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Native American Heritage Month 2021: New NA Voices

This celebratory guide is hosted by the SU Libraries Diversity & Inclusion Committee, with 2021 assistance from SU Libraries staff members Melinda McPeek and Stephen Ford.

AUTHOR: Tommy Orange

AUTHOR: Terese Marie Mailhot

AUTHOR: Billy-Ray Belcourt

In video above, Billy-Ray Belcourt recites his poem "Ode to Northern Alberta"

ARTIST: Pamela J. Peters

My Once Life is a hybrid video poem about the continuing impact of colonization on tribal peoples. Native people resist their violent history and contemporary political struggles through engaging with deep historical knowledge and creating new oral histories. I asked my native female friends to read my poem for a few reasons; one is that I want to show the diversity of tribal nations living in Los Angeles, and secondly, to show the passion and collective connection we have as Indigenous women to our tribal history. - Pamela J. Peters

ARTIST: Votan Henriquez

A time-lapse of Votan’s mural being made in Indian Alley in downtown Los Angeles.
Music: A Tribe Called Red “Electric Pow Wow Drum”
Time lapse shot and edited by Landon Taylor


Artist Votan Ik (Maya/Nahuatl) talks about overcoming challenges and his experience creating the Plenty Coups mural in downtown LA’s Indians alley.

ARTIST: Gerald Clarke Jr.

The above is a video of my lecture at the Santa Fe Art Institute's 140 Lectures. Seven slides and 140 seconds! WHEW!