Think Indian Community Awareness Grants

Think Indian Community Awareness Grants of $2,500 are available to student groups and accredited higher education institutions. These grants encourage institutions who serve Native students to promote the positive message of “Think Indian,” the vibrancy of Native students, and the highlight the support provided by Native scholarship programs to their campus and community.

“Think Indian” was originally created as a public awareness campaign to promote the American Indian College Fund, and the many ways that its scholars contribute to, and change our world. Its message connected so deeply with Native students and institutions that it was revived in 2018, specifically to promote the College Fund’s scholarship, and other student programs.

The American Indian College Fund has created a grant program to highlight its “Think Indian” campaign, and scholarships program for Native students. The grants are intended to encourage institutions who serve Native students to promote the positive message of “Think Indian,” the vibrancy of Native students, and the highlight the support provided by Native scholarship programs to their campus and community. Projects must engage or include Native students.

Student groups and institutions can use grant funds for any activity or project that will promote the “Think Indian” campaign and scholarships in their community. Programs can include, but are not limited to:

  • Informational, social or artistic events
  • Art displays, installations or murals
  • Music performances or video screenings
  • Local awareness, publicity or marketing campaigns
  • Online/social media campaigns
  • Participation in existing campus or community events
  • Themed volunteer or service events (including Native vote or census projects)

CLICK HERE to view summaries of the 2019 awarded projects.

 

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Being Seen: A Native Scholar’s Vision of Democracy

By Joli Miller (Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin), College of Menominee Nation

As a College of Menominee Nation (CMN) student pursuing a degree of liberal studies, democracy to me is more than just government; it’s about voice, identity, and being seen. Growing up, I didn’t always see Native people represented in the way democracy is taught in school. It often felt like Native nations were left out of the story, even though we’ve always had our own systems of leadership and community decision making.

In our community, democracy is not just about individual rights; it’s about collective responsibility. It exists in how we take care of each other and how we respect the land. Our traditions teach us to think about future generations, and that shapes how decisions are made. This way of being is something I believe broader American democracy could learn from.

When it comes to America’s 250th anniversary, I want Native history to be included in a real and meaningful way, not just as a side note, but as a central part of the story. This country was built on Native land, and our histories are tied to everything America is today. I think it’s important that people understand both the hard truths and the resilience of Native communities. We are not just part of history; we are still here, still creating, still growing.

To me, reclaiming democracy starts with education and storytelling. It means making space for Native voices in classrooms, media, and everyday conversations. It also means reconnecting with our own cultures, languages, and traditions. When we know who we are and where we come from, it becomes easier to speak up and take part in shaping the future.

As both Native people and as Americans, reclaiming democracy means making it more inclusive and honest. It means recognizing that democracy should work for everyone, not just a few. For Native communities, it also means continuing to protect our sovereignty and our ways of life.

For me, democracy is about being heard and making sure future generations don’t feel invisible the way many of us once did.

Walking the Path: A First‑Generation Journey into Counseling

By Keshia Kills Small, United Tribes Technical College Wellness Counselor
2025-2026 Indigenous Visionaries: Women’s Leadership Program

I never imagined I would be the first in my family to step into a college classroom. As a first‑generation student, I carried both the weight of responsibility and the hope of possibility. Each assignment, each late night of studying, was a combination if more than just my efforts: it was a step forward for my family, my community, and generations to come.

My journey into the field of counseling grew from these experiences. It was rooted in resilience and guided by the values of healing and connection that have always been part of our way of life.

 

Elk Horn Butte, the land that raised my mother and the land that shaped me. Little Eagle, South Dakota.

Elk Horn Butte, the land that raised my mother and the land that shaped me. Little Eagle, South Dakota.

 

Challenges and Turning Points

Being a first‑generation student meant learning to navigate systems that weren’t built with my community in mind. There were moments of doubt, times when the weight of responsibility felt heavy, but each challenge became a lesson in resilience. My work in behavioral health and child welfare across tribal communities taught me that healing is not just individual, but collective.

In November 2020, I faced the devastating loss of my mother to COVID‑19 during the first wave. I was by her side as she took her last breath. I had to Facetime my siblings so they could say goodbye. We shared a perfect mother–daughter relationship, and her passing hit me hard. Grieving her loss forced me to confront pain in its rawest form, and through that process I learned that healing is not about forgetting, it is about carrying love forward.

Later, when my husband survived a transplant, our family’s journey reminded me that wellness is rooted in connection, advocacy, and hope. Together, these experiences of grief and survival shaped my calling. I want to bring Indigenous healing traditions into the counseling field, and to ensure that culturally responsive care is not the exception, but the standard.

Current Journey

As I prepare to graduate from Chadron State College in the summer of 2026, I am interning at DeCoteau Trauma‑Informed Care and Practice, PLLC. Each day in this role deepens my understanding of trauma and resilience and affirms my commitment to working with Native American communities. The lived experience I carry combined with the professional training I am receiving drives me to focus on trauma‑informed care that honors culture, identity, and community healing.

Closing Vision

Today I am continuing my education in graduate school in the counseling field. I carry with me the lessons of resilience, community, grief, and healing that have shaped every step of my life. Being a first‑generation student is not just about earning a degree; it’s about opening doors for those who come after us. Showing that our voices and our stories belong in every classroom and profession. My vision is to weave Indigenous traditions of wellness into the counseling field, to create spaces where cultural identity is honored and where healing is collective.

My advise to other first-generation students is your path may be challenging, but it is also powerful. Each step you take is a gift to your family, your community, and generations yet to come.

 

Walking forward with the resilience, love, and legacy that shaped me.

 

Grief and resilience taught me that healing is not about forgetting it is about carrying love forward.

Keshia is a first‑generation college student pursuing a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Chadron State College, where she will be graduating in summer 2026. She currently serves as a Wellness Counselor at United Tribes Technical College and is interning at DeCoteau Trauma‑Informed Care and Practice, PLLC in Bismarck, North Dakota. With over a decade of experience in behavioral health and child welfare across tribal communities, her work is rooted in Indigenous healing traditions, resilience, and advocacy, with a vision to grow counseling that honors Native traditions and expands healing across communities. She thanks her parents, support circle, and mentors whose encouragement sustained her throughout this journey.

 

These are the places and people who shaped me to become the counselor I am training to be.

A Night of Indigenous Culture, Art, and Music in New York City on April 30

A Night of Indigenous Culture, Art, and Music in New York City on April 30

Experience Food, Art, Music, and Storytelling to Support Native Scholars

Denver, Colo., April 15, 206 — On April 30, New Yorkers will experience an unforgettable evening celebrating Indigenous culture at the American Indian College Fund’s New York City Epicurean Award to Support Scholars (EATSS) event from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Current, Pier 59, Chelsea Piers, New York, NY 10011. Five of the top Native chefs in the country will collectively prepare and present a full meal at this unique event, offering guests a rich and varied culinary experience. Their culinary skills weave together community, culture, and artistry, connecting patrons to millennia-old cooking traditions. The evening supports the College Fund’s work of transforming the lives of Indigenous students through higher education.

This night of celebration and shared cultural experience extends beyond food. Native performers will share aspects of their traditions and contemporary experiences through their art. Professional dancer Nakeema King (Upper Skagit Tribe) will share Indigenous culture and perspectives through contemporary Indigenous dance rooted in powwow traditions. Mother and daughter duo Twyla Baker and Hobawea Nahish Demaray (Mandan, Hidatsa, & Arikara Nation of Fort Berthold, North Dakota) will return for a second year to share traditional songs and inspire togetherness and connection. From beginning to end, NYC EATSS offers guests a unique window into Native creative expression and tradition.

The following Indigenous celebrity chefs will prepare a full meal for guests:

  • Chef Bradley Dry (Cherokee) has been a chef for 12 years, cooking traditional Cherokee dishes from healthy, local ingredients. He specializes in preparing food for special events and people, and his dishes have been served at powwows, Folklorama, and to the cast and crew of Reservation Dogs.Chef
  • Ben Jacobs (Osage Nation) is a nationally renowned chef and co-founder of Tocabe, An American Indian Eatery, the largest Native American restaurant chain. Tocabe expands on Jacob’s Osage family recipes to create a new and unique take on Native cuisine.
  • Chef Paul Natrall (Squamish Nation) is an award-winning executive chef of Vancouver’s first Indigenous food truck, Mr. Bannock. Natrall utilizes ancient cooking methods to create an authentic experience steeped in tradition.
  • Chef Anthony Bauer (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) is the owner of Traditional Fire Custom Cuisine and has 25 years of experience in the food service industry. Bauer enjoys using traditional ingredients and giving them a modern twist.
  • Chef Nathan Davis (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) founded the A’Wiisinin Food Truck, where he showcases a unique fusion of classical and traditional food knowledge. Outside of the kitchen, Davis is deeply connected to his heritage through hunting, fishing, and trapping – skills he actively shares with others in his community.

The evening will also honor Gail Bruce, co-founder of the Native Arts Network and a longtime advocate for Indigenous artists, and Anne Sward Hansen, actress and activist known for her work on As the World Turns, for their longstanding support of Native communities and education.

Experience the best of Indigenous food, art, discussion, and entertainment while supporting the American Indian College Fund’s work of transforming the live of Native students.

Experience the best of Indigenous food, art, discussion, and entertainment while supporting the American Indian College Fund’s work of transforming the live of Native students.

Members of the press, please contact:

Dina Horwedel, Senior Director of Public Education and Communications
American Indian College Fund
303-430-5350
dhorwedel@collegefund.org

For event-related inquiries, please contact:

Zac Hunter, Publicist
Thelemata
757-304-2279
zac@thelemata.com

To purchase tickets please visit https://bit.ly/ny-eatss-2026.

About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 37 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided more than $23 million in scholarships and other student support for higher education in 2024-25. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $391 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (Guidestar), and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit collegefund.org.

Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.