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Native American Heritage Month 2022 Highlights

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Nicole Aunapu Mann. Contains the following information: Nicole Aunapu Mann, a member of the Wailaki of Round Valley Indians, is the first Native American woman in space. Mann grew up in Penngrove, CA and attended Rancho Coatate High School. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the US Naval Academy and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. She was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1999 and served as a Colonel and test pilot for the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet. She was deployed twice aboard aircraft carriers to support combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. She has over 2,500 flight hours in 25 types of aircraft, 200 carrier landings, and has flown 47 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. NASA selected Mann to become one of eight members of the 21st NASA astronaut class in 2013 and completed astronaut training in 2015. In 2018 she was assigned Boe-CFT, the first crewed test flight of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner. She also served as a T-38 Talon Safety and Training Officer and was the Assistant to the Chief of Exploration. She worked on development of the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System, and the Exploration Ground Systems. In 2021, she was reassigned to the SpaceX Crew-5, becoming the first female commander of a NASA Commercial Crew Program. She and her crew launched to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on Oct 5, 2022. Her mission will be six months long and will carry out over 200 experiments “to advance human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. Their research will include studies on how microgravity affects the cardiorespiratory system, modeling heart tissue to improve treatments for spaceflight-caused health issues, and the 3D bioprinting of human organs.” Mann is also in training for the international Artemis program, and is a contender to be the first woman on the Moon as part of the crewed lunar landing currently scheduled for 2025. Mann is only the second Native American in space—the first being John Herrington, who flew on a 2002 space shuttle mission. "If you don't go after a dream or a goal and if you don't try, you're never going to make it. You know, pursue that topic in school, ask for help, meet people that have done that job to learn more about it. You'll grow so much as a child into an adult, and your interests will vary quite a bit," she said. "And so it's exciting to take this opportunity to just chase down all of those dreams and never discount yourself." Nicole Mann is married and lives in Houston, TX with her husband and son. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/history-was-made-as-nicole-aunapu-mann-became-the-first-native-american-launchedinto-space https://boingboing.net/2022/08/19/first-space-bound-wailacki-of-round-valley-indian-tribes-woman-nicole-aunapu-mann.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Aunapu_Mann https://share.america.gov/trailblazer-nicole-aunapu-mann-to-lead-team-to-space/ https://mymodernmet.com/nicole-aunapu-mann-crew-5/

Native American Heritage Month flyer about Dr. Shannon Speed. Contains the following information: Dr. Shannon Speed is a Professor of Gender Studies and Anthropology at UCLA. She is also the Director of the American Indian Studies Center (AISC) and a member of the Latin American Studies Association for over 25 years. She is the author of several books, including Rights in Rebellion and Incarcerated Stories: Indigenous Women Migrants and Violence in the Settler-Capitalist State. Dr. Speed has served as a Council Member and President of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA). A native of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, Dr. Speed dedicates her work to Indegenous Studies and Anthropology, focusing on issues such as indigenous autonomy, migration, sovereignty, social justice, gender, and neoliberalism among many others. Dr. Speed’s duties are based in the United States and Mexico, with her work being in both English and Spanish. She was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the State Bar of Texas and the Chickasaw Dynamic Woman of the Year Award by her native tribe. For her book, Incarcerated Stories: Indigenous Women Migrants and Violence in the Settler-Capitalist State, she has received several honors including a CHOICE award for Outstanding Academic Title and Best Subsequent Book Award from NAISA. Most recently, she was presented with the American Anthropological Association President’s Award for her research on Indigenous women. Dr. Speed continues work for the betterment of indigenous people, authoring books, and teaching at UCLA. In 2022, she was appointed as a Special Advisor to the chancellor on Native American and Indigenous Affairs alongside Angela R. Riley. She is currently working on her next book about Chickasaw tribal law and sovereignty. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://anthro.ucla.edu/person/shannon-speed/ https://lasaweb.org/en/elections/shannon-speed/ "Appointment of Professors Angela R. Riley and Shannon Speed as Special Advisors to the Chancellor on Native American and Indigenous Affairs" from Chancellor Gene Block

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Dr. Daniel Calac. Contains the following information: Dr. Daniel Calac is a member of the Pauma Band of Luiseno Indians and has served as Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Health Council, Inc. located near San Diego, California, since 2003. The Indian Health Council (IHC) provides “on-site and outreach services and programs to nearly 5,000 clients and provides 20,000 visits per year.” He was raised on the Pauma Indian Reservation, graduated from San Diego State University and later attended Harvard Medical School. He completed his internship and residency at the University of Southern California-Los Angeles County (USC-LAC) Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program. Because of his work and experience, Dr. Calac was certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. He also practices hospice/palliative care medicine and is board eligible in this field. Dr. Calac attributes his accomplishments to his grandparents who taught him the value of hard work and also his mother who was a nurse when he was growing up. Dr. Calac is committed to improving the health and well-being of the American Indian community. Calac also serves his community by working part-time with The Elizabeth Hospice, providing hospice care and emotional support to both the terminally ill. He serves on the Advisory Board of Directors for California State University San Marcos and as a Governance Board Member for a local All Tribes Charter School located on the Rincon Indian Reservation. His service to many committees is admirable, but also his role as Principal Investigator for research for the California Native American Research Center for Health. The NIH funded a project this providing a platform for community based participatory research in American Indian communities in order to research ways of improving the health of American Indians and encourage students to pursue careers as scientists and/or health care professionals. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/daniel-j-calac https://www.aaip.org/about/board-of-directors/board-of-directors-bios/m.staff/1040/view/14

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Henry Rodriguez. Contains the following information: Henry Rodriguez (1920-2002), also known as “Uncle Henry,” was an avid activist for the people of the San Luis Reyvillage -a reference to the Oceanside mission that natives,under forced labor, built at the close of the 18th century. He was the tribal elder of the 650- member La Jolla Band of Mission Indians. Rodriguez was one of the last of his people who could still speak the Luiseno language which was spoken by the original inhabitants of the Pauma Valley and the Palomar Mountain area. The Luisenos once inhabited 1,500 square miles of coastal Southern California, from Agua Hedionda Creek in the south to Aliso Creek in the north, and from Santiago Peak in the northwest to east of Palomar Mountain in the southeast. Today, they live on about 35,000 acres divided into five reservations. During the course of his life, Rodriguez was a tribal leader, a teacher, a mentor and a scholar to his people. Rodriguez committed lifelong work advocating for better education, water rights and the preservation of American Indian culture. He grew up “on the rural North County reservation, poor in money but rich in traditions.” Rodriguez joined the U.S. Army Air Force as a young man during World War II and later became an adobe home builder. He turned to politics when he saw the injustices of federal, state and local governments upon his people. He served on the La Jolla band’s tribal council and later became tribal chairman and was instrumental in establishing the Southern California Intertribal Council, now the California Tribal Chairmen’s Association. He was a major contributor to California Indian politics and was a national authority on Indian water rights since the 1940s. He founded and served as president on the Board of Directors San Luis Rey Water Authority. He worked with state and federal authorities on environmental protection, repatriation and health legislation, and was instrumental in bringing healthcare to California reservations. "Uncle Henry" Rodriguez served as an important elder, helping to preserve indigenous California culture. He captured traditional Luiseno songs on reel-to-reel tapes, which are currently preserved by Grossmont College. Rodriguez was an active proponent of Native American Indian education. He helped to bring Head Start to a number of reservations and served as a board member and consultant to a number of school districts, assisting to develop curriculum with more accurate representation of local Indian people. Undoubtedly, he was a significant activist, and his contributions will always be remembered. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://native-americans.com/widely-respected-la-jolla-tribal-elder-dies/ https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/alumni/Honorary-Degrees/Pages/Henry-Rodriguez.aspx https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15660168/henry-nicholas-rodriguez

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Joy Harjo. Contains the following information: Joy Harjo is the first Native American to serve as the United States Poet Laureate from 2019 to 2022. She is the author of several poetry collections and childrens books. Harjo is also a musician, with a discography of seven award-winning albums. She plays saxophone and flute in the Arrow Dynamics Band and previously in Joy Harjo and Poetic Justice. Harjo has served as an educator, teaching classes in English and Creative Writing at several universities such as UCLA, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, University of New Mexico, and the University of Colorado, among others. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Harjo is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation also known as the Mvskoke Nation. Harjo credits her great-aunt, Lois Harjo Ball, for inspiring her to pursue a career in the arts. She attended the Institute of American Arts (formerly known as the Bureau of Indian Affairs school) before attending the University of New Mexico for her Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. She later earned her MFA from the University of Iowa in Creative Writing leading up to her career in literature, poetry, and artistry. Harjo is a world-renowned poet, with her work centering around Native American Heritage and oral traditions. She highlights issues surrounding the United States’ treatment of Native Americans, alongside stories from her upbringing. Harjo received the Ruth Lily Prize for Lifetime Achievement from the Poetry Foundation, and she is the second person to serve three terms as the United States Poet Laureate. As an author, her book An American Sunrise was met with great reception, later winning the 2020 Oklahoma Book Award. She has published two award winning children’s books, The Good Luck Cat and For a Girl Becoming. Moreover, Harjo’s music is just as decorated as her literature and poetry career. She received a Native American Music Award (Nammy) for Best Female Artist in 2008. She has held shows in venues globally, including Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America. Harjo continues to express herself creatively through her music, poetry and writing. She remains dedicated to Native American activism and inspiring future generations. Currently, she is first ever Artist-in-Residence at the Bob Dylan Center in her hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://www.joyharjo.com/about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_Harjo

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about John Herrington. Contains the following information: John Herrington made history as he was the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space. He is a proud member of the Chickasaw Nation, and is happy to share his story and his tribal background. Herrington grew up in Wetumka, Oklahoma and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 1983. The next year, Herrington received his commission into the U.S. Navy where he was a Naval Aviator. He was later selected to be an Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officer (AEDO). Herrington attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, where he obtained a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering in June 1995. Herrington was assigned as a special projects officer to the Bureau of Naval Personnel Sea Duty Component when selected for the astronaut program. After working for the Navy, Herrington then transitioned to the Johnson Space Center in 1996. He completed two years of training and evaluation before being qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist for STS-113-the sixteenth Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station. His voyage began Nov. 23, 2002, to deliver a new crew to the International Space Station. His trip in space was 13 days long, and he carried the Chickasaw Nation flag that the Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby presented to him for his flight. During the mission Herrington performed three spacewalks, totaling 19 hours and 55 minutes. These spacewalks are commemorated on the reverse of the 2019 Sacagawea dollar coin. He was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation, Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbons. Herrington retired from the Navy and NASA in July 2005. After retiring, he took part in a cross-country bicycle ride from Cape Flattery, Washington, to Cape Canaveral, Florida in 2008. Now, his free time is spent serving as a motivational speaker to young people, encouraging them to continue their pursuit of excellence in education. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://hof.chickasaw.net/Members/2002/John-Herrington.aspx https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Herrington

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Jamie Okuma. Contains the following information: Jamie Okuma is Luiseno, Shoshone-Bannock, Wailaki, and Okinawan who is also an enrolled member of the La Jolla band of Indians in Southern California where she lives and works. She specializes in unique beadwork pieces that are handmade in all details of process and also designs her own line of clothes. Okuma began working on her artistic career before she can remember. Her mother, Sandra is also a beadwork artist, but unlike many traditions that are passed down, Jamie and her mother learned how to master the skill separately. Her mother is also an artist, painter and bead artist, and worked at MCA records when Jamie was a child. During her time at MCA, Sandra produced album covers for Lynyrd Skynyrd and Cher to name a few. Okuma was born in Glendale, California and lived the first years of her life in Los Angeles where her mother, successful painter and bead artist Sandra Okuma. When Okuma was five, her family moved to the La Jolla Indian Reservation in Pauma Valley, California. At this time, Okuma began learning beadwork, encouraged by her mother. As a child and teenager, Okuma beaded her own dance regalia for pow wows and earned money sewing regalia for others. She also gathered inspiration by accompanying her mother to Native American art shows. After high school Okuma took graphic design classes at Palomar College in San Marcos, CA before attending the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM. From there on, she has been exhibiting her work at the Heard Indian Art Market in Phoenix, AZ and the Santa Fe Indian Art Market in Santa Fe, NM. She is one of two artists to achieve a total of seven “Best in Show” awards, four from Heard and three from Santa Fe Indian Market. She was also awarded a First Place distinction in the textiles category at the 2012 Heard Museum Indian Fair & Market. Her work has been shown in Germany, Australia, France and many art institutions and museums throughout the United States including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Similarly, her work has been placed in permanent exhibitions at The Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, The Denver Art Museum and the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. In 2020, her art was exhibited in the landmark exhibition Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists at the Smithsonian American Art Museum Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Okuma https://www.jokuma.com/about

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Dr. Fred Begay. Contains the following information: In July 1932, in Towaoc, Colorado, on the Ute Mountain Indian reservation, Fred Begay was born to Navajo and Ute healers and spiritual leaders. At the age of six, Fred Begay’s parents introduced him to songs of the Blessingway ceremony and Navajo medicine. Fred attended the Bureau of Indian Affairs Boarding Schools at Ignacio, Colo. (1942) where his training was focused on farming due to BIA teachers not seeing the science of healing in young Begay’s future. After BIA school, Fred enlisted to the U.S. Air Force in 1951 and served in the Korean War. Yearning for home, Fred would return to his mother's 30-acre farm and marry Helen Smith. Soon, Fred Begay would become a father of seven children. However, his desire to continue his education persisted. His wish would come true when the Navajo Tribe offered federal education money to war veterans. Begay would be chosen to attend the University of New Mexico. Given his BIA farming certificate, Begay would be at a disadvantage compared to his peers. For this reason, Begay would continuously attend high school classes at night and learn the English language. It was not an easy task, but Begay managed to surpass his goals. Fred would receive his Bachelor's degree in Math and Science in 1961, his Master’s in Physics in 1963, and his Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics in 1971 with mastery in the English and German languages. With gathered experience, Fred would join the physics staff of Los Alamos National Laboratory the same year. His experience in the field allowed him to work on NASA’s gamma-ray project, electron, and ion beam to heat transfer thermonuclear plasmas as alternative energy sources. Renowned for his work, Begay also served his community by taking time to mentor middle school Navajo children and teaching fellowships at Stanford University and the University of Maryland. Begay’s many awards and honors include the American Indian Science and Engineering Society’s Ely Parker Award in 1992, the National Science Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, and the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science in 1999. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Begay https://www.aip.org/history-programs/physics-history/teaching-guides/fred-begay-physicist-3-names https://www.compadre.org/careers/physicists/Detail.cfm?id=1541 https://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2005/na/bio_fred.htm

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Angela R. Riley. Contains the following information: Angela R. Riley is a Lawyer and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Riley served as Chief Justice after being elected by the tribe’s General Council in 2010 and 2016, becoming the youngest justice and first woman in her tribe’s history to hold a position on the Court. She is the Director of the Native Nations Law and Policy Center at UCLA, as well as the J.D./M.A. program in Law and American Indian Studies. She advises Chancellor Gene Block on Native American and Indigenous Affairs, as well as serving on the UCLA Campus Reparation Committee. Riley grew up in Oklahoma on a farm at Saddle Mountain. She is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, earning her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and her Juris Doctorate from Harvard University. She began her law career working as a clerk for Chief Judge T. Ker before transitioning to intellectual property litigation at Quin Emanuel in Los Angeles. She has served as Co-Chair United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership Policy Board to establish the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In 2015, she taught at her alma mater, Harvard Law School, as the Oneida Indian Nation Visiting Professor of Law. Riley was featured in the 3rd Annual Harvard Law School International Women’s Day Portrait Exhibit for her contributions to Law. She also received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Oklahoma, and she was featured in Indian Country Today’s “9 Notable Women Lawyers Who Rule Indian Law.” Riley currently resides in Los Angeles, dedicating her time to research, instruction, and advising for UCLA. Riley’s research focuses on the rights of Indigenous people and has been published in several notable law outlets including UCLA Law Review, Stanford Law Review, Yale Law Journal, Columbia Law Review, Georgetown Law Review, and California Law Review. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://law.ucla.edu/faculty/faculty-profiles/angela-r-riley https://www.pokagonband-nsn.gov/government/tribal-courts/judicial-appointees/associate-justice-angela-r-riley http://www.angelarriley.com/#home-section

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer. Contains the following information: Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer is professor of Environmental and Forest Biology at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. She is a registered member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, a Researcher, a best-selling author, and an advocate for Native American inclusion in science. She is dedicated to restoring human connections to nature and improving sustainability. Born in upstate New York, Dr. Kimmerer had an interest in nature from a young age. She spent her childhood playing outdoors and began pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Botany from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF). After briefly working as a microbiologist for Bausch & Lomb, Dr. Kimmerer returned to college, this time attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison for her Master’s in Botany followed by a PhD in Plant Ecology. She started her career as an educator at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky before moving to Centre College in Danville, Kentucky to teach Ecology, Botany, and Biology. Currently, she is a Professor at her alma mater, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. She is also the Director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment, where she focuses on improving access for Native American students to study environmental science and sustainability efforts. Alongside her work as a professor, Dr. Kimmerer is a New York Times Best Selling Author and contributor to scientific journals such as Orion and Whole Terrain. Her works include “Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses,” “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom,” and “Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants.” Her first book, “Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses,” won the John Burroughs Medal for outstanding nature writing. In 2015, Dr. Kimmerer addressed the United Nations General Assembly on how a harmonious relationship with nature can help with sustainable use of natural resources. She is involved with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the United States Department of Agriculture's Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program. Dr. Kimmerer is a recipient of the MacArthur Genius Award and she is recognized as a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental Biology. Dr. Kimmerer continues to advocate for Indigenous inclusion and wider use of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). This approach to scientific study involves long periods of observation as well as cultural and spiritual methods. She also continues to work on her creative writing, as her audience awaits new books. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Wall_Kimmerer https://www.esf.edu/faculty/kimmerer/

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Tom B.K. Goldtooth. Contains the following information:In 1953, Tom B.K. Goldtooth was born in Farmington, New Mexico, near the Navajo Nation. Goldtooth was raised by his maternal grandparents while his mother pursued her college degree. Early scouting experiences would inspire Goldtooth to become a member of the Boy Scouts of America, a candidate for the Eagle Scout, and Order of the Arrow. Given his passion for the wilderness, Goldtooth became an outdoor enthusiast who would find his purpose at the forefront of local issues. Set to help protect the environment, Goldtooth enrolled as a student at Arizona State Univeristy in 1971 to earn a degree in Industrial Design. After his education, Tom enlisted in the U.S. army in 1973, becoming a Finance and Accounting Specialist. Around the same time, Goldtooth would become a leader in organizing Native soldiers to build solidarity in the post-Vietnam era, essentially beginning his career as an advocate. His position in leadership continued as he volunteered as a board member of the Tacoma Indian Center. Determined to help his community, Goldtooth enrolled in the Social Work Program of Pacific Lutheran University to earn a social work degree. Following his education and experience, Goldtooth developed countless programs such as the American Indian Family Services program, Indian Foster Care Program, and Back to Mother Earth program. Goldtooth’s presence in the Native American community has had a notable effect through the advocacy and organization of Native-Indigenous communities. Among the issues Goldtooth has tackled include environmental protection, climate change, energy, biodiversity, environmental health, water, and sustainable development. From the strength of his community, Goldtooth was able to bring local issues to the national and international levels. Most notable is his participation in the First National People of Color Environmental Justice Leadership Summit in 1991, the 2010 World Peoples’ Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, and the co-formation of the United Frontline Table and its People’s Orientation to a Regenerative Economy. In 2007, Tom co-founded the Indigenous of the Indigenous World Forum on Water and Peace emphasizing the ethics of water policy. A couple of years later, Goldtooth would initiate the first international Indigenous conference on the rights of Mother Earth in 2012. After many years at the forefront of change, Goldtooth would be a recipient of many awards including the 2015 Gandhi Award and the 2016 Sierra Club’s highest recognition. hthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_B.K._Goldtooth#Early_life

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Dr. Henrietta Mann. Contains the following information: Dr. Henrietta Mann is a full blood member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. She was one of the designers of the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Montana and Haskell Indian Nations University's Native American Studies programs. In 2000 she became the first American Indian woman to hold the endowed chair of Native American studies at Montana State University and was honored with the Montana Governor's Humanities Award. She also taught at the University of Montana for twenty-eight years as a professor of Native American Studies. Dr. Mann has also had the opportunity to teach at the University of California, Berkeley; Harvard University; and Haskell Indian Nations University located in Lawrence, Kansas. Dr. Mann grew up in a humble household, her mother raising chickens and her father being a farmer raising cattle. Her first language was Cheyenne and was also taught all of the Cheyenne culture by one of her aunts everyday after school. Her passion for her culture and community led her to make valuable contributions on how Native American culture was being instructed at the collegiate level. She earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English and continued her education, earning a PhD in American Studies from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque in 1982. That year, she was honored as Cheyenne Indian of the Year, for the American Indian Exposition Dr. Mann has served as the Director of the Office of Indian Education Programs and Deputy to the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She also was the National Coordinator of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act Coalition for the Association of American Indian Affairs. She retired in 2004 and became a special advisor to the president of Montana State University. In 1991, Rolling Stone Magazine named her one of the ten leading professors in the nation. She has been an interviewee and consultant for several television and movie productions and has lectured throughout the United States and in Mexico, Canada, Germany, Italy, and New Zealand. She served as one of the trustees who guided the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and was honored by the National Indian Education Association with a lifetime achievement award in 2008. In 2016, she became one of only two American Indians elected to the National Academy of Education. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://www.montana.edu/nativeamerican/katz_mann.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Mann

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Jerry Chris Elliot High Eagle. Contains the following information: Jerry Chris Elliott High Eagle was one of the earliest Native American physicists to work for NASA. He is best known for his contributions to the Apollo 13 Mission, where he calculated the trajectory back home after the spacecraft became damaged. For his work saving the lives of three astronauts, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Richard Nixon. Born in Oklahoma City, High Eagle cites a vision that he had at the age of five, where a voice told him he would help astronauts reach the moon, for pursuing a career as a physicist at NASA. He attended the University of Oklahoma right after high school, but completing his degree was not easy. High Eagle faced a lot of discrimination from his professors during his undergraduate studies, and due to his grandfather passing and the high price of tuition, he was not able to attend graduate school. Nonetheless, he was able to complete his Bachelor’s degree in Physics, and he became the first Native American to receive a degree from the University of Oklahoma, Department of Physics. High Eagle proceeded to join NASA’s Gemini Program as a Mission Operations Engineer. He contributed to the Apollo-Soyuz Program, Space Station Program, and he played a key role in the establishment of the First Americans Commission for Telecommunications (FACT). FACT has improved telecommunications infrastructure across several reservations. High Eagle worked for NASA for forty years before his retirement. He is also a founder of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the CEO of High Eagle Technologies, a company dedicated to cancer research and treatment. Outside of his contributions to science and engineering, High Eagle knows four languages; English, Spanish, Russian, and Osage. He also plays guitar and Indian flute. High Eagle has earned several honors and awards, with his most recent being a Nominee for the Technical Excellence Award by AISES in 2020. He is the recipient of the Cherokee Medal of Honor, Navajo Medal of Honor, and the Medal of Honor Award by The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://www.wcspeakers.com/speaker/jerry-chris-high-eagle-elliott/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_C._Elliott https://soonermag.oufoundation.org/stories/the-eagle-that-flies-highest

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Dr. Donna J. Nelson. Contains the following information: Dr. Donna J. Nelson is a Chemist, Professor, and President of the American Chemical Society in 2016. She also served as a science advisor for the show "Breaking Bad," where she checked scripts, wrote chemical equations, and drew chemical structures to make sure the show was scientifically accurate. Born in Eufaula, Oklahoma, Dr. Nelson’s father was the only physician in their small town located in the center of the Muscogee Creek Nation of Oklahoma. He inspired Dr. Nelson to pursue a career in science, and she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Oklahoma. She went on to obtain a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin. She then worked with Herbert C. Brown, a Chemistry Nobel Laureate, on post-doctoral studies at Purdue University. Dr. Nelson is a faculty member at the University of Oklahoma Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and was a visiting Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2003 and Rice University in 2007. Dr. Nelson's current research areas include nanoscience, communicating science to the public, and scientific workforce development. She has almost 200 publications. She also focuses on improving improving Chemistry textbooks, classroom innovations, and diversity in science. She reevaluates undergraduate textbooks to make sure they remain consistent, while also finding ways to incorporate more visual methods of teaching into Chemistry courses. As for her research on diversity in science, Dr. Nelson collects demographic data on university faculty members of the top science and engineering departments. Using unique methods such as analyzing populations instead of samples, Dr. Nelson’s research became known as the Nelson Diversity Surveys. Her studies revealed that the top departments were lacking sufficient representation of Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Women faculty. She has received many honors, including American Chemical Society (ACS) Fellow, ACS Israel Award, ACS Nalley Award, Oklahoma Chemist Award, Fulbright Scholar, National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE Leadership Award, Women's eNews "21 Leaders for the 21st Century," AAAS Fellow, Guggenheim Award, and National Organization for Women "Woman of Courage" Award. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://www.ou.edu/cas/chemistry/directory/faculty/donna-nelson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Nelson http://drdonnajnelson.oucreate.com/biosketch.html

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Allan Capron Houser. Contains the following information: Allan Capron Houser was a painter, sculptor, and book illustrator. He was the first Native American to receive the National Medal of Arts, awarded by President George H.W. Bush. Houser’s notable sculptures include Chiricahua Apache Family, Offering of the Sacred Pipe, As Long as the Waters Flow, and a gift to the United States Government, May We Have Peace, located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Allan Houser Art Park at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico was named in his honor. Born in Fort Sill, Oklahoma in 1914, Houser was the first in his tribe born outside of captive territory since 1886. Their leader, Geronimo, fought against their tribe’s confinement to reservations, leading to the imprisonment of his tribe following Geronimo’s surrender to the US government. At the age of 20, Houser left his home and moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico to study under Dorothy Dunn’s Art Studio at Santa Fe Indian School. Houser made hundreds of paintings and excelled under Dunn’s instruction, but ultimately, he began feeling constricted by the program. His professional debut came in 1939, when he showcased his work at the Golden Gate International Exposition and the New York World Fair. He was also commissioned to paint murals at the Main Interior Building in Washington, D.C. Houser returned to Fort Sill to work with Swedish Muralist Olle Nordmark, who encouraged him to try sculpting. He then began wood sculpting, and thus embarking on a new journey as a sculptor. When World War II began, Houser moved to Los Angeles to work at a shipyard by day, while sculpting at night. It was in Los Angeles that he met his main artistic influences--Jean Arp, Constantin Brâncuși, Henry Moore, and Barbara Hepworth. Following WWII, Houser was commissioned at the Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas, where he made Comrades in Mourning, his first stone sculpture. Houser began working as an art teacher at the Intermountain Indian School in Brigham City, Utah from 1952 to 1962. He then joined the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he began creating bronzes. He served as the head of the sculpture department until retiring from teaching in 1975. During his 13 years at IAIA, he held solo exhibitions of his sculptures and paintings. In 1973, Houser was awarded the Gold Medal in Sculpture at the Heard Museum Exhibition. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://allanhouser.com/the-man https://americanart.si.edu/artist/allan-houser-6734 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Houser

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Robert Megginson. Contains the following information: Robert Megginson is a Mathematician and an Arthur F Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. Born in Washington, Illinois, Megginson’s family loved mathematics. His maternal grandfather was self-taught in mathematics, and his father held a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Mathematics. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physics in 1969. Upon graduation, he worked at the Roper Corporation Kankakee, Illinois as a computer systems software specialist. During his eight years working for Roper, he became the Lead Systems Software Specialist, later leaving this position to pursue a PhD in Mathematics at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Megginson became one of twelve Native Americans to hold a Doctorate in Mathematics. Megginson is dedicated to increasing Native American inclusion in Mathematics, and he spends a portion of his summers teaching mathematics enrichment courses at Native American reservations to teachers and students alike. He has served as the Cochair of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) Committee on Minority Participation in Mathematics, Chair of Human Resources Advisory Committee of the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute at UC Berkeley, and Chair of the MAA’s Coordinating Council on Human Resources. Megginson was considered for Vice President and President of the MAA in 1997 and 1999, respectively. He is also an advisor to the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). In 1997, Megginson received the U.S. Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring for his work combatting the underrepresentation of minorities in STEM fields. He has received awards from AISES, such as the Ely S. Parker Award, known as AISES’ highest honor. He was also recognized as an AISES Sequoyah Fellow. Currently, he researches functional analysis and Banach spaces at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. He continues his outreach work to make sure Native Americans are well suited for careers in STEM. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://www.maa.org/programs-and-communities/outreach-initiatives/summa/summa-archival-record/robert-eugene-megginson https://lsa.umich.edu/math/people/faculty/meggin.html

Native American Heritage Month Flyer about Della Keats. Contains the following information: Born in Upper Noatak River, Alaska, Della Keats was a remarkable Iñupait healer and teacher during the mid-twentieth century. Keats was mostly selftaught, though she drew her inspiration from observing other healers, stories, and deep heritage traditions. She implemented a combination of massage techniques, manipulation of the aorta and organs, and local medicinal plants for her healing. Keats is also recognized for the connection she would make with her patients and the way she prioritized their wellness. Emphasizing the value of teaching others, Keats has shared invaluable Iñupiaq knowledge of medicinal plants with significant anthropologists and botanists to be shared broadly. After a lifetime of healing and service, Della Keats passed away in 1986. Both during her life and posthumously, she was bestowed with many honors and awards. Some notable recognitions include receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in Health Sciences from the University of Alaska Anchorage, being inducted into the Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame, and having two programs named after her by the University of Alaska Anchorage. Even after her passing, the multiple programs set in place by Keats have created long lasting effects within her communities. The programs will continue to expand, with the ongoing support of the Alaska WWAMI School of Medical Education and help from hundreds of generous donors. Since the early 2000s, the Della Keats Health Sciences Summer Program and the Della Keats Summer Research Programs have paved the way for young members of the Alaskan Tribal community to create a future in the Medicine. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://www.alaska.edu/bor/files/Jun2014/140605Add02_DellaKeats_Fact_Sheet.pdf https://home.nps.gov/people/della-keats.htm https://www.anchoragemuseum.org/exhibits/extra-tough-women-of-the-north/women-of-the-north-profiles/della-keatstrailblazer-of-the-tribal-doctor-program/

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