Posted November 1, 2020 by Nicole Trimble
 
In 1990, Congress authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation designating the month of November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Since then, our current and past Presidents have issued annual proclamations which designate November as National American Indian Heritage Month, and since 2009, as National Native American Heritage Month. These proclamations celebrate the contributions of the American Indians and urge the peoples of the United States to learn more about the American Indian cultures.
 
In honor of all our native families, we hope you take extra time this month for yourself and your family to develop a deeper appreciation for our Native American culture. If you or your family knows of additional Native American resources, please email our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee at DEI@canyoncreekpta.org. We would love to hear from our school community to deepen our understanding and help educate our school community.
 

Historical/Social Studies Resources: 

  • Youth in Action: Conversation about our Future brought to you by The National Museum of the American Indian/Smithsonian (NMAI)
    • Indigenous Food Sovereignty: This November, for Native American Heritage Month, join NMAI on Thursday, November 19th starting at 1pm (registration required: https://bit.ly/3efK8VG) in a conversation with young Native foodies working to decolonize their diets and restore balance in their bodies and communities. For more information, go here: https://s.si.edu/3jKuTW7.
    • (Re)Telling the American Story: The American story has been profoundly shaped by Native Americans, yet the stories told about Native people are often false and almost always incomplete. From Pocahontas and Jamestown to the first Thanksgiving and Plymouth Colony, Indigenous peoples have rarely been the narrators of their own stories. Join NMAI on Thursday, December 17th starting at 1pm (registration is required: https://bit.ly/31Yx96b) in a conversation with Native youth to learn how Native people are actively reshaping these narratives today. To learn more, go here: https://s.si.edu/3jKuTW7.
 

Local Cultural Centers and Museums:

  • Visit Burke Museum (yes, they are open- timed ticketed needed) to see the Northwest Native Art exhibit.  To get tickets and learn more, go here: https://www.burkemuseum.org/exhibits
 

Reading:

Selecting books that are content rich and anti bias can be tricky. Here is an informative guide from Social Justice Books on selecting anti-bias books for children: https://socialjusticebooks.org/guide-for-selecting-anti-bias-childrens-books/.

Check out these reading recommendations:

 


We want to bring attention to

National Observances & Commemorative Months
as well as UN International Days.
Check out our article about this!