Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum

Artist Discussion with Madeline Sayet
2022-07-10 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Artist Discussion and Q&A with Mohegan Director, Playwright, and Actor, Madeline Sayet
Join us on Sunday, July 10 at 6:00 p.m. as we welcome award-winning Mohegan director, writer, actor, and educator Madeline Sayet to the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian. We invite you to this in-person conversation and Q&A to celebrate Sayet’s work and the production of her solo play, Where We Belong, now showing at the Goodman Theatre as part of a national tour presented by the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in association with the Folger Shakespeare Library.
Where We Belong, at the Goodman Theatre through July 24, 2022, is a personal story of an Indigenous theatre-maker’s journey across geographic borders, personal history, and cultural legacies; in search of a place to belong. Sayet’s autobiographical account in Where We Belong shares her experience pursuing a Ph.D. in Shakespeare in England. There she finds a country that refuses to acknowledge its role in colonialism while echoing a journey to England braved by Native ancestors in the 1700s following treatise betrayals, forcing us to consider what it means to belong in an increasingly globalized world.
This intimate conversation with Sayet is free for Mitchell Museum Members and $10 for non-members. Admission for Native citizens is always free. Tickets can be purchased in advance or onsite.
MADELINE SAYET
Madeline Sayet, Playwright, Performer (she/her) is a Mohegan theater maker who believes the stories we pass down inform our collective possible futures. She serves as an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University with the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (ACMRS) and is the Executive Director of the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program (YIPAP). She has been honored as a Forbes 30 Under 30 in Hollywood & Entertainment, TED Fellow, MIT Media Lab Director’s Fellow, National Directing Fellow, Drama League Director-In-Residence, NCAIED Native American 40 Under 40 and a recipient of The White House Champion of Change Award from President Obama. As a writer her plays include Where We Belong; Up and Down the River; Antigone Or And Still She Must Rise Up; Daughters of Leda; The Neverland and The Fish (In Development). Recent directing work includes Tlingit Christmas Carol (Perseverance Theatre); Midsummer Night’s Dream (South Dakota Shakespeare); Henry IV (Connecticut Repertory Theatre); Whale Song (Perseverance Theatre); As You Like It (Delaware Shakespeare); The Winter’s Tale (Amerinda/HERE Arts); Poppea (Krannert Center, Illinois); The Magic Flute (Glimmerglass); Macbeth (NYC Parks) and Miss Lead (59e59).
www. madelinesayet.com
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org | (847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events/

Walking in Two Worlds: Understanding the Two-Spirit/Native 2SLGBTQ+ Community (click to view recording)
2022-06-01 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Join Two-Sprit leaders Gary Neumann (Salish) and Lenny Hayes (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate) on the historical roles and identities of Two-Spirit/Native 2SLGBTQ+ people and how colonization and historical and intergenerational trauma have impacted the Two-Spirit-LGBTQ+ Community. Together, Gary and Lenny will share their knowledge to educate individuals, families, and organizations to understand and support children, adults, elders, and relatives who may identify as Two-Spirit or Native LGBTQ+.

In this session, the presenters will:

Share the history and community roles of Two-Spirit people
Bring awareness to the high rates of violence placed on the Two-Spirit individuals
Discuss the behavioral health issues that impact the Two-Spirit Community
Inform participants how to be an ally to youth and adults who identify as Two-Spirit/Native LGBTQ.

Gary Neumann Salish – Pend’Orielle
Gary Neumann is an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian Nation and identifies as Two-Spirit. He has over 35 years of experience in prevention and human resource development. Gary has worked successfully with various tribal, state, and federal agencies in program design, implementation, and evaluation, focusing on at-risk youth, families, and communities. Currently, Gary works for Tribal Tech as a Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator and serves as a task lead for training SAMHSA staff. He developed a series of newsletters – Spirit-Honor-Inclusion, focusing on Two-Spirit issues. Gary previously served as the Project Manager of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Access to Recovery III Program. He also served as the Training and Technical Assistance Director of the Native American Center for Excellence, a national resource center for Native American substance abuse prevention providing culturally centered training, technical assistance, and information resource services to various Native and non-Native audiences throughout the United States. His work experience includes extensive knowledge of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA), and how it applies to American Indians and Alaska Natives, having developed and conducted ACA trainings for Montana/Wyoming Tribes. Gary is skilled in assessment, capacity building, prevention specialist certification, marketing, grant writing, methamphetamine prevention, youth violence, bullying and suicide prevention, and sustainability. He has developed several culturally appropriate training curriculums and community-based organizing modules and presented and trained at national and international conferences throughout the United States, Alaska, and Canada. He is a certified SAPST Trainer/Facilitator.
Lenny Hayes Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate
Lenny Hayes is an enrolled member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe and is the owner and operator of Tate Topa Consulting, LLC and is currently in private practice specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy. He has extensive training in mental and chemical health issues that impact the Two-Spirit/Native LGBTQ+ and Native Community. Hayes speaks across the country on the impact of historical and intergenerational trauma, violence, child welfare issues, and the impact of sexual violence on men and boys. Lenny is the former Missing and Murdered Two-Spirit Project Assistant for Sovereign Bodies Institute and serves as a board or committee member for StrongHearts Native Helpline, Wac’ ang’a (Sweet Grass) Inc. Victim Services, First Nations Repatriation Institute, Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition, National Quality Improvement Center on Tailored Services, Placement Stability and Permanency for LGBTQ/Two-Spirit children and youth in foster care, and the National Resource Center for Domestic Violence.

This is a free virtual discussion open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider donating to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org
(847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events/

Indigenous Medicine Garden Clean Up Day
2022-05-28 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Join us from 12-3pm as we prepare our space for the Indigenous Medicine garden!

We are looking for volunteers and community members to help us work in our garden space. Please come ready to get dirty! We have some tools available, please bring your own if you have any.

For more information about this program, please contact: kimvigue@gichigamiin-museum.org | (847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events/

Paha Stitch: Reclaiming the name and restoring dignity to Lakota Beading (click to watch recording)
2022-05-11 18:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Rhonda Holy Bear will discuss her campaign to reclaim the Lakota language and eliminate the derogatory term “lazy stitch”.

About this event

Words we use to define Indigenous histories and traditions have significant meaning and power. Many common yet offensive terms still used today have racist origins to describe Indigenous artistic techniques and practices contributing to cultural erasure. Award-winning Lakota Artist Rhonda Holy Bear is committed to restoring the appropriate terminology and language to describe beading techniques. In this session, Rhonda will discuss her campaign to reclaim the Lakota language and eliminate the derogatory term “lazy stitch” used to describe long-venerated traditional beading techniques. Rhonda will share how the offensive word was used to imply Lakota grandmothers were “lazy” women whose artwork was unworthy of respect. She will introduce the appropriate term, “Paha Stitch,” meaning Hill Stitch or apahaka kagege used to reflect the Lakota values for industriousness and a strong work ethic. Rhonda invites others to change the name to Paha Stitch to honor and preserve the true legacy of Lakota/Plains women.
About the Artist
Rhonda Holy Bear was born in South Dakota in 1959. Rhonda is a Lakota transitional art figure artist. She has been creating figures for over 45 years. She spent her formative years on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota and, later, in Chicago. Rhonda would eventually move to the southwest, settling in New Mexico and, most recently, Las Vegas, Nevada. As a youth, Rhonda researched the work of her ancestors in the vaults of the Chicago Field Museum. Her meticulous research and artistic gifts would establish Rhonda as a notable leader in her field. Her innovative transitional art figures, a combination of sculpture and traditional techniques, have elevated the prominence of Plains figures in contemporary Native American art. What were once primarily considered playthings are now highly collectible plains Indian art figures. Her work has been prominently displayed in museums and private collections in United States and around the world. Most recently, her work has been featured in The Metropolitan Art Museum of New York, The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian and at the Art Institute of Chicago and The Field Museum of Chicago. Rhonda was recently honored in a naming ceremony in her native South Dakota. Her Lakota name is “Wakah Wayuphika Win” (Making With Exceptional Skills Woman).

This is a free virtual discussion series open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider donating to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org
(847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events/

Indigenous Ingenuity: Celebrating & Empowering Entrepreneurs
2022-04-09 00:00 (America/Chicago) | Mitchell Museum of the American Indian – 3009, 3009 Central Street, Evanston, 60201, United States
-POSTPONED-
This event has been postponed until further notice.
Celebrate the Spirit of Indigenous Ingenuity and Entrepreneurship

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The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, in partnership with the Native American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois, Visionary Ventures, and Native American Financial Literacy Services, invites Native business owners, artists, and creators to celebrate Indigenous Ingenuity and Entrepreneurship.

This program honors Indigenous entrepreneurship and brings together innovative Native professionals, business owners, leaders, and artists with museum visitors, community members, buyers, and potential clients. Participating Indigenous entrepreneurs will have the chance to share their contributions, accomplishments, professional services, and artistic creations with the public, allowing guests to support these Indigenous-owned companies by purchasing items or fostering future professional development opportunities.
Participation for all Native professionals is free. Indigenous entrepreneurs interested in attending and showcasing their business can RSVP using this form or email kimvigue@gichigamiin-museum.org.

A Winter's Telling - Cultural Roots and Oral Traditions (click for recording)
2022-03-12 16:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in collaboration with Chicago’s American Indian Center brings you the Native American Seasonal Tradition of Spoken Word.
Join us for an evening of stories, music, refreshments, and an open mic session. Indigenous Story Tellers, Poets, Writers will be celebrating the end of the Winter season with words of wisdom, stories, histories old and new.
Please RSVP on Eventbrite. Suggest $5 donation w/ museum admission, to be paid onsite. Tribal members free.
The health and safety of our visitors, staff, and volunteers is our top priority. For more information on our Covid-19 guidelines, please visit https://gichigamiin-museum.org/plan-your-visit/
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org
(847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events/

Virtual Artist Discussion with Christal Ratt (Click for recording)
2022-02-17 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Join us for our artist discussion about their work and who they are as artists. There will be a live Q&A at the end of each discussion.
Christal Ratt, Pidabinikwe, is an award-winning Algonquin Anishnabe artist from the Mitchikinabikok Inik – Algonquins of Barriere Lake. Christal’s awards include Best of Division, First, Second and Honourable Mentions in the Beadwork, Quillwork and Diverse Arts categories at prestigious art shows such SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market in Santa Fe NM, Heard Guild Museum Market in Phoenix AZ, and Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market Indianapolis IN. At a young age, Christal was taught how to bead and sew by her Mom. Her parents and relatives inspire her to keep working with Wiigwas / Birch Bark to create a range of items from jewelry and diverse arts.
This is a free virtual discussion series open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider donating to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
We want to thank each one of our featured artists as well as our sponsor. This artist’s program was generously funded in part by Evanston Arts Council.
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org
(847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events/

Virtual Artist Discussion with Jennifer M. Stevens (Click for recording)
2022-01-27 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Join us for our artist discussion about their work and who they are as artists. There will be a live Q&A at the end of each discussion.
Jennifer M. Stevens is currently a resident of Bayview-Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin through her father and Oglala Lakota through her Mother. She was born in Alexandria, Virginia and raised on the Oneida Nation-De Pere, Wisconsin and received her Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Art from St. Norbert College.
Jennifer M. Stevens has weaved a creative life as a classical singer and visual artist. She studied Classical Singing and Opera nationally and internationally and she studied Classical Art in college and traditional Oneida Pottery with prominent woodland Indigenous artists such as; Rose K. Kerstetter, Peter B. Jones, and Richard Zane Smith.
Furthermore, Jennifer M. Stevens became nationally known for her contribution in cultural preservation through Oneida Pottery revitalization, taught Oneida Pottery for 20 years 4k-Advance level students, and one of the few in history to become a professional Native American woman composer and classical singer. Stevens was acknowledged in the book, Encyclopedia of Native American Music of North America by Elaine Keillor and Timothy Archambault, and was a featured Artist, Singer, and Composer on PBS-Wisconsin Public Television, “Wisconsin Life” and the documentary, “Owe.la’: The Music Within Jennifer Stevens.” Stevens is a Singer, Composer, Artist, Researcher, and Educator, and her life philosophy is “Community Building Through the Arts.”
This is a free virtual discussion series open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider donating to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
We want to thank each one of our featured artists as well as our sponsor. This artist’s program was generously funded in part by Evanston Arts Council.
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org
(847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events/

Virtual Artist Discussion with Sophia Ford (Click for recording)
2021-12-09 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Sophia Ford is from the Bad River Band of Chippewa in Wisconsin. She is an Ojibwe storyteller and will be sharing some of these stories with us. Storytelling is an artform all on it’s own and has been around for generations. Traditionally, winter is the time for storytelling for most tribes and starts with the first snowfall of the season. The stories told are all about life lessons and teachings from the elders to the next generation.
This is a free virtual discussion series open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider donating to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
We want to thank each one of our featured artists as well as our sponsor. This artist’s program was generously funded in part by Evanston Arts Council.
For more information about this program, please contact: info@mitchellmuseum.or | (847) 475-1030

Why Indigenous Peoples' Day? (Click for recording)
2021-11-30 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
A Facebook Live Conversation in honor of Native American Heritage Month

About this event

Join us for a live conversation to discuss the nationwide movement to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day in honor of Native American Heritage Month. This event will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/PresidentPreckwinkle.
Moderator: Les Begay, Diné, Indigenous Peoples’ Day Coalition, Illinois
Panelists:

Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President
Alaina E. Roberts, Assistant Professor of History, University of Pittsburgh
Yahtiley Phoenix, Cherokee Nation Eastern Band, Indigenous Strong
Jen Hunt, Descendant of Choctaw Nation, Indigenous Strong
Dr. Fred L. Gardaphe, Professor of Italian American Studies, Queens College, City University of New York, and the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute

About the Panelists:
Alaina E. Roberts is a historian who studies the intersections of African American and Native American life from the Civil War to the present. In addition to her book, I’ve Been Here All the While: Black Freedom on Native Land, she’s written for the Washington Post and TIME magazine, and been featured on CNN and the Boston Globe. www.alainaeroberts.com
Indigenous Strong is a grassroots group of Indigenous People that advocate for the Rights of Indigenous People/Community in/around Baltimore City and now the State of Maryland (MD), to include our 2SPIRIT community, and our Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) in MD. Part of our Social Justice Platform has been for the rights of Urban Indigenous Population, 2SPIRIT community, and our MMIP, who are often times overlooked and underserved. We have been fighting for Indigenous Rights as a group for approximately 5 years; but most of us have been fighting independently our entire lives.
Fred Gardaphe is Distinguished Professor of English and Italian/American Studies at Queens College/CUNY and the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute. His books include Italian Signs, American Streets: The Evolution of Italian American Narrative, Leaving Little Italy, and From Wiseguys to Wise Men: Masculinities and the Italian American Gangster.
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The Indigenous Peoples Day Coalition – Illinois is currently comprised of over 180 supporting organizations. Building on the International effort begun in 1977 and the National movement begun in 1992, the IPD Coalition- Illinois is dedicated to replacing Columbus Day in Illinois. Supporters include many thousands of Cook County residents, and also includes over 30 Illinois elected officials from the national, state, county and city governments.
Facebook: Indigenous Peoples Day Coalition – Illinois
Twitter: twitter.com/Ipd4I
Instagram: @ipd4il
email: IPDCoalition@gmail.com
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The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian is one of only a handful of museums across the country that focuses exclusively on the art, history, and culture of Native American and First Nation peoples from throughout the United States and Canada. It promotes public understanding of cultural diversity through first voice perspectives.
Since its founding in 1977, the Mitchell Museum has evolved into a cherished resource of collections, exhibits, programs and activities that introduce visitors from throughout the Chicago region to the cultures of American Indians. The Mitchell Museum’s mission is to promote and share a deeper understanding of Native American peoples through the collection, preservation, and interpretation of their traditional and contemporary art and material culture. https://gichigamiin-museum.org

Cultural Representation in Education
2021-11-23 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom (Pre-Registration Required)
Join us to learn about Native American history, culture and traditions first-hand from the perspectives of Indigenous educators.
Native American Heritage Month (NAHM) celebrates the rich history and vibrant culture and traditions of the diverse American Indian and Alaska Native communities throughout the United States each November. It is a time to honor the resilience of Native Nations and enrich peoples understanding of our invaluable achievements and contributions throughout history and today.

As the Mitchell Museum observes NAHM, we acknowledge the importance of cultural representation in education. To continue to provide accurate teachings of Native American people and cultures, we are offering a series of virtual discussions and educational experiences this month. The Museum invites both Native and Non-Native educators, school administrators, and parents to join us to learn about Native American history, culture and traditions first-hand from the perspectives of nationally recognized, award-winning Indigenous educators.

Waqnahwew Benjamin Grignon

Benjamin Grignon (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin) is a teacher of traditional Menominee arts. He represents the Menominee Nation and approaches culturally-responsive education by using Menominee Language, Culture, and art to promote and preserve tribal history as a pathway for future generations and positively influence the education of the youth in his community. He is the 2019 Wisconsin High School Teacher of the Year and the recipient of the 2020 National Education Association’s Leo Reano Memorial Human and Civil Rights Award.

Benjamin will be speaking about his journey to becoming a teacher at the Menominee Indian High School. He will be sharing the lessons he has learned over his 14 years of teaching experience and how this journey influences Menominee education by helping to design the Kaehkēnawapahta͞eq Menominee Immersion Charter School.

This is a free virtual program open to our members, friends, and visitors presented via Zoom. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider making a donation to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/

After you register on Eventbrite, visit our online event page for steps to log on https://www.eventbrite.com/…/cultural-representation-in…

For more information about this program, please contact:

info@gichigamiin-museum.org | (847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events

12th Annual Dr. Carlos Montezuma Honorary Lecture & Awards
2021-11-18 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Join us for our signature award presentation honoring significant contributions to Native American society, culture, and history.
The Mitchell Museum’s annual awards honor Dr. Carlos Montezuma, a Chicago physician and Native American activist; Woodrow “Woody” Crumbo, a Native American artist, dancer, and flute player; and Elizabeth Seabury Mitchell, one of the founders of the Mitchell Museum.
2021 Woodrow “Woody” Crumbo Awardee for exceptional contributions in the development and preservation of American Indian art to: Delina White – Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
2021 Elizabeth Seabury Mitchell Awardee for exemplary service and philanthropic giving in promoting American Indian culture to: Cheryl Crazy Bull – Sicangu Lakota Citizen
2021 Lecturer and the Dr. Carlos Montezuma Honorary Awardee for a distinguished speaker whose contributions in social activism advanced Native peoples on a national scale to: Lawrence Baca – Pawnee
This is a free virtual program open to our members, friends, and visitors presented via Zoom Webinar. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider making a donation to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
For more information about this program, please contact:
info@gichigamiin-museum.org | (847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events

Indigenous Perspectives: History of Native America
2021-11-16 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Join us to learn about Native American history, culture and traditions first-hand from the perspectives of Indigenous educators.
Native American Heritage Month (NAHM) celebrates the rich history and vibrant culture and traditions of the diverse American Indian and Alaska Native communities throughout the United States each November. It is a time to honor the resilience of Native Nations and enrich peoples understanding of our invaluable achievements and contributions throughout history and today.
As the Mitchell Museum observes NAHM, we acknowledge the importance of cultural representation in education. To continue to provide accurate teachings of Native American people and cultures, we are offering a series of virtual discussions and educational experiences this month. The Museum invites both Native and Non-Native educators, school administrators, and parents to join us to learn about Native American history, culture and traditions first-hand from the perspectives of nationally recognized, award-winning Indigenous educators.
David O’Connor, M.S. (Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) is the American Indian Studies Consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. He supports school districts’ efforts to teach the history, culture, and sovereignty of Tribal Nations. He offers consultation on teaching Native students and liaison to Wisconsin’s Tribal Nations, Wisconsin Indian Education Association (WIEA), Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC), and the Special Committee on State-Tribal Relations. David is the recipient of the 2020 Native American 40 under 40 Award from the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development and a 2021 Indian Educator of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Indian Education Association.
In this session, David will discuss the histories, cultures, tribal sovereignty, and treaties of the American Indian nations of the United States. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about some historical experiences and contemporary issues of Indigenous peoples and nations through histories, language, literacy, and storytelling. David will provide information, resources, such as books, videos, and other materials to learn more about Native peoples, communities, and nations for participants.
This is a free virtual program open to our members, friends, and visitors presented via Zoom. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider making a donation to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org | (847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events

Indigenous Ecology in the Great Lakes Region
2021-11-11 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Zoom (Pre-Registration Required)
Please join the Sierra Club, the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, and author and environmental educator Adam Kessel (Lakota/Italian/German) for a discussion on Indigenous plant use and ecology in the Great Lakes Region. During this session, Kessel will discuss his work as a Program Coordinator with the Forest Preserves of Cook County and share his insights on Native ethnobotany, including traditional plant and land use and preservation practices utilized today by Native communities.
When: Thursday November 11 at 7PMWhere: Zoom – link provided when you register https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=7013q000002FwrXAAS

Eternal Love: Tales of Love and War Through the Eyes of a Soldier
2021-11-11 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom (Pre-Registration Required)
Please join the American Bar Association Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association for a very special Veteran’s Day program with Louis Moore, who is 98-years-old and a WWII veteran. He will talk about his beloved wife, Nellie, and the book he wrote, Eternal Love, about their life together.
They met in 1946 right after WWII had ended. He saw her as a dancer at the China Doll nightclub in New York City. He could not take his eyes off of her. Weeks later, a chance meeting in a coffee shop launched a decades-long love affair between a Chinese American soldier who was trying to restart his life after the war and Japanese-American woman trying to rebuild her life after the U.S. Government incarcerated her and her family at the Gila River Relocation Center.
Mr. Moore has lived history through the last century, despite discriminatory laws such as the Japanese internment and laws preventing Asian Americans from purchasing homes. Hear from Mr. Moore about his life, his love and his resilience that propels him forward. Mr. Moore’s story is even more poignant and compelling during this time where we have seen a rise in anti-Asian violence.
Purchase the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Love-Louis-Moore/dp/0578809370/
Speaker:– Louis Moore – Author, Eternal Love
Co-Moderators:– Wendy C. Shiba – Former President, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association; Member, Board of Trustees, Japanese American National Museum– Mary L. Smith – Former Secretary, American Bar Association; Chair, Caroline and Ora Smith Foundation
RSVP Here https://americanbar.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eELfnAHbSCqAlXcHS8b89g
CART services will be available.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS NOT FOR CLE CREDIT.
Co-Sponsors: Caroline and Ora Smith Foundation, Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition Project, Japanese American National Museum, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates

Virtual Artist Discussion with Mark Jourdan (click for recording)
2021-11-10 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Join us for our artist discussion about their work and who they are as artists. There will be a live Q&A at the end of each discussion.
Mark Jourdan is a Ho-Chunk and Oneida singer/songwriter based out of Chicago, IL. He grew up in Chicago spending his summers and weekends traveling the Midwest and Canada going to pow-wows with his family. Music has always played a big part of his life. Driving across the country with his family made the radio and tape players as much of a part of the family as his siblings. His father took him to see B.B. King when he was 16 and that was his first experience of what it meant to “own a room”.
Since February of 2020, he has been playing a weekly show called “Saturday Night Quarantainment with Music by Mark Jourdan”. These weekly shows has allowed him to play for tens of thousands of people from all over the world and he plays a little of everything. Music has always been his home. https://www.facebook.com/musicbymarkjourdan/
This is a free virtual discussion series open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider donating to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
We want to thank each one of our featured artists as well as our sponsor. This artist’s program was generously funded in part by Evanston Arts Council.
After you register for tickets to the event, visit our Online Event Page to join the zoom meeting. You will also receive a link to join in your confirmation email from Eventbrite. This event will also be livestreamed on our Facebook page.
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org | (847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events/

"The State of Native America" Panel Discussion
2021-11-09 17:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | McCormick Foundation Center, McCormick Foundation Center Forum, 1870 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, United States
This event is organized by Northwestern Medill.
Join us for a lively discussion about the state of Native America with the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) and Medill Milestone Achievement Award recipients Lori Edmo and Tom Arviso Jr. and Melodi Serna, Executive Director of the American Indian Center of Chicago. The conversation will be moderated by Patty Loew, Medill Professor and Director of the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research at Northwestern.
The award recognizes an individual who has had a lasting effect on media to the benefit of Indigenous communities. Given by NAJA and Medill, the award celebrates and encourages responsible storytelling and journalism in Indian Country.
5:30-6:30 Reception
6:30-Panel discussion and Q&A
Lori Edmo is the editor of the Sho-Ban News. Tom Arviso Jr. is the CEO of the Navajo Times Publishing Company and publisher of the Navajo Times.
Please register in advance for this in-person event on Eventbrite

Central Street Trick-or-Treat
2021-10-23 10:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Independence Park, Central Street, Evanston, 2000 Central Street, Evanston, IL Illinois, 60201, United States
Family fun awaits! It’s the very first Central Street Trick-or-Treat this Saturday, Oct 23, and we hope you can join the Mitchell Museum and the other businesses along Central Street!

Here’s how to join in the fun:
• Trick-or-Treat hours are 10am-5pm at participating businesses.
• Free Admission to the Mitchell Museum all day during Trick-or-Treat hours
• Enjoy a kiddie concert by Jamberry Music at Independence Park at 11am.
• Make Halloween-themed arts and crafts at the Evanston Art Center.
**Kids get a FREE tote bag and more! From Central Street – Evanston *Click for list of stores providing the free tote bag

For the full list of participating businesses and schedule of events, visit:
https://centralstreet-evanston.com/central-street-trick-or-treat

Virtual Artist Discussion with Osceola and Genevieve Red Shirt
2021-10-21 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Two Guns Leather Co.
Osceola Red Shirt is an enrolled member of the Oglala, Lakota tribe in Pine Ridge, SD. For over ten years he traveled the powwow circuit full time competing as a men’s northern traditional dancer. He found a great deal of success as a dancer and eventually toured with the American Indian Dance Theater. After traveling the country he decided to settle down and begin a career in law enforcement. For over 16 years he has worked as a full time law enforcement officer working first in a municipal police department and later worked for the BIA.
He began tooling leather in 1993. Inspired by his uncle Darrel Brushbreaker Sr, he began making and selling small leather items to vendors at powwows. Eventually people asked him to make powwow belts and he continued doing that from time to time. He never had any actual lessons or apprenticed with anyone. From time to time he received tips from his uncle which he used to improve his art. During his law enforcement career he continued leather work in a small capacity as stress relieving outlet.
He began teaching his wife Genevieve around 2015 and she quickly took to leather work with a great passion. In 2017 they started Two Guns Leather Co. together and in 2019 decided to open a shop in Tahlequah, OK. His style of leather work is very unique among other leather artists. He does not do the traditional leather tooling familiar to most people. His designs and art reflect his proud native ancestry. Much like his people before him he expresses his art trough everyday functional items such as belts, bags, wallets and much more. He truly embraces the concept of functional art. He believes in creating beautiful works of art that people can use on a daily basis that will last for many years. https://twogunsleather.com/
This is a free virtual discussion series open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider donating to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
We want to thank each one of our featured artists as well as our sponsor. This artist’s program was generously funded in part by Evanston Arts Council.
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org

Indigenous Peoples' Day - Presentation
2021-10-11 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Join us for a presentation and discussion with guest speakers about Indian Boarding schools in North America.
*This event will be livestreamed on our Facebook page.*
Indian Boarding Schools in North America
Across the United States and Canada in the 19th and 20th centuries, thousands of Native American children were removed from their homes and forced to attend government and church run boarding schools. The forced assimilation and attempted eradication of Native people through compulsory “residential schools” with a policy of “kill the Indian, save the man” resulted in the loss of life, the loss of a generation of relatives, language speakers, and culture bearers.
In 2007, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was established because of the largest class-action settlement in Canadian history, the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Here in the United States, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative. The Department of the Interior will identify boarding school sites, locations of known and possible student burial sites located at or near school facilities and identify the children and their tribal affiliations to bring them home. Recently, 1,500+ mass unmarked graves have been found at Residential schools across Canada.
In the United States, the Rosebud Sioux Youth Council worked for six years to bring home 9 of their relatives from Carlisle Indian School. After more than 140 years away, they were welcomed home in July of this year. The work to bring the relatives home has just started, we celebrate and honor those who have not made it home yet.
Guest Speaker: Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo) – San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Tribal Legal Development Clinic Director at UCLA School of Law.
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org | (847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/ipd2021

Indigenous Peoples' Day 2021 - Student Presentation
2021-10-11 12:00 - 12:45 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Join us for an informational presentation for students about the Indian Boarding school era.
Indian Boarding Schools in North America
Across the United States and Canada in the 19th and 20th centuries, thousands of Native American children were removed from their homes and forced to attend government and church run boarding schools. The forced assimilation and attempted eradication of Native people through compulsory “residential schools” with a policy of “kill the Indian, save the man” resulted in the loss of life, the loss of a generation of relatives, language speakers, and culture bearers.
In 2007, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was established because of the largest class-action settlement in Canadian history, the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Here in the United States, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative. The Department of the Interior will identify boarding school sites, locations of known and possible student burial sites located at or near school facilities and identify the children and their tribal affiliations to bring them home. Recently, 1,500+ mass unmarked graves have been found at Residential schools across Canada.
In the United States, the Rosebud Sioux Youth Council worked for six years to bring home 9 of their relatives from Carlisle Indian School. After more than 140 years away, they were welcomed home in July of this year. The work to bring the relatives home has just started, we celebrate and honor those who have not made it home yet.
Guest Speaker: Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo) – San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Tribal Legal Development Clinic Director at UCLA School of Law.
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org | (847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/ipd2021

Virtual Artist Discussion with Bill Brien
2021-09-16 18:00 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Bill Brien is a Lakota, Dakotah, Chippewa, Metis artist. Brien is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in North Dakota. He graduated from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, in 2011 with a degree in history with minors in philosophy and geography. Since 2011, Brien has resided in the city of Bismarck, ND.
In 2016, Brien found his love and passion for art because of his wife, Geri. Geri was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014. In early 2015 Geri was cancer free but by the end of 2015 the cancer had returned and spread.
Brien is a self taught artist. He calls himself “a digital cell phone artist.” His chosen medium is digital art, using his cell phone as his canvas to create all his work. Brien’s art has been displayed at two local Bismarck art galleries: Bismarck Art & Galleries Association and the Bismarck Downtown Artist Cooperative.
Brien had a piece in the 2019 Bring Her Home: Stolen Daughters of Turtle Island Art Exhibit at the All My Relations Art Gallery in Minneapolis, MN. He participated in the 2020 Online Heard Museum Indian Art Market. Brien recently was awarded first place in the category he entered at the 2021 Red Earth Festival Juried Art Show in Shawnee, OK. Brien’s work can also be seen at area pow-wow’s during the summer months.
The highlight of Brien’s art career is being recognized by the Bismarck Cancer Center at its annual Hope Giver’s Extraordinaire Banquet. Brien was recognized for donations made to the Bismarck Cancer Center from art sales in honor of his late wife, Geri. Geri made her Heavenly journey May 1, 2018, after a four year battle with breast cancer.
This is a free virtual discussion series open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider donating to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
We want to thank each one of our featured artists as well as our sponsor. This artist’s program was generously funded in part by Evanston Arts Council.
For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org

Art Talk: Johnnie L. Diacon "Trail of Tears Mural" 5/12/2021 @ 5:30 PM CST
2021-05-15 17:30 - 18:15 (America/Chicago) | Eventbrite Registration Required
Artist Johnnie Diacon (Muscogee (Creek)) has been working on a three-panel mural installation for the Museum of Native American History (MONAH) that depicts the Trail of Tears. This mural will effectively create a new stop on the National Trail of Tears Association map of destinations at MONAH.
Johnnie will be joined by Charlotte Buchanan-Yale, Director of MONAH. Together they will discuss the scope of the mural and getting it added to the list of stops on the National Trail of Tears Association map of destinations.
Register Below:

2021 Annual Virtual Benefit Gala
2021-04-30 18:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom (Pre-Registration Required)
Purchase your tickets or sponsorship directly from here!

Virtual Book Reading with Adam Kessel (Lakota)
2021-04-28 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | IL
Tales of the Plant Guardians takes you on a rhythmic journey through riddles and rhymes to the secret world of the plants in your backyard. Readers learn both the good and the not-so-good secret powers of common weeds in this backyard adventure book.
Adam Kessel has taught urban ecology programs extensively throughout the Great Lakes Region. As a father he is always looking for ways to share the magic of nature in every outdoor experience with his children. His books offer an opportunity to find that magic in places that one might overlook. Adam received his Master of Arts in Teaching from National-Louis University of Chicago. He holds a teaching certificate with the State of Illinois, an arborist certificate through the International Society of Arboriculture, and an Interpretive Guide certificate through National Association for Interpretation. https://theplantguardians.com/
This is a free virtual discussion series open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider donating to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
For more information about this program, please contact: Josee Starr – jstarr@gichigamiin-museum.org
(847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org/events/

The Mitchell Museum Presents Mankiller
2021-04-18 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | https://watch.eventive.org/collectiveeye/play/6025a790515e4b04f0186898
Once you pre-order “Mankiller” (58 min.), the film will be available for you to view at your own leisure between April 15th at 8:00 am CST and the live panel discussion (featuring the film director, Valerie Red-Horse Mohl) event on April 18th @ 6:00 pm CST. *Once you begin the film, you will have 24 hours to complete watching it.
“Mankiller” is the story of an American hero. One who stands tall amongst the likes of Robert Kennedy, Harriet Tubman, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Someone who humbly defied the odds and overcame insurmountable obstacles to fight injustice and gave a voice to the voiceless. And yet few people know her name. This is the story of an American legend, Wilma Mankiller, who overcame rampant sexism and personal challenges to emerge as the Cherokee Nation’s first woman Principal Chief in 1985. MANKILLER examines the legacy of the formidable Wilma Mankiller and reunites the documentary team of Gale Anne Hurd and Valerie Red-Horse Mohl for their third and most powerful film.
As a child, Wilma’s family was relocated from Oklahoma to San Francisco, and although the move was traumatic, it was in the Bay Area during the turbulent 1960s that she became involved in the fight for civil rights and joined the Alcatraz Occupation. Wilma brought this passion back to her people where she was re-elected for three terms to serve as the Cherokee’s highest leader laying important foundations for the current Nation’s economic and cultural status as one of the most successful tribes in America. Although she considered herself a liberal democrat, as Deputy Chief she served under a conservative Republican and was known as a uniter of all people. Wilma launched many cutting-edge initiatives that substantially improved living conditions during her tenure, and in 1990 she signed an unprecedented Cherokee Nation self-determination agreement with the federal government, in which the Nation took control of its funding, programs, and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
In 1998, recognizing her impressive leadership and achievements, President Bill Clinton awarded her the Medal of Freedom. A stalwart activist for women’s rights, Wilma Mankiller was cited by the organizers of the January 2017 Women’s March on Washington as one of the most important leaders in America’s movement for equality. And yet, most people still don’t know her name. MANKILLER reminds audiences of the true meaning of servant leadership and serves as a wake-up call to take action for positive change.
VALERIE RED-HORSE MOHL, OF CHEROKEE ANCESTRY, IS THE CEO/FOUNDER OF RED-HORSE NATIVE PRODUCTIONS, INC., A FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION COMPANY THAT HAS BECOME A PREEMINENT COLLABORATOR WITH AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBAL NATIONS TO BRING IMPORTANT NATIVE STORIES ACCURATELY AND RESPECTFULLY TO THE SCREEN FOR WHICH SHE DIRECTS, PRODUCES, AND WRITES.

Virtual Artist Discussion: Bear Fox (Kanienkehaka)
2021-04-08 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom (Pre-Registration Required)
Join us for an evening of song with Bear Fox. Bear is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and storyteller. She first began writing songs in the Mohawk language for their Traditional Women’s singing group Kontiwennenhawi (Carries of the Words). She has traveled the world sharing her gift and culture. Bear also writes songs in English, best known for “Broken” and “Rich Girl.” “Our language is struggling to survive right now, so it is important to our women’s group and I, to put our language into the songs. Many children in the local schools are beginning to sing our songs. We are very proud that we are able to contribute in some way to help with the survival of our language.”
Find out more about Bear Fox: https://www.bearfoxmusic.com/
This is a free virtual discussion series open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider donating when you register for a ticket through Eventbrite.
This artist’s program was generously funded in part by Evanston Arts Council.

Monthly Storytelling & Crafts: Ledgar Art
2021-03-28 13:30 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom (Pre-Registration Required)
Download & Print ledger paper here!

If you have been to MMAI, you may have noticed examples of ledger art sprinkled throughout our Great Plains section. This month, our Education Coordinator, Josee Starr, will explore this form of storytelling and how it continues to adapt over time.

Grab your favorite drawing utensils, print our example of ledger paper (or grab any old piece of paper!), and join us for this month’s storytelling and crafts time.

Virtual Artist Discussion: Carl Little (Navajo)
2021-03-11 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | IL
Carl is from a small community in Birdsprings, AZ on the Navajo Nation. His clans are Rock Gap, Deer Springs, Towering House, and Mexican Clan. He is an artist with many mediums including silversmith, graffiti, painting, drawing, and “upcycling or repurposing”. He loves to find new mediums to experiment with and is always looking for new ways to create.
Carl’s artist name is Ski-Zero. The name is based on two main ideas. The first is based on his Dine’ culture and the language. The work Ashkii means Boy or Kid and associates with a person being young or someone’s son. He shortened it to “Ski”. The second part is Zero. This relates to the math process of the xy axis where the number zero is the very center. It’s also known as the origin. Carl applies this to each moment where there is a decision to be made and we can go in either a negative or positive direction.
“I am looking forward to sharing my visions and art with you all. Thank you all for the opportunity to do so. Aheeheeh.” -Carl Little / SkiZero
This is a free virtual discussion series open to our members, friends, and visitors. As we continue to work on developing more programs, please consider making a donation to the museum. https://gichigamiin-museum.org/donate/
We would like to thank each one of our featured artists as well as our sponsor. This artist program was generously funded in part by Evanston Arts Council.
For more information about this program, please contact:
Josee Starr – jstarr@gichigamiin-museum.org
(847) 475-1030 | www.mitchellmuseum.org /events

Storytelling and Crafts: February 28th @1:30 PM
2021-02-28 13:30 (America/Chicago) | Zoom (Pre-Registration Required)
CLICK HERE to Download Printable coloring page
We are launching an online version of our monthly craft program; each month, we will host a virtual interactive craft session. We are building up to offering craft kits that will be available online and for pick-up!
This month we will provide a FREE printable coloring page that connects with creation stories that will be covered by Josee Starr, our education coordinator.
