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General MAI Updates!
We have missed you at the Museum of the American Indian. If you have stopped by or tried to reach out lately you may have noticed that we have not been in the office much, or perhaps you have seen a notice for ongoing renovations that is posted on the door. We are continuing to renovate our spaces for the future of the museum. Our upstairs gallery is renovated and looks amazing and we are now moving onto the downstairs educational/gallery space. We are clearing these spaces and making way for some fantastic upcoming new exhibits and programming over the next year.
Despite being closed most of this last year, the Museum has managed to keep up on our community engagement. This is what we've been up to:
- We have had a great time working with other local Indigenous organizations to learn more about how to support the Indigenous community in Marin County! Our partnership with the Alliance for Felix Cove has been an exciting way to support re-Indigenizing our beloved Point Reyes. The Indigenous Healing Center invited us to participate in community ceremonies and conversation to find ways to best support Indigenous communities throughout Marin.
- We partnered with the Alliance for Felix Cove and hosted three workshops to prepare for the Tule Canoe build and launch that took place on November 12th at McNears Beach. These workshops culminated in a canoe launch that helped to reclaim traditions and build community. Check out the Alliance For Felix Cove website to learn more.
- With the support of the Church of the Redeemer and Dominican University, we’ve created an incredible series of Lunchtime Talks and last year around this time we hosted a powerful panel of speakers to discuss the subject of "Going Beyond Land Acknowledgments." The recordings of these talks are available online and will continue to support students, educators and community members to learn from Indigenous leaders speaking about their perspectives on important issues like resilience, identity and tradition. The link to the video recordings: Cultural Humility & Racial Equity - Indigenous Speakers Series
- Thanks to the Multicultural Commission of Novato, we have been working on fantastic wall murals on the outside of the Museum which are not only beautiful but educational. The murals are excellent teaching tools for supplementing our outdoor educational program.
- Fall 2021 and through Spring 2022, we had a successful year of outdoor school tours with new curriculum and content that reflects current Indigenous issues. We hope to start booking again for the Spring soon!
Over this last year we have been so thankful to community members who have continued to support our efforts to improve Native visibility in Marin County with generous tax deductible donations. We are also thankful to the Marin Community Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation for their continued support to keep the Museum’s doors open and engaging community from all ages.
The Museum continues to be the only Indigenous-led organization promoting education about Indigeneity and we are excited to continue on our path to grow beyond just being a museum, but to evolve into a cultural center for the community. We appreciate your patience while we are working on our renovations and updating our programming. In the coming months we will be opening a new exhibit and hosting events with some incredible Indigenous artists! We continue to look forward to the time when we can all gather at Miwok Park for a Tradefeast, meet outside for an educational tour and gather for more cultural programming.
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Stepping Down as Executive Director & Great Job Opportunity!!
Dear Community,
Over the last three years the Museum has gone through a huge transformation. I started my position as the Executive Director only a few months before the pandemic shut the country down. Officially, I am announcing that I shall be leaving the Executive Director position to pursue other endeavors. I feel I missed out on many opportunities to engage the community but am truly hopeful that the next director will come in to pick up where I’m leaving off and bring more ideas that continue to invite Indigenous Peoples to engage with the Museum and build a cultural center for the Indigenous community of Marin.
During my time here at the Museum, we have been working to engage in conversations and strengthen our connections with local Indigenous organizations, renovate office and exhibit spaces, improve our financial and historical record keeping systems, repatriate objects and reconnect them with their tribal communities, overhaul and update the educational program to reflect contemporary conversations and topics in Native America, improve our website, and Indigenize many ways our Museum functions. Our board is almost entirely Indigenous and is working hard to indigenize the way the museum will operate into the future.
The Museum is in a good position to become a cultural center for the Indigenous communities of Marin and the greater Bay Area. There is no other space dedicated to learning about or advocating for Indigenous Peoples in Marin. As a Indigenous woman who grew up in Marin County, I personally know how important it is that Marin has a place for Indigenous Peoples to find culturally sensitive representation and community; MAI is very unique for that reason. For the next Executive Director, they will be stepping into a position with great opportunity and flexibility to uplift and support the Indigenous Peoples of Marin. There is some sadness in stepping down from my position of leadership at MAI, however I will be excited to volunteer in the collections and educational programming area, where my heart has always truly been. I am also excited to focus my energy on my family and my art.
Our job search is being led by Stacy Nelson & Associates, who have generously donated their time to assist us with finding the perfect Executive Director. If you or someone you know might be interested in the position please check out and share this link:
Executive Director – Museum of American Indian – Stacy Nelson & Associates
- Victoria (Tory) Canby
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Celebrate and Honor Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month and it is a great time to take the opportunity to learn more about the tribes that live in your area. Check out this weblink and app to learn about the Indigenous Peoples in your area Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land.
Watch some great Indigenous programming:
Looking for that perfect gift and want to support Indigenous businesses? Check out these great online shops:
This month is also a great time to support Native organizations:
And US!! The Museum of the American Indian in Novato. Your generous tax deductible donations will help us in our renovations, updates and reopening our educational programs.
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