MAY 2023 NEWSLETTER

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MAY 2023 - UCLA AISC NEWSLETTER

Dear AISC friends and family/chokma ankana!

May is here and the end of the quarter is around the corner! But we have lots of fabulous programming still in store, so see below for details of upcoming events. At the AISC, we are missing Jamie Chan and looking forward to her return. In the meantime, I want to express my gratitude to all of the AISC staff, as well as Carol Fujino and Troy Mathews from the Institute of American Cultures, who are stepping up to fill Jamie's immense shoes. So grateful for all you do for the AISC!

In other news, we are excited to be winding down the search process with the new Department of American Indian Studies and hope to be able to make an announcement soon regarding that process.

Also, a call for proposals for departments has gone out for the Native American and Pacific Islander Bruins Rising faculty hiring initiative, so if you are in a UCLA department, please encourage your department to consider partnering with us to bring more Native and PI faculty to UCLA. Native and PI studies are growing at UCLA!

Hachipisala'cho!

Dr. Shannon Speed (Chickasaw)

Director, American Indian Studies Center

Native Bruin Highlight: Past, Present & Emerging

This May we are highlighting Native Bruin, Nina Stanton (Tule River Indian Reservation) class of 1997.

Nina Stanton is Yokuts from the Wukchumni and Chukchansi tribelets of the Tule River Indian Reservation. She is a 1997 UCLA graduate who earned a BA in history, and a minor in American Indian Studies. Nina began her studies at UCLA as a classical music performance student with the bassoon. Her passion for music continues with her involvement in the arts. Nina’s Music Studio has been providing private music lessons for twenty-two years to young children, youth, and adults. Her expertise primarily consists of flute and piano pedagogy.

Nina is currently residing in Ottawa, Canada, and is a community liaison with Indigenous Culture and Media Innovations. The organization promotes the protection of Indigenous intellectual property when creating projects that bring cultural ways of knowing to new media platforms. Nina’s love of her culture and commitment to education has developed a seven-year membership on the Indigenous Education Council for the Ottawa Carleton District School Board. The focus is on bringing equity and empowerment for Indigenous students in urban public education. Nina also shares her stories and cultural knowledge in public schools as Canada works towards reconciliation with its Indigenous peoples, stating that “It is a wonderful opportunity to decolonize our histories and Indigenize education.”

“I loved my time as an undergraduate at UCLA. I am thankful for the American Indian Studies Center community and their support of student success. I learned amazing academic skills, participated in projects such as Fowler Museum’s NAGPRA program, and had leadership opportunities in AISA and the NCAI. These experiences helped me recognize the importance of activism and the responsibility our generation has to create space for change. I am thankful for being able to facilitate conversations that bring awareness of the contributions our Native American communities make, that we are here, vibrant, creative, philosophical, and brilliant.”

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

REZ METAL POP-UP CELESTIAL EXILE
Friday, May 5, 2023, at 7pm - UCLA BRUIN PLAZA

38th Annual UCLA Pow Wow - May 6 & 7, 2023

Dancing Indigenous Worlds: Choreographies of Relation
Monday, May 8th, 11:00–12:20 pm - Kaufman 101

A Conversation about Chishkale: The Blessing of the Acorn
Wednesday, May 10, 2023, 11 AM - VIA ZOOM
https://ucla.zoom.us/j/93607135547

Ghostly Invasions: Political Theologies of Fire in Post-Coup Bolivia
Thursday, May 18, 2023, 12:15 PM - Haines Hall Room 352

Book Talk with Dr. Martin Rizzo-Marinez
Monday, May 22, 2023 from 4pm - 5:30om
Bunche Hall Room 6265

Town Destroyer Film Screening: A Film by Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman
May 23, 2023, at 4pm
Bunche Hall 6275

A historic mural at George Washington High School in San Francisco shows George Washington as both a triumphant general and the destroyer of Indigenous lives and settlements. Painted by Victor Arnautoff in 1936, the mural is unusual for its time in that it critically depicts Washington as the owner of enslaved people and destroyer of Native lands. The image of a Native individual's lifeless body, life-size and centrally located in the school, prompts discussion of trauma response, cancel culture, artistic impact versus intent, and student safety.

Space is limited for this event. Please RSVP before May 10 to: luskincenter@history.ucla.edu.

A Conversation with Cinnamon Kills First
Wednesday, May 31, 2023, 11 AM - VIA ZOOM
https://ucla.zoom.us/j/91093890042

Applications are due May 15, 2023, at Noon to Tim Topper,

tktopper@amindian.ucla.edu

AICRJ ANNOUNCEMENT

The Journal had a well-attended launch event for our first open-access issue, a special issue devoted to the life and work of Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask. We have been announcing the new cover art selections going forward, including incredible images from Dr. Joanne Barker (Lenape, Delaware Tribe of Indians), Gil Scott (Diné/Navajo), and Crystal Worl (Tlingit Athabascan from Raven Moiety, Sockeye Clan, Raven House. She is Deg Hit’an Athabascan from Alaska).

Pamela Grieman and David Shorter will be at NAISA in Toronto to represent the Journal and to be available to speak with prospective authors. If you go to NAISA this month, be sure to say "hi" as we will be in the exhibitors' hall. Have a great spring!

If you missed the event, please check out our social media pages.

David Delgado Shorter
AICRJ Editor in Chief
Professor, UCLA World Arts and Cultures/Dance

UCLA American Indian Studies Center acknowledges the Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (Los Angeles basin, So. Channel Islands) and is grateful to have the opportunity to work for the taraaxatom (indigenous peoples) in this place. As a land grant institution, we pay our respects to Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders), and ‘eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present, and emerging.

Copyright © 2023 UCLA American Indian Studies Center, All rights reserved.

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