DEI-In-Motion: National Native American Heritage Month

November is observed as Native American Heritage Month in the United States. This celebration honors the remarkable Native Americans who have contributed significantly to the nation. In order to appreciate and acknowledge the contributions made by Natives Americans, President George Bush approved a joint resolution in November 1990 for “National American Indian Heritage Month”. Starting in 2009, November was declared National Native American Heritage Month by President Barack Obama. This year, a Presidential Proclamation was published on October 29th to celebrate Native American Heritage Month (learn more the Presidential Proclamation). According to the National Congress of American Indians, “The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people.”

WTS-Boston would like to acknowledge that we are all on indigenous lands and that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was originally home to many tribal nations. We encourage people of all races, nationalities, and ethnicities to join in, support, and participate in celebrating Native American Heritage Month through events, activities, and remembrance. Throughout this month, we encourage our WTS-Boston community to acknowledge tribal lands and to learn more about Native American history and culture.

Visit a reservation or museum. There are approximately 326 reservations; some reservations welcome visitors and have museums to educate the public about their history and culture.
Attend or host an educational event. The (Library of Congress) and (National Archives) are two of many national institutions hosting events about Native American history and culture this month.
Read the work of Native American authors. A great way to learn about Native American history and culture is to read a book by a Native American author.
Enjoy food together. Food always brings people together. Cooking native dishes and engaging in conversations about Native American history with your family, friends, and neighbors.

The WTS-Boston Diversity Committee has identified several educational events this month:

Virtual Double Take: "Edson’s Flag" Honoring Native Veterans (learn more here).

Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2021, 1 – 2 PM

Location: Registration Required. Virtual Program.

Native Cinema Showcase (learn more here).

Date: November 12–18, 2021.

The Art of Looking - Kay WalkingStick, il sogno del cortile (The Courtyard Dream) (learn more here).

Date: Friday, November 19, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Location: Registration Required. Virtual Program.

TikTok Kicks Off Native American Heritage Month with Live Video Series. The platform has tallied over 800 million video views under the #NativeTikTok hashtag.

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