As we head into 2010, we at the American Indian College Fund would like to thank you for your support over the past 12 months and your commitment to creating new beginnings for American Indian in the new year ahead.
Make an impact in 2009 and close your year with a tax-deductible gift of education.
Donations you make to the American Indian College Fund are tax-deductible for this year through midnight Dec. 31st.
Your commitment to end poverty through education is even more important in tough economic times. Through the American Indian College Fund, you are creating hope for American Indian people for a better life for individuals, families, and entire communities.
As Dominic Clichee (Navajo), a sophomore business administration and finance major and honor student at Haskell Indian Nations University, has said, “Without scholarships, there was no way I could afford to go to college... I have taken the lessons learned from the obstacles and applied them to life. Hard work has helped get me to where I am at, and hard work is going to help me in the future…I want to give back to the community where I grew up… With the hard work learned from my past and the assistance from this scholarship, I will be able to accomplish all my educational and career goals. Then maybe one day, I’ll be sponsoring a scholarship through your program.”
Let’s ring in 2010 by closing out 2009 with a rallying show of support and commitment to American Indian students to end poverty through education.
Ocankuye Wasté Yelo (In a good way),
Richard B. Williams
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Donate by 12/31/09 for Your Tax Deduction!
It's not too late! You can still make a tax-deductible gift to the American Indian College Fund by 12/31/09. The Fund is helping change lives, one person at a time, in Indian Country by helping students achieve a college education.
Help people like Dominic Clichee (Navajo), a star basketball player and straight A student, stay in school and earn a degree so that he can return to his community and work as a hospital administrator.
Thank you for your continued support of American Indian students!
Help people like Dominic Clichee (Navajo), a star basketball player and straight A student, stay in school and earn a degree so that he can return to his community and work as a hospital administrator.
Thank you for your continued support of American Indian students!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Cobell Settlement A Dream Come True
The U.S. government has settled a long-running lawsuit over royalties owed to American Indians. The Interior Department will distribute $1.4 billion to more than 300,000 tribe members to compensate them for historical accounting claims, and to resolve future claims. The department also will spend $2 billion to buy back and consolidate tribal land lost by previous generations. The program will allow individual tribe members to obtain cash payments for divided land interests and free up the land for the benefit of tribal communities.
Finally, the department will set aside $60 million in a Fund for American Indians wishing to pursue post-secondary vocational education or a higher education.
At the Fund, we could not be more thrilled. This means a chance for many more American Indian people to earn a higher education and brings hope for them for a better future.
To read details of the settlement visit Cobell v. Salazar.
Finally, the department will set aside $60 million in a Fund for American Indians wishing to pursue post-secondary vocational education or a higher education.
At the Fund, we could not be more thrilled. This means a chance for many more American Indian people to earn a higher education and brings hope for them for a better future.
To read details of the settlement visit Cobell v. Salazar.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Need a Holiday Gift Idea?
It's always hard to find the perfect gift for someone who has everything.
One donor shared that instead of purchasing another gift for her mother, a retired registered nurse, who claimed she didn't need any more "stuff," she decided to donate money for a nursing scholarship to the American Indian College Fund in her mother's name.
She recounts that at first her mother protested when she was handed a package to open, stressing that she had asked for no gifts. But when she opened the box to find a certificate announcing the gift in her name, she was speechless and tears welled up in her eyes.
This holiday season, consider a gift that gives twice-give to the American Indian College Fund! For details, contact us at 800-776-3863.
One donor shared that instead of purchasing another gift for her mother, a retired registered nurse, who claimed she didn't need any more "stuff," she decided to donate money for a nursing scholarship to the American Indian College Fund in her mother's name.
She recounts that at first her mother protested when she was handed a package to open, stressing that she had asked for no gifts. But when she opened the box to find a certificate announcing the gift in her name, she was speechless and tears welled up in her eyes.
This holiday season, consider a gift that gives twice-give to the American Indian College Fund! For details, contact us at 800-776-3863.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Native Heritage Month
November is Native Heritage Month. Thanksgiving is often referred to as a time when Indian people came together with the Pilgrims, however, it was commonplace among Indian nations and communities before the Pilgrims arrived. It is possible that the Pilgrims’ celebration coincided with an Indian second harvest known as “Indian Summer,” which usually occurs during a period of warmth after a frost. A thanksgiving ceremony usually followed.
The first Thanksgiving was a difficult time for Indian communities. Many nations were grappling with the devastation caused by diseases such as smallpox, and many were already extinct.
The Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving celebration is a part of everyday lore in America. Schoolchildren learn the story of Squanto, a Patuxet brave who helped the sick and starving Pilgrims survive their first harsh New England winter. But few Americans know the details of Squanto’s sad life.
In 1605, a young Patuxet boy named Tisquantum, later known as Squanto, was hunting when he spotted an English merchant ship anchored off of the coast of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Squanto’s life would be changed forever.
Captain George Weymouth invited Squanto and four other tribesmen aboard. The boys were chained and taken to England to allow Weymouth’s financial backers to meet some Indians. Squanto was forced to live with Sir Ferdinand Gorges, owner of the Plymouth Company. Gorges taught Squanto to speak English to communicate and negotiate trade deals for the English.
In 1614 Squanto returned to America to assist in mapping the New England coast, but in a twist of fate, Squanto was kidnapped again, along with 27 others. They were taken to Spain and sold as slaves. Local priests freed the young Indians and baptized them. Squanto found his way back to England and bargained for his passage home, where he returned in 1618.
At home, Squanto was recognized by one of Gorges’ captains, captured a third time and sent back to England. Gorges promised Squanto his freedom in exchange for returning to New England to finish mapping the coast. In 1619 Squanto returned to his village found it deserted. His entire tribe had been wiped out by disease two years earlier.
After gaining his freedom, Squanto moved in with the nearby Wampanoag tribe, ruled by Chief Massasoit. While there, the Pilgrims made their voyage to the coast of Plymouth in November of 1620, and founded a new settlement. Squanto, against the wishes of local tribes, befriended the Pilgrims.
On March 22, 1621, Chief Massasoit sent Squanto to the Pilgrims’ settlement to negotiate a peace treaty between the Wampanoag Confederation of tribes and the Pilgrims. A year and a half later, Squanto succumbed to smallpox during a trading expedition.
Indians didn’t just change history with Squanto’s generosity. Indians have also given through their contributions in horticulture, medicine, and science. It is easy to forget about the gifts the Indians made in the earliest years of our country. There was conflict, but there were also relationships that helped lay our country’s foundations.
My people, the Lakota, believe that we are all related. I hope we remember that all of our fates are intertwined. That is the legacy of the Indian people–one that we can all enjoy. I hope this month you will take time to reflect upon some of the contributions that American Indians have made to this great country.
The first Thanksgiving was a difficult time for Indian communities. Many nations were grappling with the devastation caused by diseases such as smallpox, and many were already extinct.
The Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving celebration is a part of everyday lore in America. Schoolchildren learn the story of Squanto, a Patuxet brave who helped the sick and starving Pilgrims survive their first harsh New England winter. But few Americans know the details of Squanto’s sad life.
In 1605, a young Patuxet boy named Tisquantum, later known as Squanto, was hunting when he spotted an English merchant ship anchored off of the coast of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Squanto’s life would be changed forever.
Captain George Weymouth invited Squanto and four other tribesmen aboard. The boys were chained and taken to England to allow Weymouth’s financial backers to meet some Indians. Squanto was forced to live with Sir Ferdinand Gorges, owner of the Plymouth Company. Gorges taught Squanto to speak English to communicate and negotiate trade deals for the English.
In 1614 Squanto returned to America to assist in mapping the New England coast, but in a twist of fate, Squanto was kidnapped again, along with 27 others. They were taken to Spain and sold as slaves. Local priests freed the young Indians and baptized them. Squanto found his way back to England and bargained for his passage home, where he returned in 1618.
At home, Squanto was recognized by one of Gorges’ captains, captured a third time and sent back to England. Gorges promised Squanto his freedom in exchange for returning to New England to finish mapping the coast. In 1619 Squanto returned to his village found it deserted. His entire tribe had been wiped out by disease two years earlier.
After gaining his freedom, Squanto moved in with the nearby Wampanoag tribe, ruled by Chief Massasoit. While there, the Pilgrims made their voyage to the coast of Plymouth in November of 1620, and founded a new settlement. Squanto, against the wishes of local tribes, befriended the Pilgrims.
On March 22, 1621, Chief Massasoit sent Squanto to the Pilgrims’ settlement to negotiate a peace treaty between the Wampanoag Confederation of tribes and the Pilgrims. A year and a half later, Squanto succumbed to smallpox during a trading expedition.
Indians didn’t just change history with Squanto’s generosity. Indians have also given through their contributions in horticulture, medicine, and science. It is easy to forget about the gifts the Indians made in the earliest years of our country. There was conflict, but there were also relationships that helped lay our country’s foundations.
My people, the Lakota, believe that we are all related. I hope we remember that all of our fates are intertwined. That is the legacy of the Indian people–one that we can all enjoy. I hope this month you will take time to reflect upon some of the contributions that American Indians have made to this great country.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Thank You for Making Our 2009 Flame of Hope Gala A Success!
You proved neither, rain, nor sleet nor 18 inches of snow could stop you from turning out to celebrate the American Indian College Fund’s 20 years of dedication to American Indian education. Our supporters, students, and tribal college officials turned out to show their commitment to the miracles that tribal colleges are producing all across Indian country. The 20th Anniversary Flame of Hope Gala was a success despite the snowstorm that raged across Colorado October 28.
Thank you for showing your outstanding commitment to ensure the success of American Indians nationwide, the success of tribal colleges, and helping to change lives.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Gearing up to Celebrate 20 Years of Our Mission
This Wednesday marks our 20th anniversary Flame of Hope Gala. We are thrilled to be celebrating our 20 years in a beautiful venue with top-notch entertainment, our supporters, our tribal college leaders, and our students, and hope that our readers will be joining us at the Seward Ballroom of the Colorado Center for the Performing Arts at 6 p.m. on October 28.
But more importantly, I am excited to be marking 20 years of success and educating American Indian students, helping them to achieve their dreams. Thanks to your support, you have made more than 70,000 scholarships possible!
As we celebrate Wednesday night, it isn't about the food, the music, and how long the organization has been around. We are celebrating each and every student's success who has earned a scholarship and worked towards a better future for themselves, their family, and their community, while overcoming huge obstacles.
The American Indian College Fund and those who share its commitment to its mission salute each and every one of our current students and graduates.
But more importantly, I am excited to be marking 20 years of success and educating American Indian students, helping them to achieve their dreams. Thanks to your support, you have made more than 70,000 scholarships possible!
As we celebrate Wednesday night, it isn't about the food, the music, and how long the organization has been around. We are celebrating each and every student's success who has earned a scholarship and worked towards a better future for themselves, their family, and their community, while overcoming huge obstacles.
The American Indian College Fund and those who share its commitment to its mission salute each and every one of our current students and graduates.
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