Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment

🎓 Calling all incoming trailblazers! Get ready for an unforgettable start to your college journey at 'EmpowerMENT: Cultural Affinity Spaces.' 🌟 Join us on August 19th, 10am-12pm in JC Rooms A-C for an immersive experience that celebrates diverse voices, fosters connections, and sets the stage for an empowered college life.

MENT (Multi-Cultures Empowered by Networking Together) is your ticket to building lifelong friendships and creating impactful memories. Let's kick off your freshman year with a bang! 🚀

🚨ATTENTION INCOMING FRESHMEN🚨

Register for UNIV 108: Black Make Success Initiative TODAY✊🏾

Register using the link in our LinkTree‼️

See you in class!🫡

On behalf of the Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment - we want to wish you a very Happy Pride Month! May we always honor the Black and Brown q***r and trans activists and trailblazers who have paved the way for unity, resistance, and intersectionality. Their fight is our fight! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤎🖤

Happy Graduation Season!

We want to take the time to formally congratulate our wonderful and hard working CCEE Student Staff who received their Mason degrees this last week! 💚💛🎓

Stay tuned for more information regarding student employment opportunities for the upcoming 23-24 academic year! ✨

Join us for a day to celebrate the Class of 2023. We recognize that this semester has been filled with challenges, and our hope is to hold space for joy and community.

During this picnic students from all backgrounds will have the opportunity to come together for food, music, and giveaways.

All graduates from the 2023 Spring, Summer, or Fall terms are welcome to participate.

Swipe to find out why these books should be on your summer reading list! 📚☀️

✨We would like to cordially invite you to the 2023 Black Excellence Gala being held on April 27, 2023 at 7pm! ✨

To find out more information regarding the ceremony and awards, please find the link in our bio to register! 💚❤️🖤

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY! We are reaching out to our community as we are in need of volunteers to help out with various tasks for our Cultural Graduation on May 6th! Scan the QR code above or access the Sign Up Link in our bio if you are interested!💚💛

Swipe to learn more about critical race theory, book bans, and how the state of Virginia has maneuvered these issues, both past and present. As Maya Angelou once said, “Won't it be wonderful when Black history and Native American history and Jewish history and all of U.S. history is taught from one book– just U.S. history?” 

If you want to make your voice heard regarding these matters, mark your calendars for the upcoming Virginia schoolboard meeting on March 22nd-23rd (more details on slide 7).

Mark your Calendars:
In honor of Women’s History Month, our office and our wonderful partners will host a luncheon series! First: on Wednesday, March 22nd, the Center for the Advancement of Well-being and Student Government will host the Women Optimizing Wellbeing Luncheon. Following this, on Sunday, March 26th, the CCEE Office will continue this series by hosting a Trailblazing Women of Color Luncheon.

Join us for critical dialogues, food, activities, and more!

The registration link for this event is available in our Linktree. See you there! 💐

Join us this Saturday, March 4th from 10am-4pm for our annual Diversity Summit! Build your leadership skills as you learn to empower yourself, your peers, and your communities as we dive into topics on diversity, inclusion, and equitable traits. The award-winning Dr. Bettina L. Love will be our keynote speaker for the event: as she discusses her journey as a leader, we hope you all can be inspired to become leaders of our campus and community!

Scroll through to see our lineup for the Diversity Summit. Space is limited, so register now on Mason360!

📍 Merten Hall
🗓️ Saturday, March 4, 2023
⏰ 10:00 AM — 4:00 PM

Today marks the first day of ! Since 1987, this month has been dedicated to commemorating and celebrating the strides and accomplishments of women throughout history. This year's Women's History Month theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." This theme recognizes "women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling." Take this time to honor the women who have played a role in shaping your story and learn about their histories to ensure its visibility for generations to come.

Join us for a celebration of Trailblazing Women at our Annual Women's Day Luncheon! Mark your calendars for March 26th from 1pm-3pm, as we honor the extraordinary women who have paved the way for future generations. Don't miss out on this empowering event!

Join us for the Diversity Leadership Summit, co-hosted by the LEAD office and CCEE, featuring the inspiring keynote speaker, Dr. Bettina Love. Come together with leaders from diverse backgrounds to learn, share, and empower one another towards a more inclusive future. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation that will shape tomorrow's world. Register now!

𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗡𝗚! 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭𝟬 𝗔𝗠 - 𝟰 𝗣𝗠!

Hosted by the Leadership Education and Development Office and the Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment, the Diversity Leadership Summit positions the campus community to come together in various ways to learn, collaborate, and teach about social justice issues that impact our campus, our local communities and beyond. This summit will help to build capacity to have critical dialogue, expand consciousness of self and others, and create liberating and equitable practices, all of which increases student leadership development. The Diversity Leadership Summit will be a place where we will engage in narrative change work by uplifting and centering various sites of knowledge, voices, and experiences, including the ways knowledge is embodied. We empower our students, faculty, and staff to leverage not only their research but also their lived experiences, ideas, and insights to tell more inclusive and complex stories of the past, present, and future of our campus and communities. There is no cost to participate in the summit.  Lunch, snacks, and drinks will be provided. 

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿'𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲! 𝗔𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹! 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿; 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀. 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗠𝗜𝗧: 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯.
———

𝐃𝐀𝐘: 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘, 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝟑𝟎𝐓𝐇, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑
𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄: 𝟓 𝐏𝐌 - 𝟕 𝐏𝐌
𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐃𝐄𝐖𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐉𝐂

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to ignite your gleaming and glowing light on the pathway to justice. Tonight, in Dr. MLK’s honor and legacy, CCEE will lead a march, panel of activists, student art and performances, and more! This celebration will not only inspire engagement through reflection activities, but also encourage people to journey on their pathway to justice. Our goal is to move from exceptionalism to mobilizing King’s dream. We agree with Dr. King in his belief that "darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that." This evening, we will work to remember, restore, renew, and revive Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s dream.

✨　Ｒｅｇｉｓｔｅｒ　ｕｓｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｌｉｎｋ　ｉｎ　ｏｕｒ　ｂｉｏ　✨

𝐃𝐀𝐘: 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘, 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝟑𝟎𝐓𝐇, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑
𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄: 𝟓 𝐏𝐌 - 𝟕 𝐏𝐌
𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐃𝐄𝐖𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐉𝐂

Get ready for a march, student art and performances, a panel of activists, and more! This celebration will not only inspire engagement through reflection activities, but also encourage people to journey on their pathway to justice. Our goal is to move from exceptionalism to mobilizing King’s dream. We agree with Dr. King in his belief that “darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” The events of the night will be an opportunity for you to ignite your gleaming and glowing light! You don’t want to miss out on this evening of remembrance, restoration, renewal, and revival as we light the pathway to justice.

✨　Ｒｅｇｉｓｔｅｒ　ｕｓｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｌｉｎｋ　ｉｎ　ｏｕｒ　ｂｉｏ　✨

📣𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗗!📣

Join CCEE on January 30th to listen to Aniyah Vines, Breya Johnson, Mark C. Hopson, and Samaria Rice talk about their diverse experiences and approaches to activism.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to hear the many different ways people work to disrupt, resist, and dismantle racism and colonialism. (𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴, $100 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘊𝘊𝘌𝘌 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘨 🤫😉).

✨Ｒｅｇｉｓｔｅｒ　ｎｏｗ　ｏｎ　Ｍａｓｏｎ３６０，　ｌｉｎｋ　ｉｎ　ｏｕｒ　ｂｉｏ！✨

We look forward to remembering, renewing, reviving, and restoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s dream with everyone next Monday!

Swipe to learn about the amazing giveaways we have planned for this year’s Evening of Reflection on 1/30/23, located in the Johnson Center! Not only is a $300 prize up for grabs, 3 student attendees have the chance to win a parking pass, $100 Mason Money card, or a CCEE gift bag 👀
Register through Mason360 today by clicking the link in our LinkTree ☀️

pssssst… if you have class that Monday, send us a dm or email us & our amazing director, Dr. Washington, can advocate for you to attend. Check back throughout the next couple weeks as we release more information! We highly encourage everyone to attend the Evening of Reflection and can’t wait to see y’all there ✨

📣 CCEE’S EVENING OF REFLECTION IS IN JUST UNDER TWO WEEKS 📣
Did we mention we’re featuring a panel of amazing community activists to talk about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, what he truly stood for, and what it all means for us today? You better believe it! Drop your guesses about who’s on the panel in the comments below and check back throughout this week to see if you guessed correctly! ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

If you’re interested in emceeing for the panel, follow the link in our LinkTree to the application. We only need your name, year/level in school, resume, and a short explanation as to why you’re interested in leading this conversation!

Don’t forget to register for the Evening of Reflection on Mason360! We look forward to reviewing your applications & seeing EVERYONE on January 30th 🫶🏻

For today’s MLK Day, CCEE encourages the entire Mason community to participate in an act of service for our communal well-being. We’re hosting a virtual campaign today to fight systemic injustice by joining together with external partners & co-conspirators in collective action. We know many of you are still home for the break, so we created a map of several volunteer groups throughout the country: follow the link in our linktree to browse opportunities on the map & sign up to volunteer! We encourage donating your time, items, money, intellectual power or other resources today. Share with us what you did, the people you connected with, and why it mattered to you! Tag us and use the hashtags and to be featured in a video!
 
By sharing your stories with us today, we get to celebrate the amazing work you did in your communities and showcase how caring for your community can take on many different forms. If you’re unable to engage in service today, we encourage you to make a pledge telling us how you’ll commit to service and tag us using the previously mentioned hashtags. We welcome you to consider donating funds to support Mason students from Black & African, Hispanic & Latine, Asian American & Pacific Islander, Native American & Indigenous, & Southwest Asian & North African communities. You can donate through the link in our bio! When prompted, we ask you please indicate “for supporting students within CCEE.” 
If you need further assistance in finding space to serve your community, contact us at [email protected] or dm us here!

MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all persons to give back to their communities through volunteering. For this upcoming Day of Service, we encourage our Mason community to participate in an act of service for our communal well-being. CCEE is hosting a virtual campaign to fight systemic injustice by joining together with external partners & co-conspirators in collective action. Our hope is to be able to demonstrate that doing the ‘work’ can take on many forms; & by embodying a love ethic beyond care, we can strengthen our communities. 
 
We’re aware many of you remain home for break outside of Fairfax County, so we created a map of several volunteer groups throughout the country— follow the link in our linktree to browse opportunities on the map & sign up to volunteer! If you’re unable to donate your time, we encourage donating items, money or intellectual power to those included on the service map. 
 
We want to celebrate your amazing work in your communities by spotlighting all participants! Tell us what you did, the people you connected with & why it mattered to you! Share your stories with us by tagging or using the following hashtags: and .  

If you’re unable to engage in service on this day, we encourage you to make a pledge on how you’ll commit yourself to service by tagging us using the previously mentioned hashtags. We welcome you to consider donating funds to support Mason students from Black & African, Hispanic & Latine, Asian American & Pacific Islander, Native American & Indigenous, & Southwest Asian & North African communities. You can donate through the link in our bio! When prompted, we ask you please indicate “for supporting students within CCEE.” 
If you need further assistance in finding space to serve your community, you can contact us at [email protected]. Have a wonderful weekend and happy volunteering!

Get excited for this year’s MLK events!
We’re still accepting art submissions from students — the deadline was extended to 1/23! We’re looking for illustrators, painters & graphic designers to have their works presented during the Evening of Reflection, where participants will vote for the art piece that impacted them the most.

We’re also still in need of an Emcee & Volunteers. Follow the links in our LinkTree to get involved!

The theme "Lighting the Pathway: Renewing, Reviving, Restoring & Remembering the Dream" is a call to action. Our hope is to, like King, inspire people to find their path in the fight for social justice, equity & access for all people, no matter their creed; acknowledging everyone has their own path & must choose how to begin their journey. Our goal is to move from exceptionalism to mobilizing King's dream. We agree with Dr. King in his belief that "darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that." The events will be an opportunity for folks to ignite their gleaming & glowing light! We encourage our community to join us as we commemorate, celebrate & continue the King Dream this year!

For MLK’s Day of Service on the 16th, The Center for Culture, Equity and Empowerment is hosting a virtual campaign to fight systemic injustice by joining together with external partners & co-conspirators in collective action. Our hope is to be able to demonstrate that doing the ‘work’ can take on many forms; and, by embodying a love ethic beyond care, we can strengthen our communities. Stay tuned because we’ll be releasing more information about this at the end of the week!
 
CCEE’s Evening of Reflection will be held on 1/30 @ 5 PM in Dewberry Hall inside the JC. You can register for the event (& sign up to volunteer!) on Mason360 by following the link in our bio. We have a lot of exciting things for you planned, including student art in a plethora of different mediums, a march, & a panel. More information will be released leading up to the day, so make sure you’re tuning in to get the latest updates!

Better late than never, that’s what we always say!
Happy New Year!! We’re wishing everyone a delightful turn of the year and cannot wait to see everyone back in a few weeks.
Don’t forget to check on our social media for updates about upcoming events, like our MLK Evening of Reflection on January 30th!
Until then, have a wonderful rest of your break 💚🧡

Popularized in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga (a professor of Africana studies) and inspired by the traditional African “First Fruits festival”, Kwanzaa is a way for Black communities to celebrate and connect with ancestors and community. Kwanzaa is celebrated over 7 days from the 26th of December to the 1st of January and has 7 major principles. A time of learning, family, and celebration, each day a candle is lit on the kinara and one of the 7 principles are emphasized. These principles are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. This holiday is often celebrated with singing, dancing, poetry, reading, African drumming, and feasting. We wish everyone a meaningful Kwanzaa full of wisdom and joy!

We’re wishing everyone who celebrates a wonderful Shab-e Yaldā today full of love, family, friends, and food! To everyone else, we wish you a wonderful winter solstice! ❄️💚

Happy first day of Hanukkah! Hanukkah, sometimes called the Festival of Lights or Feast of Dedication, begins at sundown tonight and lasts for 8 days. Each night, another candle is lit on the menorah. This holiday holds much history, celebration, and significance to Jewish people. We’re wishing everyone who celebrates an enjoyable and warm holiday this season 🕎🕍🕯️

(7/7) Today is Native American Heritage Day. As this week and month come to an end, we encourage everyone to keep decolonization and Indigenous people at the forefront of your minds every single day in every action you take. It is not enough to talk; talk must come from a place of critical care, coupled with direct action. Follow and attend their events whenever you can; attend local Powwows; donate time or money to Landback or the Nations in your area; sign petitions for Indigenous causes like ICWA, MMIW, Landback, etc; uplift and amplify the voices of Native people; never stop talking about tribal sovereignty and autonomy. If you’re unsure where to start, follow the links in CCEE’s LinkTree or, even better, come to a NAIA meeting. 

Today we’re honoring and recognizing some of the Nations our members of NAIA belong to. Isaac, a graduate student member of NAIA, is part of the Diné Nation; Michael, NAIA’s community advisor and elder, is Eastern Band Cherokee and Seneca; Ozcollo, an officer of NAIA, is Quecha; Richard, another officer, is part of the Taíno; and a CCEE member is reconnecting with their Yuki ancestry, who are part of the Round Valley Indian Reservation. 

As our series this week comes to an end, our collaboration with NAIA does not. It’s important we note that we only highlighted 20 Nations this week and barely scratched the surface of their deep and rich cultures. There are 574 federally recognized Nations, and even more have only state recognition, and some have neither. Additionally, it’s important to note that the website used to depict each Nation’s lands in our graphics this week is not 100% accurate and doesn’t fully encompass many Nations’ entire ancestral lands. We can see the rich and individual cultures from each and every single one we’ve highlighted this week and why there is such an intense need to protect these cultures, customs, and communities.

6/7 Today is Native American Heritage Day. As this week and month come to an end, we encourage everyone to keep decolonization and Indigenous people at the forefront of your minds every single day in every action you take. It is not enough to talk; talk must come from a place of critical care, coupled with direct action. Follow and attend their events whenever you can; attend local Powwows; donate time or money to Landback or the Nations in your area; sign petitions for Indigenous causes like ICWA, MMIW, Landback, etc; uplift and amplify the voices of Native people; never stop talking about tribal sovereignty and autonomy. If you’re unsure where to start, follow the links in CCEE’s LinkTree or, even better, come to a NAIA meeting. 

Today we’re honoring and recognizing some of the Nations our members of NAIA belong to. Isaac, a graduate student member of NAIA, is part of the Diné Nation; Michael, NAIA’s community advisor and elder, is Eastern Band Cherokee and Seneca; Ozcollo, an officer of NAIA, is Quecha; Richard, another officer, is part of the Taíno; and a CCEE member is reconnecting with their Yuki ancestry, who are part of the Round Valley Indian Reservation. 

As our series this week comes to an end, our collaboration with NAIA does not. It’s important we note that we only highlighted 20 Nations this week and barely scratched the surface of their deep and rich cultures. There are 574 federally recognized Nations, and even more have only state recognition, and some have neither. Additionally, it’s important to note that the website used to depict each Nation’s lands in our graphics this week is not 100% accurate and doesn’t fully encompass many Nations’ entire ancestral lands. We can see the rich and individual cultures from each and every single one we’ve highlighted this week and why there is such an intense need to protect these cultures, customs, and communities.

(5/7): Today, many may be getting ready to sit down to a feast with their families in celebration of what’s commonly called “Thanksgiving”. Before you do so, take some time to think about the real significance behind this day and the histories that have been buried deep from view. Learn about National Day of Mourning and why this day is treated much differently among First Nations peoples. For many, this day marked the beginning of a long, horrific, still-ongoing history of violence. Talk to your family members about what truly occurred this day and what it means to the Native people of these lands. Find out what Indigenous lands you’re currently on and the ways you can help to support, uplift, and amplify the First Nations people in your area. If you’re having trouble figuring out ways to do this, follow the links in CCEE’s LinkTree, which will take you to various educational resources, ideas for getting started, and ways to support. We are wishing everyone a meaningful National Day of Mourning. 

Note: while the term “Indian” is used by Wamsutta James in his quoted speech, and some Nations use it to refer to themselves, it’s best to refer to Native people as Indigenous, Native, or First Nations out of respect (especially if you’re not Indigenous yourself).

(4/7): As we continue to honor, recognize, & appreciate First Nations this week, it’s important we remember the fight for Indigenous sovereignty, autonomy, & recognition doesn’t begin nor end in November. Anti-colonialism is an ongoing, 24/7/365 battle & the best way to combat Indigenous burial is through education. 
We’ve touched on forced assimilation as a tool used for colonization, & it’s important we note the ongoing supreme court decision that would effectively re-implement assimilation: the potential of overturning ICWA. The Indian Child Welfare Act is important because it keeps Native children within their Nations rather than allowing them to be adopted or fostered by non-native families, who separate them from their culture, language, & community. Follow the link in CCEE’s LinkTree titled Protect ICWA & History of ICWA to learn more about the history & ways to help.
All the VA First Nations we highlight this week became state recognized in 1983. Some gained federal recognition between 2010-2018, though many still fight for federal recognition & state recognition. Most Nations follow a similar governmental layout with varying degrees of a Chief, Assistant Chief, & Council Members who’re elected democratically by enrolled members. Most Nations have varying specialties in regard to agriculture, hunting, fishing, & connection to the land, but all hold these practices as integral parts of their individual cultures. 
Today, we also recognize some of the Nations members of GMU’s NAIA belong to - Sara, NAIA’s External President, is part of the Chickahominy Nation; Dr. Gabrielle Tayac, NAIA’s advisor, belongs to the Piscataway Nation as part of the Beaver Clan; & Mariko, NAIA’s secretary, is part of the Bear Clan of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. 
Check back throughout the rest of this week to learn more about the unique and diverse Nations NAIA members belong to, & about National Day of Mourning. If you’d like to learn more now, you can visit the links in CCEE’s LinkTree!

(3/7): As we continue to honor, recognize, & appreciate First Nations this week, it’s important we remember the fight for Indigenous sovereignty, autonomy, & recognition doesn’t begin nor end in November. Anti-colonialism is an ongoing, 24/7/365 battle & the best way to combat Indigenous burial is through education. 
We’ve touched on forced assimilation as a tool used for colonization, & it’s important we note the ongoing supreme court decision that would effectively re-implement assimilation: the potential of overturning ICWA. The Indian Child Welfare Act is important because it keeps Native children within their Nations rather than allowing them to be adopted or fostered by non-native families, who separate them from their culture, language, & community. Follow the link in CCEE’s LinkTree titled Protect ICWA & History of ICWA to learn more about the history & ways to help.
All the VA First Nations we highlight this week became state recognized in 1983. Some gained federal recognition between 2010-2018, though many still fight for federal recognition & state recognition. Most Nations follow a similar governmental layout with varying degrees of a Chief, Assistant Chief, & Council Members who’re elected democratically by enrolled members. Most Nations have varying specialties in regard to agriculture, hunting, fishing, & connection to the land, but all hold these practices as integral parts of their individual cultures. 
Today, we also recognize some of the Nations members of GMU’s NAIA belong to - Sara, NAIA’s External President, is part of the Chickahominy Nation; Dr. Gabrielle Tayac, NAIA’s advisor, belongs to the Piscataway Nation as part of the Beaver Clan; & Mariko, NAIA’s secretary, is part of the Bear Clan of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. 
Check back throughout the rest of this week to learn more about the unique and diverse Nations NAIA members belong to, & about National Day of Mourning. If you’d like to learn more now, you can visit the links in CCEE’s LinkTree!

(2/6): This week, we aim to recognize, honor, & appreciate the First Nations people of this country. Historically, Indigenous people’s perspectives, knowledge, & history has been misconstrued, twisted, & buried. One tool used to do this is the concept of “Thanksgiving”, which is a day of great loss for the Pequot tribe, who lost 700 men, women, & children to colonizer violence. CCEE &NAIA are working together this week to help bridge this gap in knowledge. 

When the colonizers came to these lands, they did everything they could to Disappear the First Nations peoples to selfishly take the land “for themselves”. This unfortunately continues today. Some tactics include(d) forcing many out of their ancestral lands onto other tribal lands, destroying & stealing important documents & items of cultural significance, language erasure, genocide, & forced assimilation. Therefore, First Nations people value their individual tribal autonomy & sovereignty, education, community, & storytelling. A common goal among all First Nations is the preservation of their unique & individual customs, cultures, & languages. 

All the VA First Nations we’re highlighting this week became state recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1983. Some gained federal recognition between 2010-2018, but many are still fighting for federal recognition & even more still fight for state recognition.

Most Nations in Virginia follow a similar government with varying degrees of a Chief, Assistant Chief, & Council Members who are elected democratically by enrolled tribal members. Most tribes have varying specialties when it comes to agriculture, hunting, & fishing, but traditionally many Nations around this area grow what’s known as “The Three Sisters”: corn, beans, & squash.

The Powhatan chiefdom was governed by Wahunsenakah, the father of Pocahontas. It was a coalition of ~30 native tribes surrounding the Chesapeake Bay area that spoke the Algonquian language. However, not every First Nation in Virginia was part of this coalition.

Check back throughout the rest of this week to learn more about various First Nations, including some of the ones NAIA members belong to!