The Office of Tribal Relations has had a busy spring filled with events and advocacy efforts.
Native American Student Day
On March 17th at the Intellectual House, Sherri Berdine helped to open and welcome prospective students to the annual Native American Student Day. Native American Student Day is one-day conference for American Indian/Alaska Native high school students who are interested in attending the University of Washington Seattle. NASD was created to encourage Native students to pursue higher education as well as give them the opportunity to experience the UW.
Intellectual House Phase II Planning Efforts
This Spring, staff from the Office of Tribal Relations, Intellectual House, and Office of Minority and Diversity Affairs (OMAD) began visits to Tribes to present updates about the planning efforts for Phase 2 of the Intellectual House. wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Phase 2 will further help Native American students overcome the cultural barriers they face to earning a four-year degree by creating a facility where students, faculty, staff, and Native American communities can come together in a supportive and welcoming educational environment to share their knowledge and cultures.
Phase 2 is envisioned to bring additional support to Native American student retention through greater connection to their culture and community in the form of a facility that includes a Native art lab, classrooms, a student resource area, a student lounge, and an outdoor gathering space surrounded by educational native gardens used in the teaching of indigenous science, art, and medicine.
What is a Land Acknowledgement?
Over the past year, the Office of Tribal Relations has collaborated with the training and education staff within the Office of Minority and Diversity Affairs to develop a land acknowledgement toolkit and resource guide. The resource offers an introduction to and history of land acknowledgements, guidance on creating one and examples of ways to solidify commitments to and support Native people.
First Nations 53rd Annual Powwow
On Saturday, April 8th, the 53rd annual Powwow was held at the Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. First Nations @ UW is an undergraduate intertribal registered student organization at the University of Washington in Seattle that are known for planning and organizing the annual Spring Powwow which brings together Natives from across the United States and Canada for this special event.
Tribal Leadership Summit
For the last decade, the UW has hosted an annual Tribal Leadership Summit with representatives from Tribal communities around the state to discuss ways in which we might better partner to enhance and advance the government-to-government relationship between participating tribes and the UW. Topics include, but are not limited to, the recruitment and retention of Native American students and faculty, and integrating American Indian culture and knowledge into our curriculum where appropriate. The University is committed to continuing to improve our relationship with Tribal leadership around the state and to making the UW a welcoming and supportive environment for our American Indian, Alaska Native, and Indigenous students and faculty. This year’s Tribal Leadership Summit is scheduled for May 3 from 12:30 – 4:30 at the Intellectual House.