In A Good Way

See You in Dallas!

2008-04-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

The Fund is hosting a special event in Dallas, Texas to celebrate 40 years of tribal colleges this Thursday, May 1 at the Nasher Sculpture Center. The Fund will also honor the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma by repatriating $25,000 worth of historical artifacts it received from a private donor. Two of the Fund's board members, Steve Denson of the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and Chuck Hensley of Williams Financial Group, are co-hosting the event.

I am delighted to be celebrating how tribal colleges are transforming Indian Country through education. In addition, it is a great honor to be a part of preserving the Choctaw nation of Oklahoma culture and tradition by returning historical documents and other national artifacts, which the Fund received as a gift from one of its supporters.

All proceeds from the event will benefit scholarships for American Indian students. I hope to see you all there!

Vote for The Fund in the National Geographic Geotourism Challenge

2008-04-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

The American Indian College Fund has entered its Journeys for the Mind and Spirit in the National Geographic Geotourism Challenge. See how we are helping to increase sustainability in Indian Country trough our tours and vote for our program online at The Geotourism Challenge--www.changemakers.net/en-us/node/7713

Twelve finalists will be chosen based on the innovation, social impact and sustainability of their programs, and will present their programs at The Geotourism Challenge Summit this fall. Three winners will be chosen by online voting and will receive $5,000 each.

Help Honor the Code Talkers!!

2008-04-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

Language peservation is an important part of tribal college curriculum. But did you know that native languages have helped keep Amercica free?

Native American language used as code was made famous by the Navajos in WWII. Ironically, these men voluntarily served this country and used their language to help win the war six years before the Native American Citizenship Act. It is also ironic that at the same time the Choctaw language was being used to benefit the war effort, Native languages were being banned in government schools.

Help is needed to recognize the original Native American Code Talkers. The Assistant Chief of the Choctaw nation is working with members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill that will make it possible to issue medals for service as a Code Talker. Congressman Dan Boren has introduced HB 4544, which currently has 95 co-sponsors. 289 co-sponsors are needed, and many Congressional representatives need to hear from their constituents before they will agree to sign on.

The Navajos' service was recognized with medals in 2000. However, members of other Native American tribes also used their languages as unbreakable top-secret codes in WWI and WWII. Choctaws were the first to use their Native language as "code" to transmit messages on the field.

All of the Choctaw Code Talkers are now deceased. Only a few of their children remain. Recognition of these men is needed now. HB 4544 and S 2681 would allow a gold medal to be presented to each tribe, with a silver duplicate medal presented to individual Code Talkers or their families. Bronze medals will be sold by the United States Mint, and all costs will come from the revolving fund for such activities of the Treasury, with no appropriations necessary.

Please contact your representatives and ask them to support these bills as a co-sponsor.

For help with maps on who your Congressman or Senator is, go to http://nationalatlas.gov

Contact your Congressman with direct e-mail, phone numbers or addresses, which are
available at www.house.gov

Contact your state's Senators with direct e-mail, phone numbers or addresses, which are available at www.senate.gov

It is recommended that e-mail or phone calls be the contact method.

We Are the Number One Indian Education Charity in American

2008-04-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

Last week we spent close to three days in brainstorming sessions with a direct mail team to strategize for new direct mail concepts to educate the public about our organization, our mission, and our students. As part of that session, we had the opportunity to hear the results of an extensive phone survey that we commissioned on behalf of the Fund to learn more about our constituents' perceptions of us.

We learned that in your eyes, and those of our other supporters, we are the number one Indian education charity in America. And for that, we thank you. It is because of your support and your commitment in our endeavors that we are there. You believe in the opportunity for Indian people to better their lives through education.

You believe in the transformative power of education to lift people out of poverty.

And you believe in how education has a ricochet effect, impacting others in a student's family, community, reservation, and state.

Graduation is just around the corner, and a new group of students will be leaving college to begin new careers, or to move forward professionally in their current ones. Thanks to your beliefs in the power of a tribal college education, this new group of graduates will be embracing a promising future.

Thank you for your past, present, and future support, and thank you for making us the number one Indian education charity in America today. We are humbled by your trust, and our commitment is stronger than ever to continue our mission and calling--in a good way.

Education Renews

2008-03-24T08:06:00.001-07:00

I just returned from the AIHEC student conference in Bismarck, North Dakota, where I had the opportunity to meet with many of our students from all across Indian country. It is a busy, noisy, and fun time, as old friends meet again, new friendships are formed, and students compete in one-act play competitions, Knowledge Bowl, and traditional hand games. Students also display their scientific research, and compete in an art competition.

It is always a wonderful experience to meet with students and learn about their lives, their challenges, and their determination to improve their lives and communities through education. At the conference students continually approach the Fund staff and tell us, "I wouldn't be here without your support." I am humbled by this as I am reminded that we are doing sacred work.

It is my wish that every student in Indian country who wants an education can have this opportunity. There is nothing like seeing the excitement in a mother's face as she told us she has completed her associate's degree and has earned a 4.0, and has inspired her young adult daughter to pursue and education as well. The desire for an education in Indian country is becoming contagious--in a good way! As families see what is possible with an education, they are catching the excitement and pursuing their educations as well. And there is nothing like witnessing the glow of someone who has realized their own potential.

At the AIHEC student conference, I was reminded that like spring, education renews the spirit, and enables the passage to the full growth of human potential.

AIHEC Founder Visits Fund

2008-03-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

Today at the Fund we had a real treat. John Emhoolah Jr. (Kiowa), one of the founding members of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), paid a visit to the Fund to discuss the roots of the tribal college movement.

In addition to the wonderful stories Mr. Emhoolah shared, it was humbling to be in his presence and hear of the passion he still carries for our students, for Indian self-determination, and for the continuation of American Indian culture. Emhoolah was instrumental in the passage of the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978, signed by President Jimmy Carter. This legislation provides funding for AIHEC tribal colleges.

In the great spirit of the warrior, Mr. Emhoolah is both a role model to us here at the Fund, and embodies our values. We have big shoes to fill!

In Memoriam

2008-03-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

To honor the father of Rick Williams

Joel Calvin Williams, Jr.
Born: December 30, 1930
Died: February 26, 2008

Leaping Forward

2008-02-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

February 29 is leap year. I'd like to recognize the signifiant leaps forward that the Indian community has made on its behalf in the past 40 years upon the founding of the first tribal college, which for the first time put American Indians in charge of their own education.

Indian people now see the value of a higher education thanks to education reforms that value their unique heritage; provide Indian role models; and offer a place near home to acquire professional skills. Tribal college enrollment figures speak for themselves: enrollment at tribal colleges grew by 32% from 1997-2002, compared to 16% enrollment growth in higher education overall, according to AIHEC. Over the past 25 years, the number of associate’s to master’s degrees conferred to Native students doubled.

There is still a lot of work to be done. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2000 11% of American Indian/Alaska Natives received a bachelor’s degree versus 31% for the total U.S. population. But in the past 20 years, the number of American Indian tenth graders who expect to complete a college degree has more than doubled to 76 percent.

This year, on leap year, I urge all American Indians to commit to making another leap forward for progress. My personal goal is for all American Indians who want an education and a better future to commit to achieving that goal; and for the American Indian College Fund and other organizations to see to it that everyone who wants an education can attain it. As more people pursue, and get, an education, we will see Indian country transformed, in leaps and bounds.

A Need for a U.S. Apology

2008-02-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd offered a public apology to the Aboriginal people of that nation last week. He told the Parliament there, “The Parliament is today here assembled to deal with this unfinished business of the nation, to remove a great stain from the nation’s soul, and in a true spirit of reconciliation to open a new chapter in the history of this great land, Australia.”

It is time that America apologizes to its treatment of American Indians as well.

What would come of this? Reconciliation and healing.

Bill Bradley, the former U.S. senator from New Jersey, summed it up as follows, in his memoir Time Present, Time Past. "I know that an American living now is not responsible for wrongs committed more than one hundred years ago, but the nation itself is responsible. When governments commit crimes, they must make amends to those who are the victims of crimes. If they fail to do so, they live with guilt. Confronting the dark pages of our history is essential to getting beyond them. Americans cannot naively espouse ideals that our own historic actions refute. Failure to come to terms with having broken treaties and destroyed hundreds of thousands of people undermines our moral authority. How liberating it would be to escape the hypocrisy and become a society that lives by its professed ideals! Making amends does not ensure future adherence to ideals or remove the knowledge of past wrongs--America will always live with that knowledge--but it would allow America to have a fresh start."

Germany's apology for crimes committed against the Jews allowed the country to move beyond the sins of its past to forge a new future. Turkey's refusal to acknowledge the Armenian genocide has left it mired in controversy, unable to more forward without significant obstacles into full acceptance into the EU, whether or not it earns official recognition. The ghosts of our pasts will continue to haunt us, like Turkey, if we do not put them to rest. In religion, to be reborn, one has to ask for forgiveness. In our human relationships as in our spiritual relations, there can be no resolution, no reconciliation, without apology. That is why I stand behind the United States' need to offer an official apology for its policies of the past that, like Australia's treatment of aboriginal people, in the words of Prime Minister Rudd, are "a great stain on the nation's soul."

Follow Your Heart

2008-02-11T12:47:00.003-08:00

It may seem like the tried and true thing to write about as we approach Valentine's Day, but the advice is as true today as it is any other time of the year: when it comes to the future, we must follow our hearts.

Many American Indian students' hearts are at home, where their families are, where their history is, and where they envision their future. Often in my travels on behalf of the American Indian College Fund, non-Natives ask me why our people want to stay on the rez. They believe "assimilating" is the most productive way to be part of society.

But the reality is that Indian country is home for many of our students. It is difficult to leave home, and indeed, not just financially. Our connection to the past is at home, and our connection to our people, and our connection to our future.

The beauty of attending a tribal college is that students don't have to leave their culture or their homes to get a first-rate education. They can attend a tribal college on or near the reservation, while attending to the needs of their families, and remaining home. And best of all, tribal college graduates can remain home putting their education to use, and making a difference in the future of their families, their communities, and their people. Without educated future leaders, staying home on the rez will be difficult. Thanks to the education that a tribal college education can provide us in Indian country, our homes are our futures.

Tribal colleges are proving that not only home, but our future, is where the heart is.

Perseverance

2008-02-05T19:08:00.000-08:00

The New York Giants' win in Sunday's Super Bowl was a lesson to people in any vocation of what it means to persevere.

Obstacles may seen insurmountable to us as we journey through our day-to-day lives. And for some of our students who face issues every day, these obstacles may seem bigger than those that non-American Indians face.

For example, some of our students are forced to hitch-hike to class because they cannot afford to repair a car. Or a single mother is faced with choosing to pay for formula for her child or a semester's tuition. Elderly parents may need help buying maintenance medications. And so on.

But like the New York Giants, if we deal with our obstacles one at a time, with the support of a strong team, we will persevere.

Our students are like the Giants' receivers, and the obstacles in their lives are equivalent to those of the defense of the Patriots. Every member of the team assisting those students: from the professors, counselors, financial aid advisers, and others at the tribal colleges, along with donors and the American Indian College Fund, comprise a team that our students can rely upon.

Like a football team, we all succeed when our students win, overcoming the obstacles on the field. It takes every single team maker to mold a champion, but we know all along the truth: our students were champions before they stepped onto the field. It is their perseverance that makes them champions. And we are proud of each and every one of you.

Welcome Ilisagvik College!

2008-02-01T08:29:00.000-08:00

It was 27 below zero degrees Fahrenheit in Barrow, Alaska, and there were five hours of sun yesterday. But don't let the winter weather fool you into thinking that nothing much is going on in Barrow! Ilisagvik College is the newest tribal college in the consortium. Ilisagvik College has been around for quite some time, but only recently joined AIHEC. They will receive scholarships in the fall and are eligible for Lilly funds and Mellon opportunities. Welcome to our Alaskan Native friends!

Celebrating Our Diverse Heritage

2008-01-21T10:01:00.000-08:00

Today marks the national observation of Martin Luther King Day. The American Indian College Fund is closed to observe the life of this great leader, but I wanted to write to commemorate not just the life of King, but the life of all great leaders, including our American Indian leaders, who have worked hard to ensure that all Americans have the right to share in the American dream.

The Civil Rights movement gave rise to a new generation of people believing that they had the right to achieve their dreams, and that they could. Those beliefs gave way to reality. Our tribal college movement was born in that time, in 1968, at Dine College in Tsaile, Arizona.

King was tireless in his work to propel his people forward, and to propel all people of color forward. I honor him today, as well as those others that were not so well-known, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes on behalf of their people to create a better future for them through better education, better health care, and better opportunities for civic engagement.

Thank you, Dr. King, and thank you, all of you leaders, past and present, who continue in the spirit of our great leaders and Dr. King.

Reflections on Change

2008-01-08T07:35:00.000-08:00

In today's world an education is necessary more than ever. The economy is global, competition for jobs comes from outside our country's borders, and nothing is certain. The same is true in Indian country.

For our people to survive and flourish, we need to educate our next generation of leaders. Our people need to be educated not just in traditional subjects, but also Indian leadership, Indian traditions, our languages, and more.

But an education is not enough. Indian people know that we also need a good heart, dedication to making decisions that are the right ones for our people, and the support and encouragement of those people to lead the way.

Tribal colleges are the proving grounds of both an education and training and education in the Indian way. Students can test themselves academically, socially, and spiritually at a tribal college.

The American Indian College Fund has researched the financial needs of our students and has determined that there is $50 million in unmet need at our tribal colleges. To ensure that our people have the skills and education they need to meet the changes of the future, we have committed to raising more funding to be able to double the amount of scholarships that we award to our students.

The Fund is committed to facilitating education for our people in these changing times.

I encourage anyone thinking of an education to pursue that goal. Our leaders knew the importance of education and training, and although the forum is different today, tribal colleges are the institutions that enable students to get a first-rate education, the Indian way.

Resolving to Make A Difference

2008-01-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

If you resolved to make a difference in the world around you, to help others to achieve their education goals and succeed, then the American Indian College Fund is an organization suited to your giving style.

The American Indian College Fund is the oldest nonprofit in the country dedicated to providing scholarship assistance to American Indian students and assisting the country's more than 30 tribal colleges.

And if you are an American Indian thinking of entering college this year, and would like to continue your education this year, then I urge you to apply for a scholarship with the American Indian College Fund.

Whether you are a donor or a student, your dedication to education--either your education or someone else's--is making a difference in Indian country.

Language and Culture Empower Our Youth

2007-12-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

I want to thank a reader of Money magazine who wrote that he was shocked by our ad campaign, "If I Stay on the Rez." He noted "This ad does such a disservice it's impossible for me to comprehend why you would encourage Indian youth to learn in their native language, whatever that may be. English is the language of this country, whether you like it or not. Business is conducted in English. And so is biology." He went on to note that Indian youth should be taught their native tongues while they are growing up, but should study English while in college, and should be encouraged to leave the reservation.

Letters like this that help us understand the misconceptions people have about tribal colleges and the important work we have yet to do to educate the populace. Tribal colleges are institutions where students learn English, math, and computer science alongside their traditional languages, much like students study Russian, French, Spanish, or German in college. The difference, of course, is that native languages are not foreign languages, they are our own. When we study our languages we are not doing so as the children of immigrants searching for our roots or desiring to communicate with outsiders—we are celebrating our identities as indigenous people, and re-learning or studying in depth what was forbidden, suppressed, or taken from us.

Regardless of the reason one studies another language, studies show that people who grow up bilingual—no matter what the language—perform better on standardized academic tests, such as the ACT, SAT, LSAT, and GMAT. These same studies show that people who speak their own culture's language perform better overall in academics.

Language has been a political issue worldwide. Since the beginning of humankind, language has been a tool of power. Language is a reflection of a dominant culture’s mores and beliefs, and law codifies it. But when people speak their own language along with a dominant language, monoglots sometimes feel threatened. This is why, of course, the U.S. government forbade Indian children from speaking their languages when they were shipped to boarding schools. It is also why many languages disappeared or went underground in Africa and South and Central America when European nations colonized those continents.

If language is power, imagine what studying one’s own language does for our Indian students. It empowers students, gives them pride in their culture, gives them a sense of past, present, and future. Our languages are the language of this country just as much as English is. Indian people negotiated treaties and forms of government that our country’s Constitution used as a model. Our language is stamped on the country, indelibly, in the names of states, rivers, and mountains: Connecticut, Mississippi, Niobrara. Our land is a living entity, and it whispers our language and breathes our spirit. This is what tribal colleges teach: how to proudly navigate the worlds around us and the languages of those worlds. We belong in the world of our ancestors every bit as much as we belong in the world of the present. Tribal colleges graduate doctors, lawyers, businesspeople, and scientists, who stay or return home to the reservation to make a better life for their people, and passing on the tradition of success. Yes, we are Americans, we are the first Americans, and we are proud of that and of our country. But this does not mean we are not proud of being citizens of other nations, too. Just like any American can hold dual citizenship with a country in Europe and speak more than one language, we can, and do, as well.

Our country is founded on the principles of diversity as espoused in the Confederacy of the Iroquois, as the French called the six nations of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas, and Tuscaroras. This diversity is enshrined in our Constitution. Our tribal colleges, like the Constitution, celebrate that diversity, our cultural strengths, and our accomplishments. Like language, diversity brings power and strength. It is our country’s foundation, and it is its future.

A Time to Give

2007-12-10T08:48:00.000-08:00

The holidays are a traditional time of giving: to family members, friends, and philanthropic causes. American Indians have a long history of philanthropy. Generosity in the Native community was demonstrated by holding a giveaway or a potlatch. And a person's value was measured not by what they owned, but what they gave away.

I would like to take this time to thank all of our donors for their gifts of money, time, and the gift of caring. Your efforts make a difference in our students' lives, and that difference changes lives and communities.

If you haven't already given this year, I would like to ask you to consider a gift to the American Indian College Fund. The impact we make is large, and is causing a transformation in Indian country as more people see education as a way to make a better life for themselves, their family, and their communities. But as more students are eager to go to school, there is more unmet need.

We look forward to welcoming you into the American Indian College Fund family!

Chrysalis

2007-11-28T08:34:00.000-08:00

The author at age 18.

I received a letter from Ann Marie Donoghue from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center about this painting, A Young Oglala Sioux, painted by the artist James Bama. I was the subject in the painting, which is currently on view in the Coe Auditorium Gallery. Prior to that, it was displated in the Kriendler Gallery of Contemporary Art, a gallery inside the Whitney Gallery of Western Art at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

Seeing this painting again after so many years reminds me that from adolescence to young adulthood, a person is coming into his own. He is learning about who he is, how he fits into the world, what talents the creator has gifted him with, and how he can contribute those gifts to the world.

Chrysalis is a word derived from Latin for the gold-colored pupa of butterflies, denoted as the “sheltered stage of being or growth.” When I look back on this painting, I think of the golden years of youth.

Sadly, for many of our young Indian people, there is no sheltered golden time to learn, grow, or determine what their gifts might be. They are often responsible for young children or family members, and the grinding demand of providing food and shelter for their families and themselves engulf their days. Young Indian people live in some of the poorest areas of the country, and the opportunity to go to college for higher intellectual and spiritual growth is a luxury that few can afford.

As we enter the season of giving, my fervent wish is that all of our young Indian people can fulfill the purpose that the creator intended.

All young people should have the luxury of holding dear and nurturing a dream, giving birth to that dream as it emerges from the chrysalis to fly, spreading beauty and hope. I hope that you will help spread the gift of hope this holiday season.

A Lot to Be Thankful For...

2007-11-19T15:59:00.000-08:00

We at the Fund have a lot to be thankful for this year. Our individual, corporate, and foundation supporters are stepping up to the plate to help American Indian students achieve their goals and dreams. We are seeing our graduates go on to successful and fulfilling careers. And we are seeing tribal colleges expand their offerings and increasing their support to their communities in many capacities as educators and community centers.

As we enter this period of reflection and thanks across the nation, I would like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who care enough to make a difference in your communities and with the American Indian community.

Flame of Hope Gala A Success

2007-11-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of you, our supporters, the Fund raised $400,000 to support student scholarships at the Flame of Hope Gala in New York last Thursday.

This event doesn't happen overnight. Many of our supporters donated funds for the event itself, including the venue, the meal, and the entertainment. And many of you also donated your beautiful artwork for the silent auction. Others volunteered your time to work on the planning committee to choose the venue, the meal, to solicit sponsorships, to generate media support, and more. Others volunteered on site at the registration desk and at the auction.

I'd like to take this time to thank everyone who helped the Fund further its goal to assist American Indian students in achieving their dream of an education.

American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

2007-10-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow marks the beginning of American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. We celebrate the contributions that American Indians and Alaska and Hawaii Natives have made in American culture in the past, but especially in the present.

Unfortunately, due to lack of contact with Natives or inaccurate views about Natives based on reflections of the past, many Americans do not have an accurate picture of Native peoples today. Many buy into negative stereotypes about Natives, such as imagery about alcohol and drug abuse, or base their ideas of Natives on historical sepia-toned imagery. As Native leaders, we need to work hard not just this month, but every month, to share the good news about Natives and their modern-day successes and leaders in our community. We have pharmacists, doctors, lawyers, teachers, businessmen and women, and more that are leading our communities and rebuilding them, for Natives and non-Natives alike.

Tribal colleges are ground zero for the renaissance of Native peoples. Tribal colleges serve both Indian and non-Indian communties as centers for learning for children, college students, and adults; gathering places for the community; health centers, pharmacies, libraries, art galleries, computer centers, Native language centers, and much, much more.

This renaissance didn't happen overnight. The tribal college movement has been ongoing since 1969, with the founding of Diné College, which paved the way.

Perhaps changing the image of Natives with Americans won't happen overnight, either. But as we proudly claim our Native birthright while celebrating our past and present successes we will change that. We must keep our eyes on the task at hand: educate our minds and our spirits and lead our communities to succeed. Not only do we exist, but we excel. Spread the good word!

Flame of Hope Gala

2007-10-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

The 12th Annual Flame of Hope Gala is a little more than a week away. I hope to see you all there. We have top-flight entertainment planned, beautiful items to auction, and best of all, our talented and bright students will be joining us as we celebrate the future of Indian education.

See you in New York!

Native American Heritage Day

2007-10-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

The American Indian College Fund supports Senate Bill S. 1852, “the Native American Heritage Day Act of 2007,” which would designate the Friday after Thanksgiving to honor our Indian nations across the country and help highlight the contributions they have made to American history.

Throughout American history, Native Americans have made important contributions to the nation, society, and culture, including the modeling of the separation of powers amongst the branches of government in the U.S. Constitution after the structure of the Iroquois Nation; the role Sacajawea played as a guide and ambassador of peace to Lewis and Clark on their western expedition across the west to the Pacific coast; and the use of American Indian language by Native soldiers as weapons in both World War I and World War II to defeat American enemies. Hopi, Choctaw, Comanche, Kiowa, Winnebago, Seminole, Navajo and Cherokee Americans used their languages as a secret code, and in World War II, the Marines relied on Navajos to create and memorize a code based on the Navajo language.

Today Native Americans continue to live according to their own traditions and cultures, and are making greater contributions than ever before. More than 30 tribal colleges across the country are educating future accountants, doctors, lawyers, health care workers, educators, policymakers, and political leaders.

To recognize the past and present contributions of Native Americans would honor not only our ancestors, but those who are striving to make a better life for themselves and their people. It would also benefit the American people, who would learn more about Native people as a result.

The Fund Serves as Consultants for Eddie Murphy movie

2007-10-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Fund was asked to serve as a cultural consultant for the filmmaker Eddie Murphy's comedy, "Nowhereland," which was filmed in Denver this week. As part of our duties, Fund staffers reviewed the script to ensure that the humor was not offensive to Natives, and made sure cultural references were accurate. In addition, three Fund staffers served as extras in the movie. They are Patti Archambault, Ruben Hernandez, and Ashley Sarracino. We also armed several Native extras with t-shirts emblazoned with tribal college logos to wear on the set.

I traveled down to the set on Tuesday and met with the producer, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura of Di Bonaventura Pictures. I was able to watch the filming take place, and was shepherded behind the cameras to see what the picture looked like on the monitors. I was then taken into the lobby of the Brown Palace Hotel, the site of much of the shooting, where I was interviewed on camera for the DVD. I discussed my heritage, the mission of the Fund, and our role with the film, as well as whether Hollywood is doing a better job portraying Natives in film.

Watch for the film to be released next year!

Fall Frenzy

2007-10-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

Fall is harvest time, and here at the Fund, we have been busy working to bring in funding for scholarships, build corporate support for our programs, and build awareness about the importance of education in Indian country. In a way, we are harvesting our relationships... and to take the analogy of harvest and growth a bit further, planting bulbs that will blossom in the spring when it comes to creating new relationships.

I have spent much of my time these past six weeks visiting tribal colleges across the country to learn about their needs. As I travel, I have the opportunity to meet our students, from the young to the old. As I hear these students' stories of struggle and determination for an education to build a better life, I always come away from my travels humbled with the task that I have been given, and awed at how the American Indian College Fund creates hope for all ages in our community.