American Indian Studies

‼️ We are pleased to announce the 2026 Indigenous Sun Devils Finals Week Snack Bag Drive! 🛍️📚✏️

The ASU Native American Alumni Chapter will be collecting donations to prepare snack bags for our Indigenous Sun Devils to encourage and supply them with goodies to get through finals week!

Snack foods - individually wrapped items such as trail mix, granola bars, fruit snacks, cookies, pretzels, chips, candy, popcorn, gum, etc. 🍿🍪🍫🍬🍎🥫

Please contact Elleen Allison for questions, venmo donations, or to meet for pick up at [email protected]

Forks Up!!! 🔱

Sun Devils, pull up 👀

Join Dr. Elisha Charley and Dr. Xavier Nokes for a deep dive into ASU's Indigenous Placekeeping and Design program—where culture, community, and creativity intersect in powerful ways.

📅 Today — April 9, 2026
⏰ 1:30–2:45 PM
📍 Discovery Hall, Room 120

If you’re curious about innovative design rooted in identity and place, this is your moment. Don’t just hear about the future—be in the room where it’s being shaped.

Stay grounded. Keep growing. 🌱

Your learning doesn’t have to take you away from your community—it can grow right alongside it. Join us for one of the final virtual info sessions this spring and see how the ASU Online Master’s in Indigenous Education centers Indigenous knowledges in a fully online format, built to fit your life—not disrupt it.

RSVP now and take the next step:
📅 April 8 | May 6
⏰ 7–8 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Link to RSVP: https://bit.ly/4tfm2Ro

Sharing info from the Arizona Department of Education’s Office of Indian Education’s Tribal Regalia at Graduations Toolkit for families and administrators.

For more info, click here: https://www.azed.gov/oie/tribal-regalia-graduations

Congratulations to AIS Instructor Jolyana Begay-Kroupa for this prestigious recognition! ✨

Jolyana Begay-Kroupa (Diné) has been named a recipient of the NCAA’s 2026 Legends and Legacy Community Award.

Begay-Kroupa is the CEO of the Phoenix Indian Center, the oldest American Indian nonprofit organization of its kind in the United States. She also teaches the Navajo language at the program, emphasizing the importance of language revitalization and cultural preservation.

The award recognizes community leaders who have made a positive impact in the cities hosting the men’s and women’s basketball Final Four championships.

Congratulations! 💛🔱

Learn more: https://news.asu.edu/b/20260325-ncaa-honors-asu-professor-community-service-impact-arizona

Who gets to define the apocalypse—and what if the story isn’t about the end, but survival?

While mainstream narratives focus on collapse and chaos, Indigenous storytelling centers resilience, responsibility, and futures grounded in land, community, and relationship.

Explore how Indigenous writers and filmmakers reshape crisis through powerful storywork—reimagining climate, colonialism, and what comes next.

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Scan the QR code to browse our AIS Fall 2026 course catalog and learn more about AIS 394: Beyond the Apocalypse - Indigenous Storywork!

Who gets to define Indigenous identity—communities, governments, or science?

For over a century, scientific ideas about race and biology have shaped how Indigenous identity is classified—but Indigenous nations continue to assert identity through sovereignty, community, and lived relationships.

Explore how these perspectives challenge outdated frameworks and reshape conversations around identity, citizenship, and belonging today.

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Scan the QR code to browse our AIS Fall 2026 course catalog and learn more about AIS 394: Science and Indigeneity - Blood and Belonging!

Resharing this event for Sun Devils: Ready to turn purpose into impact?

If you’re passionate about shaping the future in tribal, local, state, or federal government—or leading change through nonprofit work—this is your moment.

Join ASU School of Public Affairs Indigenous students and alumni as they share real stories, real journeys, and real insights on navigating higher ed, public service, and leadership.

🗓 April 15
⏰ 4:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
📍 ASU Downtown Campus

Come through, get inspired, and see what your path could look like. Scan the QR code to RSVP.

How did tribal nations transform gaming into a powerful expression of sovereignty and self-determination?

This course goes beyond casinos to explore how Native nations used gaming to strengthen governance, build economies, and navigate complex relationships with state and federal powers. Gain a deeper understanding of how Indigenous communities are shaping their futures through strategy, resilience, and self-governance.

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Scan the QR code to browse our AIS Fall 2026 course catalog and learn more about AIS 294: Rolling the Dice – Indian Gaming & Sovereignty!