Indigenous Literacy Story Series
The Indigenous Literacy Story Series seeks to shift perceptions of literacy and education in tribal nation communities, provide evidence of literacy success and innovation in tribal nation communities, establish the College Fund as a resource and leader in literacy resources, and encourage innovation and collaboration within TCUs, across TCUs, and between Native inservice teachers.
This story series features guest writers from the College Fund, TCUs, and Native educators in the field.
Indigenous Literacy is:
A means of expressing and sustaining connection, culture, and sovereignty.
The ability to communicate (tell stories, speak, write, create, teach, or demonstrate) and comprehend (listen, read, sense, interpret, view, learn, or practice).
A starting point for Native people to co-create their environment in ways that are grounded in – and sustaining of – Indigenous cultures, languages, and ways of knowing.
Relational and intergenerational, supporting kinship with each other, ancestors, and the land.
Essential to thriving Indigenous communities.
Featured Stories
Education as a Tool to Eliminate Poverty
An interesting article about how education helps eradicate poverty, and why the federal government should make it a priority.
Woksape Oyate Projects Draws to a Close
After five years of building intellectual capital across Indian Country, the American Indian College Fund’s Woksape Oyate $17.5 million dollar project, meaning Wisdom of the People and funded by the Lilly Endowment, is drawing to a close.
Student Blogger, Therese: Gratitude
Rant-rant-rant is an expression of my developmentally- disabled- half- sister that she coined when she witnessed me feeling extremely stressed over challenges concerning getting her the care she needed. She calmly stated to me, “Therese, no rant-rant-rant.”
Student Blogger, Therese: Friends-Angels Among Us
During my summer season I have created some heart-fluttering, wake-up-smiling, indefinable memories with my friends, some of which have been accompanied with acquaintances.
Friendship is among life’s sacred gifts. I have a small circle of friends, with an outer expansive ring around it that includes acquaintances, akin to the ripple effect on a pool of water.
Student Blogger, Amber: Don’t Get Too Close
For the past month or so, I kept hearing rumors about bears walking around on the beach within city limits and by houses in town. I haven’t actually seen them myself, but I believed them because it’s not uncommon for wildlife to sometimes pop into town out of nowhere.
Therese:The Summer Colors and Flavors of Indigenous Culture
A plethora of indigenous peoples and traditionally utilitarian and aesthetically captivating objects provokes inspiration for artists and is full of rainbow colors illuminating in the radiating summer sun. André Gide said, “Art is collaboration between [creator] and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.” Creating art is my main focus on my earth walk at this time. I certainly feel amazed and ponder “Who created this?” when I finish a piece of art that is beyond what I felt capable of on my own.
Amber: My Reason for College
I’ve been going to school off and on for eight years now. It may be another four years before I get my master’s degree in education! My gram laughs and says, “You’re going to be an old lady by the time you finish school and start working!” I just laugh along with her.
Student Blogger, Therese: Come on, Get Happy
The title is a song that has been skipping in my memory since I realized my feelings trumped my view: specifically the view of a barren, arid, desert landscape I passed through from a happy place to a place I have been in, pondering my emotions.
Sharing Stories through Imagery: Pathways to Improving Early Childhood Education in Native Communities
Four tribal colleges who are grantees in the Kellogg Wakanyeja “Sacred Little Ones” Early Childhood Education Initiative met last week in Boulder, Colorado. The teams came from across North America, including Ilisagvik College, Barrow, Alaska; College of Menominee Nation (CMN), Keshena, Wisconsin, Northwest Indian College (NWIC), Bellingham, Washington; and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI), Albuquerque, New, Mexico.
Walmart Foundation Gives $100,000 for First-Generation Native Scholarships
The American Indian College Fund will award 16 scholarships to first-generation, first-time Native tribal college students through a $100,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation. For more than a decade, the Walmart Foundation has funded Native student scholarships through the American Indian College Fund.
