November 1st marks the beginning of National Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor deep-rooted traditions, celebrate diverse cultures, and reflect on the countless contributions made by Native and Indigenous communities throughout our history.
The month-long observance traces its origins back to 1916 when New York became the first state to recognize “Native American Day.” In 1976, coinciding with America’s bicentennial, President Gerald Ford proclaimed October 10-16 as “Native American Awareness Week.” Finally, in 1990, Congress and President George H. W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” The commemorative language was amended in 2008 to include Alaska Natives. Since 2009, each November, our nation’s leaders have issued proclamations acknowledging what is now known as National Native American Heritage Month.
Native and Indigenous communities are richly diverse. Today, the U.S. is home to 574 federally recognized Native and Indigenous tribes, including Alaska Native entities. In 2020, our nation’s Native and Alaska Native population reached 9.7 million. This fall, our system proudly welcomed 3,819 Native American students across our 10 colleges. Many of these students join us from local tribal communities, including the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Ak-Chin Indian Community, Gila River Indian Community, Tohono O'odham Nation, and many more.
Within our system, the United Tribal Employees' Council (UTEC) provides support for American Indian employees and their work. The group strives to advocate for and build relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations across the state. UTEC members serve as role models, mentors, and advisors—highlighting cultural awareness across the system while supporting student success and recognition. Those interested in joining UTEC can email dl-utec@memo.maricopa.edu for additional information.
As part of our system’s core values, we believe in creating inclusive environments for all students, faculty, staff, and community members. Furthermore, we remain committed to Indigenous communities, working each day to reduce barriers to education. Through early college programs like Hoop of Learning, our American Indian Outreach, and American Indian Centers at Mesa Community College, Scottsdale Community College, and South Mountain Community College, we further support the success of our Native and Indigenous students.
One of the most powerful acts we can take is to hold space for others. Many of our campuses will be hosting Native American Heritage Month events, welcoming students, faculty, staff, and the community to join. To learn more about the events taking place, visit the American Indian Outreach webpage.
This month, I encourage you to take a moment to listen and learn about Native and Indigenous histories and identities.
Sincerely,
Steven