Location: Knight Auditorium

The Native American House invites Diane Wolfe Marlin, Mayor of Urbana, and Debra Frank Feinen, Mayor of Champaign, to deliver a joint reading of the Indigenous Peoples’ Day proclamation. Following the proclamation, university leaders will offer a welcome to attendees.

Dr. Awad Awad, Director, SALAAM MENA, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This presentation explores humanism, spirituality, land, belonging, identity, and Indigenous dispossession of the land in Mahmud Darwish’s poetry as they relate to Palestinian and Native American experiences with colonialism.

Nora Peterson, Associate Director, Prevention, Women’s Resources Center, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

As of 2022, the Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates there are 4200 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women that remain unsolved. Using clips from the 2023 film Fancy Dance, this session will explore how Indigenous women use media to bring attention to the ongoing epidemic of violence against Native women while celebrating culture, resilience, humor, and love amongst Indigenous women and communities.

Location: Core Gallery

For many Indigenous Peoples, feeding the community, including guests, fosters connections and serves as an act of reciprocity. We invite you to share a meal with your University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign relatives. Food is first come, first served!

Moderator: Dr. Jenny L. Davis (Chickasaw), American Indian Studies, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Panelists: Justin Bean (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma), David Eby (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma/Muscogee Creek), Emerson Pehl (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma), Yanaba Schroeder (Navajo), and Alyssa Spencer (Navajo)

What happens when intersectionality is engaged while fostering Indigenous academic identity development? In this session, Dr. Jenny Davis engages Indigenous undergraduate and graduate scholars by exploring how their lived experiences, including notions of indigeneity and interconnectedness, complicate and expand understandings related to a sense of belonging, inclusion, and identity development.

2:15 to 2:30 p.m. Closing Remarks

Location: Native American House (1206 W. Nevada Street, Urbana)

Curated in collaboration with María Emerson, Student Success Librarian, the pop-up library is an opportunity for Indigenous Peoples to see themselves represented in the University Library collections. Visitors can view materials about Indigenous peoples onsite and engage with María about the range of library resources and services available on campus.

Location: ISR Dining Center (Illinois Street Residence Halls) (1010 W. Illinois St., Urbana)

In celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day, University Housing will bring a taste of Indigenous food flavors to ISR. Visit the Illinois App or Housing website for details.