Additional Information about the Above Activities: 

Read:

• Project 562 Gallery: Created by Matika Wilbur, Project 562 is a multi-year national photography project dedicated to photographing over 562 federally recognized Tribes, urban Native communities, Tribes fighting for federal recognition and Indigenous role models in what is currently-known-as the United States, resulting in an unprecedented repository of imagery and oral histories that accurately portrays contemporary Native Americans.  
• A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power: From the mid-century metropolis of Chicago to the windswept ancestral lands of the Dakota people, to the bleak and brutal Indian boarding schools, this unforgettable novel is the story of three women, told in part through the stories of the dolls they carried. Sissy, born 1961: Sissy's relationship with her beautiful and volatile mother is difficult, even dangerous, but her life is also filled with beautiful things, including a new Christmas present, a doll called Ethel. Ethel whispers advice and kindness in Sissy's ear, and in one especially terrifying moment, maybe even saves Sissy's life. Lillian, born 1925: Born in her ancestral lands in a time of terrible change, Lillian clings to her sister, Blanche, and her doll, Mae. When the sisters are forced to attend an "Indian school" far from their home, Blanche refuses to be cowed by the school's abusive nuns. But when tragedy strikes the sisters, the doll Mae finds her way to defend the girls. Cora, born 1888: Though she was born into the brutal legacy of the "Indian Wars," Cora isn't afraid of the white men who remove her to a school across the country to be "civilized." When teachers burn her beloved buckskin and beaded doll Winona, Cora discovers that the spirit of Winona may not be entirely lost. UC Irvine log in required. 

Watch: 

• Gather: This film follows the stories of Native Americans on the frontlines of a growing movement to reconnect with spiritual and cultural identities that were devastated by genocide. Profiles include an Indigenous chef working to reclaim ancient food ways on the Apache reservation; a Lakota high school student proving her tribe’s native wisdom through her passion for science, and a group of young men of the Yurok tripe struggling to rehabilitate the habitat of their sacred salmon. These stories combine to show how the reclaiming and recovery of ancient food ways is a way forward for Native Americans to bring back health and vitality to their people. UC Irvine log in required. 

• Kizh Spirit in the Sky: Commissioned by the City of El Monte, this mural was created by Man One to honor the histories of the peoples of the Kizh Nation. The mural depicts Chief Ernest Teutimez Salas as the central subject in the mural. He was revered as both chief and spiritual leader within the tribe before his passing in 2021.  
   

Listen:

• Native American Calling Podcast: Exploring the toll of climate change on Alaska Native villages: The PBS program “Frontline” examines the financial, cultural, and human toll of climate change on the western Alaska coastline and the Native people that have always called it home. Hopi producer Patty Talahongva takes a fresh look at the warming temperatures, increasingly destructive storms, and retreating wildlife that are forcing a drastic change in how some Alaska Native live. Hear about the issue from those involved in the documentary, including climate change program coordinator Agatha Napoleon (Paimiut) and Chief of the Native Village of Hooper Bay Edgar Tall Sr. (Yup’ik). 

Engage:  

• Learn more about the Irvine-based Acjachemen Tongva Land Conservancy, a partnership between Acjachemen and Tongva descendants that is committed to acquiring, protecting, and preserving shared ancestral homelands. 

Reflect:  

• “We are what we imagine. Our very existence consists in our imagination of ourselves. Our best destiny is to imagine, at least, completely, who and what, and that we are. The greatest tragedy that can befall us is to go unimagined.”-- N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa) 

Share:  

• Share your story! Tag our IG @inclusionuci
  • How will you honor and learn about Indigenous histories and cultures this month? 
  • Whose land are you on? Take some time to learn about the Indigenous peoples of your area and share what you discover. https://native-land.ca/ 
  • Native American Heritage Month reminds us to go beyond history books — to listen, learn, and uplift Indigenous voices today. What steps will you take to continue learning year-round? 

Connect:

• NARRI Frybread Fest - Student Outreach And Retention (SOAR)
  • Date and Time: Thursday, November 20, 2025, 5-7:00pm
  • Location: Anteater Demonstration Kitchen, ARC 
• All about Potatoes: Celebrating Indigenous Food, Culture, Land, and Music
  • Date and Time: Friday, November 21, 2025, 12-1:30pm
  • Location: Anteater Demonstration Kitchen, ARC