of Indigenous people. Additionally, it's a call to empower Native people to be able to tell their own stories in the way that they need to and not paint them into boxes.

If you and your office, department, or organization would like to include a November program on the Native and Indigenous Heritage Month calendar, submit your program here! Programs must be submitted by 5:00pm, October 13th in order to be advertised on our printed calendars. Events will be advertised on the Native & Indigenous Heritage Month 2023 website.

Please email Kyrsha Balderas at balderas@umd.edu or Xandie Iti Lusakbi at xwood@umd.edu with any questions, or concerns. Please share with your networks!

Democracy is Indigenous!

This is a free civic training open to Native youth! Participants receive tailored training, a prominent national platform to amplify their initiatives, and micro-grant funding to support their initiatives, and micro-grant funding to support the development of their Community Action Projects. Register in advance via the links below! 

Upcoming trainings: 

- October 11, 2023 via Zoom. Sign up here!

- October 25th, 2023 via Zoom Sign up here!

Bead, Weave, and Read Series

Baltimore American Indian Center Culture Classes

The Baltimore American Indian Center has Culture Classes every Tuesday that you can join in on. Follow their Facebook page linked below for announcements and updates. They hope to see you there!

Kenaanee Fall Market

Our Native Land Podcast

Join the host, Tchadas Leo, as he explores all things Indigenous and First Nations! Our Native Land features fun interviews and compelling discussions about Indigenous and First Nations cuisine, culture, heritage, and more from Vancouver Island and around the world. Recorded at CHEK Studios in Victoria, BC, Tchadas is joined by guests of all backgrounds and professions for educational, emotional, and engaging conversations.

Cheekbone Beauty Scholarship Fund: 

The Cheekbone Beauty Scholarship Fund was set up in in honour of Jenn’s grandmother Emily Paul, who was a Canadian residential school survivor. The fund offers Indigenous students scholarships to attend a Canadian or U.S. post-secondary institution in any area of study. 

The Cheekbone Beauty Scholarship will be awarded to at least five students and is applicable to all areas of study for both Canadian or US post-secondary Indigenous students. To apply, all you need to do is fill out the form on the website, attach reference letters, and share why you are the best candidate for this fund. 

Deadline to submit is November 30th, 2023 at 11:59 pm EST. 

The Cobell Graduate Summer Research Fellowship Application

This fellowship was created to support American Indian and Alaska Native graduate students with a summer research stipend of $5000 to fund graduate research projects. It is designed to support Master’s or Doctoral dissertation research. Students must partner with a faculty advisor to endorse their proposal and supervise their work. Applications are due by January 10, 2024. The link for this is located underneath the related Eloise Cobell Dissertation Writing-Year Fellowship section below.

The Eloise Cobell Dissertation Writing-Year Fellowship

The Cobell Board of Trustees and the Cobell Scholarship Program are excited to announce their newest fellowship opportunity, the Elouise Cobell Dissertation Writing-Year Fellowship! This new Fellowship will include up to ten $30,000 awards annually to American Indian/Alaska Native doctoral students who are within 12 months of completing their dissertation. All applicants must be enrolled full-time, be a member of a U.S. Federally Recognized American Indian or Alaska Native Tribe, and plan to spend the majority of their award year writing and defending their dissertation. Writing-Year Fellowships will be awarded in Spring 2024 following a national competition administered by Indigenous Education, Inc. on behalf of the Cobell Scholarship Program. The awards will be made to scholars who have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in their discipline, show promise of future achievement as scholars, and may utilize Indigenous research methodologies to enrich their field of study, tribal community, and/or their college/university. Fellow awardees will also be provided individual dissertation coaching, monthly cohort guided discussions, and additional travel support to attend the inaugural Cobell Fellowship Symposium. The fellowship is limited to doctoral students in Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of Education (EdD), and Doctor of Science (DSc) programs. However, this fellowship may also consider academic doctorates in combination with professional degrees such as a Juris Doctorate (JD) with PhD, Medical Doctor (MD) with PhD, etc. on a case-by-case basis once a full application is submitted. Applications for this fellowship will be accepted until January 10, 2024.

Alternative Breaks: 

Alternative Breaks (AB) are week-long service-learning immersion experiences during the university's Winter, Spring, and Summer breaks that address social issues in local, national, and international communities. Students can lead or participate in the experiences, and there are mentoring opportunities for faculty & staff! The Alternative Breaks Experience looks to build a world in which UMD students are empowered learners in community together, taking action toward just causes. Interested students must be willing to commit 1.5 hours/week for 5 weeks leading up to the experience. Experiences are typically $100 - $200; however, there are opportunities for fundraising and scholarships

Sign Up Information: Visit this site to sign up. The deadline to sign up is Wednesday, October 11th, 2023. For more information or questions, contact them here!

University Recreation & Wellness (RecWell) is Hiring for Spring 2024!

- Learn more about current openings here

- Apply here (must be logged in with your UMD email)

- Applications are open now until October 31 

The application will be open for nearly all student employment positions including: Weight/Fitness staff, North & South Campus Facilities, Personal Trainers, Lifeguards, and more! They are looking for students who have a strong work ethic and want to inspire the University community to be active and live well!

RecWell Employment Information Sessions

If you're interested in the jobs listed above, consider going to the one of these employment information sessions:

- Thursday, October 5, 12:00PM-1:00PM

- Wednesday, October 18, 5:00PM-6:00PM

- Tuesday, October 24, 7:00PM-8:00PM

While optional, attending one of these sessions can give you an advantage in a competitive hiring process. All sessions will be in the Eppley Recreation Center Multipurpose Room, which is on the top level of Eppley. These sessions will be an opportunity to ask questions and speak to current student employees!

Students who submit an application should expect to hear back in November. If you have any questions, please contact RecWell at here!

From Transistors to Architectures, How Processors are Designed and Built: Google Computer Sciences Workshop Interest Information

This presentation gives a very easy to understand overview of the process of designing and fabricating a modern digital processor.  The intended audience includes all interested persons, and no electrical engineering knowledge is required.  The talk will very broadly touch on all aspects of design including: transistor fabrication, digital circuits, digital logic, and processor architecture.  Several design examples will be presented including a commercial Wi-Fi wireless LAN chip, and the 36-processor, 167-processor, and 1000-processor KiloCore chips developed at UC Davis.

Eligibility: Indigenous college students with an interest in learning more about the computer science field. 

General Information: Students will be given a financial award (amount TBA) for participation in the program, which takes place in fall of 2023. The program is entirely virtual. Completed applications from eligible applicants will be reviewed and accepted on a first come, first serve basis. 

If you have any questions, please contact Maddie Habeck here.

OCRSM, One Love, & CARE: How to Help a Friend Workshop

All of us are in various types of relationships! It is important to know the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships, and know the tools to navigate helping people who are seeking your help, especially during Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). This workshop will focus on how to respond and what to do when navigating supporting a friend, peer, or partner, as well as explore the importance of self-care when supporting those we care about. Join OCRSM, OneLove, & CARE for the How to Help a Friend Workshop taking place on October 12th @ 12 - 1 p.m. at the Cozy Corner in the Adele H. Stamp building!

(Cozy Corner is located in the basement of STAMP adjacent to Studio A, TerpZone, and the basement entrance of the Book Store.)  Please visit go.umd.edu/helpafriend to sign up by October 9th.

*While an RSVP is not required to attend, lunch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact Josie Urrea here to request any reasonable accommodations for the workshop. In all situations, a good faith effort will be made to provide accommodations.

Native American LifeLines Hygiene Kits

Native American LifeLines offers Native community members hygiene care packages free of charge that are shipped to you in discreet packaging. If you are in need, please fill out the survey linked below.

Each year, the Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy (MICA) Office coordinates a campus-wide calendar of events to celebrate Multiracial Heritage Month in March to honor the identities, stories, and histories of mixed-race, multiethnic, and transracial adoptee individuals. 

The University of Maryland is a leader in this area of student support nationwide and we are excited to begin planning for 2024! We are seeking committee members to support the planning and coordination of the campus-wide Multiracial Heritage Month. Details including sign up and commitment information. 

If you are unable to volunteer, I encourage you to keep MRHM in mind for March as you plan your own events/programs. I also encourage you to share the attached graphic with any students/colleagues who you think might be interested.

Submit interest: http://stamp.umd.edu/MRHMC24

Deadline: October 13, 2023 

First meeting: Late October 2023

Commitment: You can anticipate that the committee will typically meet regularly (biweekly - weekly) to discuss, plan, and coordinate events for the Multiracial Heritage Month — March 2024. Our work will include choosing a theme, developing marketing materials, helping to get the word out, and working on events during the month.