SW New Mexico News

New Mexico State University (NMSU) is set to commemorate Native American Heritage Month with a series of events throughout November. The celebration begins with a presentation by Wilhelmina Yazzie, a key plaintiff in the significant Yazzie/Martinez vs. State of New Mexico case. This lawsuit addressed the state's failure to provide adequate educational resources for students, particularly those from Native American backgrounds.

Yazzie will speak on November 7 at O’Donnell Hall, discussing the case and taking questions afterward. "This will be a great conversation for students who are going to be going into educational fields," said Michael Ray, director of NMSU’s American Indian Program.

In addition to the talk, artists will create a mural in O’Donnell Hall honoring Yazzie as part of an art-research project by the Department of Borderlands and Ethnic Studies.

Purdue University representatives will visit NMSU on November 11 for a recruitment event focusing on opportunities within the Sloan Indigenous Graduate Partnership program. Ken Ridgway and Felicia Ahasteen-Bryant will be among those present to discuss graduate options for Indigenous students.

On November 18, NMSU's Indigenous Creator Series will feature Gabe and Sapphira Garner from the Haffbreedz Podcast, exploring Indigenous identities through their content creation. "Unfortunately, Native American Heritage Month sometimes looks at the oppression... And that’s where we wanted to highlight our Indigenous Creator Series," Ray stated.

Ray urges other departments at NMSU to engage with inclusive programming year-round. "We want everybody to come to these events to be more a part of the community," he added.

For further details, contact NMSU's American Indian Program.