Kern County One Book Project

Thank you all for being a part of our 2025 One Book Project! See you next year!!

Rethinking Thanksgiving Celebrations: Native Perspectives on Thanksgiving includes culturally sensitive activities and resources, recommended children's literature centered around traditions of gratitude and seasonal harvests from different Native cultures, as well as "First Thanksgiving": How Can We Tell a Better Story? (for grades 3–5). Other information includes reading and discussing the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address. This expression of gratitude is recited by the Haudenosaunee at community gatherings throughout the year. Visit: https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/informational/rethinking-thanksgiving

Have you gotten the chance to read our One Book Project title yet? Check it out on Libby now!

First Nations Community Pathways Initiative partner Native American Fish and Wildlife Society is providing technical assistance to tribes and tribal organizations interested in applying for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Healthy American Forests Initiative.

The funding opportunity supports restoration and vegetation management projects on National Forest System lands to achieve healthy forest ecosystems. Award sizes range from $250,000 to $2 million over two years to support projects, such as expanding habitat connectivity, strengthening ecosystem and community health, expanding public access to nature, and contributing to workforce development.

➡️ Book a meeting with NAFWS staff: https://bit.ly/44jOkyY

➡️ View the recording of the recently held Healthy American Forests Initiative: Tribal Applicant Webinar: https://bit.ly/4oaXghk

Don't forget! Join us tomorrow, Monday, November 24, 2025, for Cherishing Native Foodways in celebration of National Native American Heritage Month. This webinar will include a powerful conversation about maternal health, first foods, and breastfeeding programs happening across Indian Country. Hear from keepers of Native foodways, and join us in safeguarding the seeds, stories, and systems that nourish Native communities.

➡️ Register now: https://bit.ly/4qJAj7u

📚 Celebrate Native American Heritage Through Literature 📚

Throughout Native American Heritage Month, and as Thanksgiving approaches, we recognize how the events of the month are a chance to reflect, learn, and honor the Native cultures that have built us, and to share that knowledge with the next generation.

One way to do this is by exploring First Nations’ Children’s Native Books Reading List. These beautifully written and illustrated books center Native voices, food traditions, and family values, offering a meaningful way to gather and grow together.

May these books spark conversations for you and your family: https://bit.ly/4ilr7Cr

Representation for Native Americans is slowly but surely improving, bringing more diverse voices and stories to the forefront.

In media, we’re seeing a shift toward authentic portrayals, with Indigenous creators leading the charge in film and TV. Notable milestones, such as Indigenous women in leadership roles and increased visibility in the arts, reflect a growing movement towards inclusion.

Yet, challenges remain. Stereotypes still persist, and Native Americans continue to be underrepresented in many spaces. But every step forward helps reshape narratives and opens doors for future generations.

Let’s take the time to learn from and connect with Native American communities, celebrating their rich cultural heritage and supporting the voices that are paving the way for greater visibility. 🌿🎬

Together, we can ensure that these stories continue to grow and thrive.

November is nationally recognized as Homeless Youth Awareness Month. In November we raise awareness for youth who are struggling with housing instability and call to action our community and partners to support those youth.

Indigenous audiences can see their history represented in Ken Burns' latest documentary series, "The American Revolution". The 12-hour series opens with a discussion of how Native Nations, including democracies that existed on this continent long before European colonists arrived, influenced the likes of Benjamin Franklin. The team behind "The American Revolution" brought in Indigenous consultants during the early phases of production, which helped to ensure the narrative treats Native Nations as sovereign entities with differing motivations, rather than lumping all Indigenous groups together. In the following linked article, Indigenous scholars and Burns reflect on the importance of including this history, which Burns agrees is "required" to tell the full story: https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/ken-burns-american-revolution-9.6988028