Native American Heritage Month

Join us for a live virtual event
on Friday, November 8th at 10am PST

Join us for a panel discussion in celebration of Native American Heritage Month 2024. This year’s theme, "Recognizing 100 Years of Citizenship and the Fight for the Right to Vote: 1924-2024," marks the centennial of the Indian Citizenship Act, which granted U.S. citizenship and voting rights to Native Americans.

This engaging and informal conversation will honor the activism and resilience of Native Americans over the past century, while also addressing the importance of civic engagement today.

Bring your coffee, questions, and curiosity as we reflect on the past, discuss current challenges, and explore how we can all support voting access and representation in the future.

Join us for this powerful conversation as we celebrate the progress made and continue the journey toward equality and inclusion.

“We’re the last to really come to the table to be able to have a voice. And now that we are starting to build into this practice of voting and participating in the national electoral process, we’re also recognizing that we can not only now vote, but we can also run and become a voice.”

- Rep. Paulette Jordan, Idaho House of Representatives, Native American politician and activist

This Month’s Coffee Talk

  • Director - AS Programs, Associated Students of California State University, Chico

    Sharleen Lowry Krater is the Director of AS Programs for Associated Students at California State University, Chico. She utilizes her extensive experience in higher education, human resources, and leadership development to enhance the student experience and promote community engagement. As a proud member of the Maidu, Washo, and Pit River Tribes, Sharleen’s heritage deeply informs her work. She is committed to advocating for underrepresented communities, ensuring that cultural perspectives are woven into the services and programs she oversees.

  • Cultural Demonstrator/ Park Ranger, National Park Service

    Emily Dayhoff is a dedicated cultural advocate and member of the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, a non-federally recognized tribe in California. She also has strong ties to the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, both of which are among the seven tribes associated with Yosemite National Park. Emily holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Cultural Heritage Management. Having grown up in Mariposa, California, a gateway community to Yosemite, she spent a decade serving as a Cultural Demonstrator and Interpretive Park Ranger. In this role, she passionately interprets her own identity, the history of her ancestors, and the vibrant culture that has often been overlooked and misrepresented in the narrative of the past.

  • Associate Director for Tribal Relations, California State University, Chico

    Cole Morales grew up in Westwood, California, and is a Mountain Maidu from the Lassen and Plumas County area, as well as an enrolled member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria. He currently serves as the Associate Director for the Office of Tribal Relations at California State University, Chico.

    A recent graduate of Chico State, Cole earned his Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management in 2020, specializing in Parks and Natural Resource Management, followed by a Master of Science in Wildland Management in 2022. Professionally, he has worked with Northern California Tribes in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to document cultural resources affected by wildfires.

    Previously, Cole served as the Tribal Liaison and Engagement Specialist with Chico State Enterprises, where he built relationships between the organization and local Tribes. He is also actively involved in his community as a board member of the Maidu Summit Consortium, which advocates for the protection of Mountain Maidu homelands.

  • Educator at Santa Lucia School

    Sierra Rose Hughes lives in Atascadero, San Luis Obispo County, California, with her husband and their five children. Proud of her Yaqui and Apache heritage on her mother's side, Sierra is committed to honoring her roots. Three of her children also embody their Northern Cheyenne ancestry. Sierra hopes to raise awareness that Native American people and culture exist all around us.

Resources

Multimedia

Businesses to Support

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