For the twelfth straight year, the American Indian College Fund hosted its annual holiday dinner for American Indian elders. Three-hundred elders from an array of tribes gathered at the Church of All Saints at 2559 S. Federal Blvd. in Denver to enjoy a feast of buffalo, other treats, and American Indian entertainment. Diane Buck and Grace Gillette were honored as Elders of the Year for founding the Denver March Powwow.
Did you know American Indians and Alaska Natives are up to four times more likely than the general U.S. population to die from pneumonia and other influenza-related conditions? Even healthy college students like you can get the flu, and it can be serious. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every year.
The American Indian College Fund received $11,000 from Hilton Worldwide for Native students studying hospitality, tourism, food services, or business at Blackfeet Community College, Mont.; Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College, Minn.; or Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, N.M. and those willing to intern with the company are eligible to apply.
Growing up on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in south central South Dakota was a real experience. I have seen things that people only get to imagine as they read a book. Heck, some people in this country do not even know where South Dakota is.
The American Indian College Fund will host its Annual Elders Dinner at 5:30 p.m. on December 11, 2012, at All Saints Catholic Church Hall, 2559 S. Federal Blvd., Denver, CO 80219.
The event is free and open to all Native Elders age 55 and older. Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by a gift presentation and appearance from Santa.
For me, this time of year means travel. It means recruiting for a program I care deeply about – the University of Colorado Upward Bound Program. My trips begin with a flight to a small town like Durango, Colorado or Fayetteville, North Carolina or in the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sometimes I fly all day just to end up on a little commuter plane with two-seats on each side of the aisle, and fly through turbulence to land in a different place in a new state.
“You are what you eat” is a food saying I have already used on my blog, but for this particular post I felt I should use it again to jump into the thought. November is Native American Heritage Month and I felt I should do the term some justice in this blog to show my pride. I am Tohono O’odham and I have a rich heritage.
Louise Erdrich, 58, a celebrated writer, poet, and enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, has won the National Book Award for her novel, “The Round House,” the second of a planned trilogy, set in her native North Dakota about an Ojibwe boy and his quest to avenge his mother’s rape.
The Estée Lauder Tribal Scholars Program has granted the American Indian College Fund to provide 10 scholarships to American Indian students studying marketing, business, environmental science, or a related field at a tribal college in Minnesota.
Check out Dr. Cheryl Crazy Bull’s article in this issue of Tribal College Journal about the history of our tribal colleges, their role in facilitating the journey of Native peoples from colonization to sovereignty, and the responsibility of these remarkable institutions to future generations.
