Friday, February 13, 2009

MINUTES--FEBRUARY 11, 2009 MEETING



ATTENDING:

Ayano Ginoza--Facilitator
Margo Tamez--Notes
Trieu Nguyen
Dr. Ron Pond
Barbara Aston
Norma Joseph
David Warner
Guest: Jason Denison (undergraduate student), Daniel Castro Romero (Chief, Lipan Apache Band)

REVIEW:

Barbara and Margo reviewed decisions made last week at the NIGC coordinating meeting and updated us about the finer details of NIGC's responsibility as a sponsoring Registered Student Organization for using the CUB.
  • NIGC donated the use of the CUB to the Plateau Center/Native Research Expo as a offer to support the larger efforts towards sharing and community building among Native organizations on campus.
  • NIGC sponsored the "Graduate Student Research: Returning the Gift" reception which will provide food and healthy beverages for Expo participants, and provide an opportunity for graduate students to discuss their work informally.

Ayano also emphasized:
  • NIGC sponsored two $50.00 Excellence in Research Awards to Undergraduate Students
  • NIGC members participating in the EXPO will judge the undergraduate entries and award the cash awards at the EXPO (time to be announced). Ayano and Margo vocalized to coordinate and volunteer.
Barbara reported:
  • 24 Abstracts have been submitted
  • She will accept abstracts up to Tuesday, February 17, 2009, 5:00 p.m. as a FINAL CUTOFF.
  • New proposals which did not make the original deadline will be limited to table exhibits only. All other slots are taken for oral presentations.
  • Poster entries are still open.
  • There is a need to have graduate students present orally for the 10:00 a.m. slot.
Margo and Ayano volunteered to fill in empty spaces for the graduate student panel, since no other graduate students had submitted abstracts for presentations.

TODAY'S AGENDA:

1. Barbara is finishing up details of the schedule, and will send around the draft. (She did so this morning, 2/13/09).
2. Dr. Pond and Barbara discussed details of the music and dance performances.
3. Ayano asked Barbara to coordinate her outreach efforts (email) with American Studies, Ethnic Studies, and Women's Studies and to encourage professors to recruit students to attend and to submit their work up to the last minute.
4. Dr. Pond suggested that key native tribal leaders seeking higher education opportunities and professionalization also need emphasis in outreach efforts.
5. Daniel Castro Romero, Jr. suggested the outreach continue to NW tribes and Indian colleges to give them special motivations/incentives to access the EXPO and WSU, if budget is made possible.
6. Ayano requested an update from David Warner in regards to the "History of NIGC" poster that he volunteered to submit as an abstract proposal.
7. Encouragement and suggestions were given by all to Jason Denison, undergraduate student, who is interested in how to submit an abstract and mentoring about how to frame his ideas for a presentation.
8. Who will process paperwork for 50.00/cash for the undergraduate student awards? Volunteer requested asap.
9. Who will volunteer to help set-up and take-down NIGC materials at EXPO?
10. LAST CALL: All NIGC active and non-active members' research (papers, powerpoints, documentaries, journals, explorations, unfinished work...process work) are requested to be displayed, exhibited, etc. on the NIGC tables.
11. LAST CALL: 3 tables and 3 poster display areas have been requested by Margo for all interested NIGC presentations for EXPO. YOUR WORK CAN BE DISPLAYED!!...NEED DETAILS? JUST Contact Margo at: sumalhepa.nde.defense@gmail.com or mtamez@wsu.edu


WRAP UP:
David volunteered to faciliate next meeting, Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Native Student Center
Trieu volunteered to write notes and distribute to membership.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

NIGC Weekly Meeting Oct 22, 2008

In attendance:
Dr. Pond, Norma, Barbara, Andrea, Ayano, David, Kevin, Pasang, Trieu, Jessica.

Agenda
1. Rescheduling of Native EXPO (Barbara)
A) Rescheduling of the EXPO to spring and feedback regarding planning
B) Activities for November 7
C) Confirm dinner meeting with the Plateau Center Fellow for Wednesday, November 12, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Native American Culture House
2. Other items for discussion
A) NA Heritage Month (Norma)
B) NAWA speaker (Rebecca/Erika)
C) What’s decided (Ayano)
D) Mentoring NAA (Ayano)
E) Cougparents grant budget (David, Kevin, Trieu)
F) NIGC outreach/recruitment/invitation letter
G) Next Facilitator
What’s decided:
1. NIGC will have a dinner meeting with the Plateau Center Fellow for Wednesday, November 12, 5:30 – 7:30 pm in the Native American Culture House.
2. Phil Cash Cash, Nez Perce/Cayuse/Umatilla, doctoral candidate, is the appointed Plateau Center Fellow.
3. November 7: Native American Research Colloquium: Phil Cash Cash, Plateau Fellow presents at 12:10pm and Corela Scott, ATNI Executive Director presents at 1:10 pm at CUB JR Ball room (2nd floor).
4. Native expo will be on Friday, February 20, 2009
5. Feedback and planning meeting for Native Expo 2009 is November 19. Barbara will send an email to our list for us to decide on the time.
6. Meeting time will be 4:30 pm effective Wed. OCT 29 at NASC (CUB 410).
7. Starting next meeting, one person facilitates and another person takes minutes at meeting.
8. Next meeting (Wed. OCT 29) facilitator —David volunteered and Andrea volunteered to take minutes.
9. Cougparents grant: David, Kevin and Ayano will meet to complete the grant at 3pm Thursday Oct 23.
10. One-page outreach/recruitment/invitation letter from NIGC in PDF will be a separate document than the description for cougparents grant.

Minutes:
1. (A): Rescheduling of the expo to spring and feedback regarding planning

Ayano: about the title of the expo, can you expand the definition to include others outside of American natives?
Barbara: No, I have to think about it… just Plateau… not change title but include invitations to encourage people to participate.
Ayano: if you want to increase participation, the title means a lot, the title is important. The title: Native American: a contested term it excludes indigenous peoples in Canada/Mexico border and indigenous world wide
David: what is it meant to be native, indigenous? How do we help people to connect?
Ayano: the definition matters. Displaced natives are around the world.
Barbara: you should have a panel to discuss the title at the expo.
Dr. Pond: should have theme to include world cultures for expo.
Kevin: native is universal. Many terms are colonial terms.
Ayano: in addition to expanding title, subtitle/theme for each year such as: global economic struggles… to overarch the expo.
David: Pacific Islanders have an affinity with natives and want to be included in this space because the feelings constraint by labels… make space that welcomes to all… that we’re not token… space for native empowerment… original purpose of expo: to honor people from far and wide, different people different place, honor the Palouse people whose land we walk on…
Andrea: WSU sits on indigenous land: we never left the region and we have always been here. As a land grant institution it has a reciprocal relationship with tribes…
Barbara: I think for people to feel welcome: the hospitality of welcoming is important… to have atmosphere that people feel welcome to this event.
Dr. Pond: More discussion/dialogue on the issue with title of expo is needed.
Barbara: I hope you have a panel at the expo.


2. (A): Native American Heritage Month: Norma provides a working list on November Activities/Events in honoring NA Heritage Month.

Norma: Will the NIGC be doing a project or program for Heritage Month?
Ayano: How can we be a part?
Norma: NIGC can sponsor a speaker or film.
Andrea: Does anyone knows if the film “Nez Perce Homeland” available?
David: will find out on Nez Perce Homeland.
Dr. Pond: should look into the film “the language”
David: we should participate but what? How much money do we have to do?
Andrea: speaker, Dr. Rodney Frey at U of I teaches Plateau cultures
Ayano: make a list of professors at WSU in which their works are on Native cultures for mentorship…
Norma: Taste of America at dining hall again this year.
Dr. Pond: Wednesday Nov 12 and Thursday Nov 13—2 performances from Dr. Pond’s class and the Palouse Intertribal drum group will be there. The Southside CafĂ© on Wed Nov 12 serves salmon, homoni and cranberry cobbler with performance from drum group starts at 5:30 pm. Rate for family and large group is available….want to make it available to other communities outside of WSU. Contact person: Whitney.
Dr. Pond: historically, on Terell Mall, we had tipi, fry bread sale and drum for NA Heritage Month.

(B): NAWA speaker: No info. Rebecca did not attend.

(C): What’s decided:
Ayano: is the NIGC outreach/recruitment/invitation letter is the same for the grant proposal or not?
David: No. It has to be 2 separate documents. One is just for the grant and the other is for the organization.

(D): Mentoring NA undergrads
Ayano: undergrads in my class express the needs for mentorship. NIGC should get together with undergrads to interact.
David: How we mentor undergrads: help with application process, letter or CV…
Andrea: brown bag discussion, fundraiser/sponsor…
Ayano: create monthly newsletters for undergrads, encourage and involve undergrads in newsletters…

(E) Cougparents grant budget:
David, Kevin, Ayano will meet at 3pm to complete cougparents grant application.

(F): NIGC outreach/recruitment/invitation letter:
Ayano: item for next week agenda: NIGC’s purpose

(G): Next week facilitator:
Ayano: starting with next week’s meeting, we should have a member to facilitate and a member to take minutes.
David: volunteered to be next week’s facilitator.
Andrea: volunteered to be next week’s minutes taker.

Meeting adjourned around 7:00 pm.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

NIGC WEEKLY MEETING: October 8, 2008



NIGC weekly meeting, held in Wilson Hall, Wilson 101

In attendance:
-Adriana Black, (Costa Rica) American Studies, WSU
-Kim-Trieu Nguyen Doan,(Vietnam) Inter-Cultural Anthropology, WSU
-David Warner, (First Nations-Mexico) American Studies,WSU
-Jessica and John, Undergrads, Native American Alliance, WSU
-Ayano Ginoza, (Okinawa), American Studies, WSU
-Margo Tamez, (Lipan Apache and Jumano Apache), American Studies, WSU
-Jorge Tapia, (Mexico) Spanish and Latin American Studies/Spanish Lit., University of Idaho

The meeting started off by addressing Ayano's concerns about structure in the group. She proposed dividing up responsibilities equally between members, which David agreed on. Margo's perception as to why this comes up had to do with notions of construction of hierarchy. We as a council (if this is the route we want to take), should have a process where everyone can hear their voices heard and vote on issues for the group and feel that their vote was accounted for. This is a decolonized space and this is a way of dismantling colonization.

We also discussed how we are going to address the issue of chair/co-chair. Ayano pointed out that we needed to define what kind of power people will have and what we mean by equal responsibilities. There needs to be a level where everyone is OK with the decisions being made on behalf of the council. We discussed as a group that for the sake of university's business and formality, we would have the same people who are now chair (Michelle) and co-chairs (Margo and David) continue to serve that role, however, the opinions of everyone who participate of the council meetings and it's a member counts. Margo also pointed out that we needed to make more concrete decisions on the goals we have. Dave lead a discussion regarding the consciousness that needs to take place when it comes to power, voice and representation if we are going to continue to have a non-hierarchical structure as a group.

David suggested the creation of an activity where the agenda is to explicitly invite people who are part of the group and really get to know them in an informal setting and not a meeting structure.

Ayano also brought up the issue of communication within the group itself and how we need to begin to communicate more effectively amongst those who are currently coming to the meetings.

It was also suggested by Margo that we podcast our meetings for those who can't be present, but continue to have an interest in what the group is doing. We also discussed the possibility of using the radio spot offered to all students on campus. No final decisions were made on these two topics.

Conference and marketing: a project that came up last spring and fell out but is being brought up again to see if this is of interest still to the group. Who is presenting at the Native Expo?

Adriana proposed that we hold our next meeting at the Native American Center. The council agreed. We also discussed at length the upcoming Native Graduate Expo and the visit of organizers to our next meeting. The next meeting will be held on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2008 at NOON.

Since Ayano will be the facilitator for said meeting, she agreed to email the members of NIGC to ask them to post their questions for the organizers of the expo. We also agreed to ask Norma if we could set up conference call availability for those who wanted to be there via telephone.

Ayano on proposed structure- we need to come up with a clear agenda, stay on task and address any other items outside of the agenda afterwards if time allows.

We went back to the discussion on distribution of responsibilities and came up with the following:

Dave- issues on professionalization. This has to do with our work with undergrads, etc.
Margo - media and communications
Adriana - Social gatherings
Ayano - creation of awareness about indigenous people of Asia
Trieu- a program of re-education on the way western civilization classes are being taught. Indiginizing and decolonizing the curriculum.

Blog access: we decided as a council to give access to those who come to our meetings regularly, the facilitators of the meeting who could post minutes and those who are active members but cannot make the meetings. Margo agreed to email the information to the people present at the meeting immediately afterwards.

The floor was given to the representatives of the Native American Alliance.
Since the last meeting, they have narrowed down their ideas for their upcoming conference to 20 schools mostly Native in ID, WA, OR, and MT. They limited it to Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with Saturday being their only full day and check out on Sunday by noon. Also they put a limit to 3 representatives from each school.
The conference will be held in Spokane. They still need to do the fundraising, contact the schools and book hotels and conference rooms.

We spoke about having another meeting on Sunday to fill out the application to receive cougparents funds. We will hold this meeting on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2008 in Wilson 101 at 2:00 p.m.

They also set dates for the Pow Wow for the weekend of Easter (April 10-11, 2009)

Margo suggested to both members of NAA to create a blog or a place where she can direct people interested to their upcoming events and also as a source for public relations that would include "tight language", imagery for marketing, etc. Facebook was suggested as a good source to start a group.

A motion to vote on tabling the NIGC conference for this year in exchange to fully supporting the undergrad conference was made by Margo. Everyone present agreed to do so as long as both organizations could get what they wanted out of the conference.

The meeting was adjourned at around 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

October 1, 2008 Meeting Notes


One more Outrage/Thought for the day...


Who Attended:
Jorge Tapia, (Mexico)Spanish and Latin American/Mexican Literatures, University of Idaho
Adriana Black, (Costa Rica) American Studies, WSU
Pasang ______,(Nepal) Inter-Cultural Anthropology, WSU
Kim-Trieu Nguyen Doan,(Vietnam) Inter-Cultural Anthropology, WSU
David Warner, (First Nations-Mexico) American Studies,WSU
Jessica Corey, Undergrad, WSU
Dr. Ron Pond, (Umatilla-Cayuse), NIGC Advisor, Music, Anthropology, Plateau Center
Ayano Ginoza, (Okinawa), American Studies, WSU
Prairie Flower Reuben, Undergraduate, WSU
Margo Tamez, (Lipan Apache and Jumano Apache), American Studies, WSU

Margo stated that no formal agenda items came to her, only personal emails with special requests or favors.
Margo requested that we come to some kind of structure about submitting agenda items if people want to do that, and if not, then today we are going to make the agenda now with everyone present. Structure is important. She started introductions to her left and we went around.

Everyone introduced and identified themselves in one form or another.

Margo introduced Dr. Pond to the group.

Dr Pond talked about importance of:

* for minorities to reach out from our perspectives both Native American and Indigenous
* Interdiscipline perspectives
* tremendous respect for what you are doing as graduate students
*achievements will come, whatever you endeavor to do
* feeling so gracious to be here at WSU and he also wants to give back to his people
* his dissertation process taught him enormous respect for the histories and strengths of the people of his communities
* so glad to be a part of the graduate research community
* how in the past IGC (now NIGC) had talked about revising the constitution and bylaws
* the compromise between the Native American and Indigenous perspectives
* Michelle had helped us to get a world perspective, i.e. "Indigenous"
* as the advisor, to remind you to come back to what you said you wanted to do, to become,
* to get tribal communities to help you out
* the Nov 7 Native Expo/Showcase, an opportunity to show your work to a community
* I'm very proud of what you're doing
* Patience is needed sometimes because you all have so much to give and to contribute
So.. . with that...I thank you.

Prairie Flower came a little after we started, and she introduced herself, and spoke directly to why she came to this group and meeting, which helped us to structure the next round of our introductions.

Here are some of the issues, concerns, causes, cares, motivations ... that came up in this next round of intros:

* to address policies at WSU that are causing more barriers and which prevent Native American and indigenous students from being here.
* to learn more from Native cultures and people here and to bridge to the international perspectives which are needed for more dialogue
* to have a safe space to process frustrations, challenges, and oppression at WSU
* to reduce feelings of isolation
* to connect to a group who value what I'm doing
* to learn what is important to other indigenous grad students and their struggles in the day to day work and to make deeper connections to those struggles.
* to connect those connections to 'right's and 'wrongs' and take up those struggles in advocacy which can utilize the tools of our professions
* to use my skills to bridge the daily struggles as a grad student with my colleagues to rights, tribal law, customary law, U.S. law, and international law systems
* Mexico and indigenous people, and racism against Indians motivates me to create awareness to educate society about what is right;
* Mexican appeal/protest movements taught me alot; when I moved to U.S.7 years ago, I was interested in "minority groups" and their activism in Boise where I lived.
* Started to see the bigger picture in terms of the indigenous migrant workers' struggles across the hemisphere
* Working with Zapatista, Fair Trade, Chiapas, Oaxaca and Solidarity Network gave alot of positive experiences to unite indigenous peoples and to create more awareness.
* Alot of respect for Native American communities as a person who is considered "an immigrant" in the U.S.
* found peace among Idaho Women of Color Alliance (WOCA) where many Native American women were organizing and also from experiences with N.A. women at Duck Valley very positive, so first thing when I got to WSU was to seek out solidarity among Native American community groups.
* Connections very important.
* good environment to be in and learn from the struggles of others
* Reason to be in this group is the importance of teaching--I've seen the impacts of elders on campus and to teach youth in the summer and to help in that process of developing leadership gave me a chance to be a part of that.
* biggest draw of this group is it gives me a space to hear peoples' stories which I need to be ok
* my best way to engage in struggles is to help a student with theirs
* what do you do is a common question I get from students who are just learning how to cope with the transition to WSU, so many circumstances with students...always had to remind myself to be humble.
* This group allows me to help others better in their struggles which helps me in mine.
* Reason to join is to share my experiences in my studies of indigenous people of Nepal.
* I hope to bridge my knowledge of how indigenous people in small groups all over the place, in large spread out places, they get marginalized and hard to get justice.
* this groups gives us a platform to come together and use our voice collectively
* I need a ccommunity that will support me, I have no support at all in my department, where anthropology is taught as a tool of colonization
* when I was 7 in 3rd grade I read history books of the story of Columbus, the myth of his heroism. I was like "wow!" in shock. This got me into curiosity and this led me to start de-colonizing from age 7. For some reason, I always wanted to be the savage, not the'hero'.
* I don't have a platform to speak my truths and my position on de-colonization.
* My father is Seneca Mohaw, but I am not 'Native", like here, I am Vietnamese. The Native Americans say 'wow, you look Native', and I say, 'no, I'm Vietnamese'. They think I'm native, and they say I "look Native", and that I "act Native". But, when I say I'm Vietnamese, then they don't want to talk to me anymore. So, this is an important difference between us in how they think about who is "Native". I insist then on 'being Vietnamese' in contrast to "Native" construct, because that is important in comprehending the colonization process happening.
* this group is like a family to me--I can blast and not get penalized.
*World Civ is an American colonization project, so with this group we can do something to say no, and to make it stop right now
* I came to this group/meeting because I am Vice Chair of the Native American Alliance, and I want to ask the graduate students to support our effort to put on a conference

WE LISTENED TO JESSICA'S PRESENTATION AND WE GAVE HER SOME FEEDBACK:

Jessica told us about the early stages of the undergrads' organizing the conference on March 19-22, and focused on these two concerns:
* Pow Wow Scheduling
* Inter-tribal relationships

And the connector of these two issues is:
* Poor communication between different groups putting on pow-wows in the region of
WA, OR, ID, Montana

She spoke of the undergrads sincere desire to reach out to:
* ELDERS
* Other university groups
* communities who are involved in supporting Native American higher ed

Grad students asked her questions regarding:
* Thematic outreach... what is the main message in their marketing this idea to affinity groups and what is the 'push' and 'pull'... what will compel the people to hook into the idea/issue/concern?

* The conference is scheduled for March 19-22. Is this do-able in such short period?
* Challenge for people to travel for those days, and have support from their institutions for lodging, food, travel for all those days.
* Institutional budgets which tribal people could tap into maybe drying up right now, what is backup plan to get folks here?
* Grad students could help apply their knowledge of communications, promotions and grant writing
* Could the concept be pared down to a symposia of maybe 1 or 2 days, with minimum overhead, and shrink the package down to the most locally invested groups who have a high stake in WSU getting their communication issues more structured in ways that WORK for students, communities, elders, and all key stakeholders in Native ways?
* this project addresses very important issues, that are key problems in WSU's immediate world... can this be addressing more micro issues about the way things are driven top-down here? how can we help to tease out those concerns and possible solutions?

* we are a resource to the undergrads
* we can help with bridging UofI to WSU
* undergrads need and want support and mentors and they need help with structures as well
* by inviting them to join our meetings and our community we can mentor them and by doing so, make progress on our own group goals of 'service', 'community building', increasing indigenous knowledge capacity, etc.

WRAP UP:

OCTOBER 6, 2008: Bolivian vendors with Fair Trade crafts
Adriana will send Margo the following:
* Flyer information to post to blog with images in JPG format
* Information about a possible pot-luck that NIGC can host at Adriana and Jorge's place to welcome the group to Pullman

OCTOBER 23, 2008: Plan Mexico Speakers
Adriana will send Margo flyer information to distribute to all Native and Indigenous list servs, and to distribute to our classes and allied campus groups.
* Adriana raised that the speakers need to be paid $400 for the WSU visit. She askd the group to help her brainstorm ideas for raising those funds at WSU. Margo requested that she start emailing heads of relevant departments: CES, AMST, WST, SOC, etc.

OCTOBER 24, 2008 (DEADLINE!: $100,000 POT OF CASH--COUGER PARENT GRANT FOUNDATION
This is an opportunity for NIGC to put forward a proposal for our own initiative, as well as support the initiative of the undergraduates.
* Essentially this is a chance to apply TWICE. To help the undergrads write theirs, and to write our own. Call for volunteers. This is almost a guarantee that we would receive at least $500-800 dollars, just for applying. I don't think the parents are going to turn many folks away.

MARCH 19-22 (COULD BE ALTERED): Native American Alliance proposed conference

DECISIONS WE MADE:


1. 100% VOTED TO SUPPORT THE UNDERGRADS INITIATIVE FOR A SYMPOSIA/CONFERENCE ON THESE Recommendations to Undergrad Organizers:
Undergrads alter/modify their plan, and seek further relationships with Grad Council to refine their plans
Undergrads return next week with modifications for further understandings

2. DAVID INITIATED TO WORK WITH UNDERGRADS ON THEIR GRANT APPLICATION AND PRESENTATION. MARGO INITIATED TO BE AVAILABLE TO PROOF READ AND TO SUPPORT IN PERSON THEIR PRESENTATION IF SHE GETS BACK FROM DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IN TIME. ADRIANA INITIATED TO BE AVAILABLE TO UNDERGRADS TO MENTOR THEIR PROCESS IN GRANT PRESENTATION.

3. AYANO INITIATED AND 100% OF GROUP AGREED TO DEDICATE NEXT WEEKS MEETING (WITH EXCEPTION OF PRESENTATION BY UNDERGRADS) TO:
* Set out a year long plan, set goals and assignments--Get this Accomplished
* Alleviate each other of 'chairing meeting' responsibility; alleviate Margo of this role and rotate each week.

4. Next Meeting Chair: Adriana Black

5. Following Meeting Chair: Ayano Ginoza

6. Responsibilities of Meeting Chair:
* Send out weeks' reminders to NIGC listserv of Meeting time, place, date
* Send out all announcements or issues that come up that week to list serv or appropriate persons
* Type the agenda ahead of time if that is appropriate and if not, then initiate the agenda at the beginning of the meeting and call for topics.
* Take notes and type out notes either directly to the blog, or on a doc and request instructions how to use the blog.
* Be self-reliant.
* Ask for help when you need it.
* Learn to use the blog.

NEXT MEETING:

DATE: OCTOBER 8, 2008
TIME: 5:30-6:30
PLACE: COMPARATIVE ETHNIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT, LOUNGE

Thursday, September 25, 2008

IGC Next Meeting: Wednesday, OCT 1, 5:30-6:30, Starbucks, CUB


Please mark your calendars!


Native & Indigenous Graduate Council Meeting
DATE: 10/1/08
TIME: 5:30-6:30
PLACE: Starbucks, WSU CUB


Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Meeting: Wednesday 09/24/08



Who Attended
: Ayano Ginoza, David Warner, Erika Abad, Adriana Black, Jorge Tapia, Margo Tamez

Where: Starbucks, CUB
When: 5:30-6:45

IGC We Are Back!

I. Reviewed decisions from last meeting--GENERALLY

  • Name Change: Native American & Indigenous Graduate Council--Ancestral Ways of Knowing
  • To make visible the 'responsibilities' ethic of indigenous consciousness by working in collaboratively on inequalities, injustices, and continuing racism against Native peoples and cultures in WSU systems.
  • Take up the work of continued education and pro-active posture. Follow up on letter to President Floyd, and relevant faculty, staff, admin.
  • World Civilization course. Develop a written critique of the current curriculum which continues to degrade, dehumanize and devalue the cultures, ways, and lifeways of Native American and Indigenous peoples. We see this course as an example of the contradictory messages WSU continues to perpetuate about its relationships with MOU tribes, tribal peoples, and native peoples.
  • Develop a web presence.
  • Outreach to coalitionaly communities in multiple learning communities. How?
  1. Connect to other Native and Indigenous graduate student organizations in our region and hemispherically.
  2. Work on 'ancestral ways of knowing' as a consciousness and a mechanism for strengthening relationships, renewing commitments, invigorating our vision for community empowerment as graduate researchers.
  3. Work on projects which excite our research interests and continue to innovate self-reliance and self-determination.
  4. Create new access and multiple visibilities: Facebook, Myspace, Blogger, Wiki, Sharepoint, ....

II. Business Today

  • We have approximately $500.00 in our Registered Student Organization account.
  • Bolivian visitors to WSU. IGC will sponsor them as our guests. Adriana is the point person.
  • Proposed: Host scholars from Mexico. Presentation: Plan Mexico/Merida.
  • Build coalitional relationships with other campus communities with similar interests in these research, learning and inter-cultural exchanges.
  • Outreach to Undergraduate Native students. David raised potential for linking our desire for a Native people popular "conference" with transparancy and student-led and run, and that undergraduate students are also discussing this idea among themselves too. Can we bring our concerns and goals with the undergraduate community and build a coalition?
  • Native Expo, November 7, 2008. Place: CUB Junior Ballroom. Concerns raised about the lack of inclusion, consultation and minimal advance notice to graduate researchers. Graduate researchers are working on situtating and bringing indigenous struggles and consciousness of communities into the research environment. New paradigms are necessary to promote Native graduate research interests, capacities, innovations, ideations, and futures.

III. Indigenous Ancestral Way of Knowing: Goals for the Year

  • To work on re-inspiring and re-visioning our lives as researchers and active responders to the lives and realities of native and indigenous communities here in the academic community, to bring our communities here with us and to sustain our self-determination movements and community strengthening in diverse ways, and bringing more balance to our whole lives as native and indigenous peoples. One Project toward this end. (September--October...)
  • To strengthen communication and community building among our collective membership at all levels of our organization. One Project toward this end. (November--December...)
  • To renew and energize our commitments to our research communities and to share the intense inspirations and products of our work. (January--March...)
  • To honor, regard, respect and validate the roles of mentors, allies, through the giving of an award as a 'gift' to a special person who deserves recognition from native and indigenous graduate researchers working toward self-determination.

We are a pro-peoples, pro-communties, pro indigenous knowledges, and pro-transparency organization of allied native and indigenous researchers ... and respected friends.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Calling All Native American & Indigenous Scholars Bloggers!

Please send Margo Tamez (mtamez@wsu.edu):
  • A photo of you or an image you like, jpg, small (less than 100 kb)
  • A link to your work, your job, your research, your website related to these ....

thanks!

Margo