TULALIP – The first Thursday of each month the Hibulb Cultural Center & Natural History Preserve features free admission to their exhibits, guest lectures and workshop series and a chance to purchase new arrivals at the center’s gift shop.
Guests today will enjoy free admission to the center’s new exhibit, A Journey with our Ancestors: Coast Salish Canoes, in addition to its main exhibit where you will learn about the history of the Tulalip Tribes, and Warriors We Remember, a gallery that tells the story of the Tulalip Tribes military tradition. This exhibit honors the Tulalip men and women who served their country in time of conflict and peace.
A Journey with our Ancestors: Coast Salish Canoes features a linear format which tells the historical timeline of canoe use and importance starting with pre-contact. Visitors will not only learn how canoes are used by Coast Salish tribes to travel, but also the different canoe styles, anatomy and how they are constructed, along with traditional canoe teachings and stories and about canoe carvers, canoe races and canoe journeys.
There is no scheduled workshop or guest lecture today.
Hibulb Cultural Center is open Tuesday through Friday , 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. and is located at 6410 23rd Avenue NE, Tulalip, WA, 98271. For more information about the center, please visit their website at www.hibulbculturalcenter.org.
Brandi N. Montreuil: 360-913-5402; bmontreuil@tulalipnews.com
Hibulb Cultural Center & Natural History Preserve’s new exhibit, A Journey with our Ancestors: Coast Salish Canoes. Photo/ Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
Hibulb Cultural Center & Natural History Preserve’s new gift shop arrivals.
Photos courtesy Hibulb Cultural Center
Hibulb Cultural Center & Natural History Preserve’s new gift shop arrivals.
Photos courtesy Hibulb Cultural Center
Hibulb Cultural Center & Natural History Preserve’s new gift shop arrivals.
Photos courtesy Hibulb Cultural Center
Hibulb Cultural Center & Natural History Preserve’s new gift shop arrivals.
Photos courtesy Hibulb Cultural Center
EVERETT, Wash. – Everett Community College has hired María Peña as the college’s chief diversity officer, a new position created to lead the college’s efforts to create and sustain a climate of diversity and equity.
Peña, of Mill Creek, brings 23 years of higher education experience to EvCC. Previously, she served as dean for Student Services and assistant to the president at Peninsula College. She also assumed leadership responsibilities as the steward of the Peninsula College longhouse since its creation in 2006.
Peña began her community college career as a faculty counselor at Peninsula. She served in progressively responsible leadership positions, including lead administrator for Disability Services, retention advising specialist, associate dean for Student Success and dean for Student Development at Peninsula. She has also worked at the executive level, having served as acting vice president for Student Services at Peninsula.
Peña has a master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Ecology with an emphasis on Human Behavior from University of California, Irvine.
Peña also has extensive international experiences, including studying in San Sebastian and Madrid, Spain.
EvCC’s Diversity & Equity Office advocates for the academic success of EvCC students, educates the campus and community about diversity and celebrates our differences.
TULALIP – Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve has packed their August schedule with exciting events that includes the center’s third anniversary celebration and a community event that brings elders and youth together to share wisdom and stories.
The host of activities kicks off on Sunday, August 3, with Tulalip storyteller Kelly Moses who will be telling traditional Tulalip stories in the center’s longhouse. At 1:00 p.m.
The center will host its 3rd anniversary celebration on August 16, beginning at 10:30 a.m. with Tulalip storyteller Lois Landgrebe, who tells traditional Tulalip stories in English and Lushootseed. Joining Landgrebe will be Jeff Hogan, executive director of Killer Whale Tales, an educational environment program that brings together the art of storytelling and field-based science to inspire listeners to take an active role in conservation of the Pacific Northwest killer whale habitat.
The anniversary event will also feature Tulalip poet, Ceriwyn Hanney, at 12:00 p.m., who will read original work. Immediately following Hanney will be a lecture at 1:00 p.m. given by Father Patrick Twohy, Superior of Jesuits of the Rocky Mountain Mission, who will be discussing his work with Coast Salish communities and his books, “Finding a Way Home” and “Beginnings – A Meditation on Coast Salish Lifeways.”
Tulalip artist Richard Muir Jr., will be holding a peyote stitch demonstration with kits available for purchase at 2:00 p.m. Following at 3:00 p.m., Tulalip master weaver Lance Taylor will also be hosting a demonstration on cedar weaving. To end the anniversary celebration the center, at 4:00 p.m., will feature Travis Holt Hamilton, who will be screening the movie, “More than frybread,” starring Tatanka Means, Gloria Dodge and Ernst Tsosie III.
On August 23, Angela Carpenter will be reading one of her favorite children’s book for the center’s children reading time series. Also scheduled for this series is Lois Landgrebe, who will read one of her favorite children’s books on August 30. Both reading times start at 1:30 p.m.
To wrap up the August event schedule the center will be hosting a campout style community event with the Elders and Youth Transfer of Knowledge Conference, August 26-28. The conference will be held at the Bay View Ranch House in the Warm Beach Camp in Stanwood and will feature Ray Williams, Don Hatch Jr., and Father Pat Twohy S.J., who will tell stories and host engaging discussions with the youth. This event requires registration with Hibulb staff.
August also marks the deadline for film submissions for the center’s second film festival. The deadline for the “Family, Through our Eyes” film festival is midnight August 24. Films submitted should include topics based on family history, heritage and honor and shared connections to recount history, culture and wisdom from your family’s perspective. This year a new youth category, anti-bullying has been added. Other film categories include documentaries, feature films, music documentaries, music videos and shorts. There is no entry fee for submissions. “Family, Through our eyes,” will be held on September 20th.
For more information on the Hibulb Cultural Center’s August events or the “Family, Through our eyes,” film festival, please contact the Lena Jones at 360-716-2640 or Mary Jane Topash at 360-716-2657, or visit their website at www.hibulbculturalcenter.org.
Brandi N. Montreuil: 360-913-5402; bmontreuil@tulalipnews.com
The Cherokee Nation now has its written language, the Cherokee syllabary, available in Braille.
“All Cherokees, regardless of any physical impairment, should be able to read and understand documents and signage in their native language,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker. “Our language programs keep evolving to meet every Cherokee’s needs, whether they are an elder, a young person or someone who is visually or otherwise impaired.”
The tribe’s fluent Cherokee speakers in the Cherokee Language Program partnered with the Commonwealth Braille and Talking Book Cooperative earlier this year to develop a Cherokee version of Braille. Dot patterns were derived from the 86-character Cherokee syllabary.
“It’s exciting that our Cherokee citizens who are visually impaired can now read stories in their first language,” said Roy Boney, language program manager. “We provided copies of our Cherokee syllabary, sample text and other items to be able to make Braille in Cherokee a reality. We want to stay in the forefront by offering the Cherokee language on as many written tools as possible to preserve and protect our native tongue.”
The Cherokee writing system has been in use since its invention by Sequoyah in 1821. Every major technology since then, ranging from the printing press, typewriter and word processor to fonts on the latest computers and smart phones, has adopted Cherokee.
The tribe has translated Cherokee for Apple, Microsoft and Google products.
Cherokee was initially encoded into Unicode, the international standards body that governs how all written languages are used on computer operating systems, in 2000. With the large volume of languages in the Unicode system, however, it wasn’t until now that Cherokee Braille was made compatible with the Braille system.
Now that Cherokee Braille is available, the raised, physical tactile print can be made using special printers.
The Commonwealth Braille and Talking Book Cooperative also developed a program that will convert typed Cherokee syllabary into print-ready Braille so that existing Cherokee documents can easily be converted into tactile books for the blind and visually impaired.
For more information about Cherokee Braille, visit the CBTBC’s website.
Youth at the 19th Annual Tulalip Lushootseed Language Camp’s week one group debut their play “The Seal Hunting Brothers,” at the Tulalip Kenny Moses Building on July 25. Photo/ Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
Annual camp immerses youth in traditional language
By Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
TULALIP – Tulalip youth welcomed their family and friends to the 19th Annual Lushootseed Language Camp where they presented the play “The Seal Hunting Brothers,” a traditional Tulalip story told by Martha LaMont.
Throughout this week language warriors, ages 5–12, have been adding to their expanding Lushootseed vocabulary while learning a condensed version of the original “The Seal Hunting Brothers,” which is comprised of 900 lines. The story explores topics about greed, honesty, providing for family and community, as well as how the Tulalip Tribes emblem came to be the killer whale.
Tulalip Lushootseed teachers and staff, who coordinate the camp every year, teach youth basic Lushootseed phrases, prayers and traditional stories through interactive workstations. The camp, which features two sessions each a weeklong focuses on a different traditional story each year. This year a handful of Quil Ceda & Tulalip Elementary teachers joined youth in learning the traditional values and stories of Tulalip, resulting in a continued collaborative effort between the Marysville School District and Tulalip Tribes.
Photo/ Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
“Each year we pick a theme,” said Lushootseed teacher Natosha Gobin to the audience before the play. “This year we learned about the seal hunting brothers and we are excited for you to hear what the kids learned during camp. Each year we have returning students. We only have ages 5 through 12, but when they reach that 12 year mark, most return to be group leaders and are excited to participate as a group leader.”
This year’s play was held at the Kenny Moses Building in Tulalip, a change from last year’s venue, held at the Hibulb Cultural Center’s longhouse. The longhouse setting is traditionally a place oral history; stories and traditions were told. Despite the change in venue, the youth put on a spectacular play, featuring a decorated set, costumes and props.
Keeping with Tulalip tradition, two witnesses were called forth to watch the play and speak a few words to the youth about their work. This year, the honor went to Tulalip elder Hank Williams, whose mother is Martha LaMont, and Tulalip tribal member Patti Gobin.
“I thank everyone for being here to watch the kids learn our language,” said Williams following the play. “This lifts my heart and makes me feel good to know that these children have learned our language and I hope they do not forget it, and they carry it on.”
Photo/ Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
“What I witnessed was a dream come true,” Gobin said to the youth. “ The old people used to say they were waiting for this day. They were waiting for the day when we could speak our traditional language. My grandmother was forced into the boarding school when she was just five years old. She entered speaking Lushootseed and left at the age of 19 speaking English. She refused to teach me our language because she said she didn’t want me to get hurt like she was for speaking Lushootseed. These children are privileged to be able to speak our language. It is exciting to see this. I thank the you children for speaking our language, and I thank the staff for being here to teach it to them.”
For more information about the Lushootseed language or the camp, please contact the Tulalip Lushootseed Department at 360-716-4495 or visit their website at http://www.tulaliplushootseed.com/.
Brandi N. Montreuil: 360-913-5402; bmontreuil@tulalipnews.com
The Obama administration is moving ahead with its plans to improve the federally funded schools that serve tens of thousands of American Indian students with an announcement of $2.5 million in grants to entice tribes to take more control over educating their children.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell—whose agency is responsible for the 47,000 students who are enrolled in Bureau of Indian Education schools—announced the competitive grants.
Last month,President Barack Obama rolled out his vision for a new and improved BIE, a long-troubled agency that directly operates 57 schools for Native American students and oversees 126 others run under contract by tribes. That”Blueprint for Reform” lays out steps to reorient the BIE from an agency that operates schools from Washington to a “school improvement organization” that provides resources and support services to schools that are controlled by tribes.
The competitive grants are the first concrete step in that direction.
Ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 per fiscal year, the grants are meant to assist federally recognized tribes that want to assume control over BIE schools that operate on their reservations. Interior Department officials said the grant funds will help tribes develop school reform plans that are tied to goals for improving academic achievement and operational efficiencies.
Tribal education departments that have three or more Bureau of Indian Education schools on their reservations are eligible for the grants. The administration’s overall plan to improve BIE faces strong skepticism in some parts of Indian Country, where distrust toward the agency runs deep among tribal leaders and educators.
Tribes won’t have long to put their proposals together. The deadline for the first grant cycle is Sept. 14.
Revisit Education Week‘s takeout on the state of Indian education for a deeper look at why schools that serve Native American children are among the lowest-performing.
Tulalip tribal member working towards Juris Doctorate
By Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
TULALIP – For Michelle Sheldon, law has always been visibly present in her life. As a member of a tribe that borders the I-5 corridor in Snohomish County issues regarding jurisdiction, treaty fishing rights, and Indian gaming helped shape the environment she lives in. When it came time to choose an area of study, law was a natural choice.
Encouraged by her parents and with funding help from her Tribe’s higher education department, Sheldon enrolled in Seattle University School of Law’s evening program as a part-time student to earn her Juris Doctorate, which she will receive in December 2016. She plans to use her education in law to aid in the continued development of her Tribe.
“I have always wanted to learn more about the laws that govern the Tulalip Tribes. Because both my undergraduate and graduate studies were in criminal justice, it seemed like a natural fit to pursue a law education and to see how I can help benefit the Tribe one day,” said Sheldon, who currently works in the her Tribe’s legal department and previously was a court clerk at the Tulalip Tribes Tribal Court.
As a legal manager with the Tulalip Tribes, Sheldon sees first-hand how law is used to make contracts, enforce treaty rights, enact justice in criminal proceedings, and resolve housing issues. “I am exposed to a variety of different areas of legal work on a regular basis,” says Sheldon. “As I begin to advance in my legal studies, I am starting to understand how the law factors into each of these practice areas, which in turn, provides me with exposure and opportunities that I would not otherwise have if I worked elsewhere. I am very fortunate to be able to work in this department and apply what I learn from school to my everyday profession. It is truly a rewarding experience and opportunity that I am grateful to have.”
Discovering a passion for law while in her graduate studies, Sheldon says it is important for tribal members to know the laws that govern their tribe. “By having our tribal laws available online, for example, this provides a great resource and opportunity for the membership to read these laws and to perhaps to see what type of legal remedies are available to them.”
A law issue she is enthusiastic about is the Indian Child Welfare Act, which was recently spotlighted in the Supreme Court in Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl in 2013, commonly known as the ‘Baby Veronica Case.’
“I have always been interested in the area of Indian child welfare as well as issues pertaining to tribal sovereignty, because of what they entail and what they promote, which are our rights to tribal children and the rights to maintaining and protecting our tribal sovereignty,” explained Sheldon.
Tulalip tribal member Michelle Sheldon Photo/ Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
Sheldon explains that because lands on reservations, or Indian country, fall under tribal jurisdiction, these laws can differ from laws outside of Indian country.
“I think what is most interesting about laws that govern Indian Country is that they are created based on their community and enforced to meet the traditions and needs of the community,” said Sheldon. “A good example is our Tulalip Court Elder’s Panel, who offer first-time, non-violent offenders the opportunity to have their charges dismissed in court once they have successfully completed the one-year requirement of this panel. This panel is a healing panel of sorts, by often requiring many of its participants to write letters of apology to those they have wronged and to sometimes engage in substance abuse treatment for example. Most importantly, these individuals are required to be accountable to our tribal elders, who have taken the time to voluntarily participate on this panel. I think this is an excellent example of how Indian country can differ from our non-Indian country counterparts.”
Despite juggling full-time employment in a busy legal department and her part-time studies, Sheldon says she is determined to finish school and credits her biggest motivators, her parents, in helping her continue.
“They provided me with the inspiration to pursue my goals by always encouraging me that I could do it, no matter how hard or challenging it was. Once I decided to pursue a degree in law, they offered me endless amounts of encouragement and support, which in turn gave me the confidence to pursue my goals. I will always be thankful to them for this,” said Sheldon, who also credits the educational opportunities provided by her Tribe as a factor in her ability to obtain her Juris.
“I will always be thankful to the Tribe and to the Higher Education department for always looking out for me and for making sure that I have everything that I need to have the most beneficial educational experience as a student, so that I can continue to pursue my educational goals,” Sheldon said.
Sheldon advises anyone embarking on their own higher education goals to talk with the admission office at the school they are interested in, as they can help you prepare for critical documents you will need while applying.
“Another opportunity that I think would be beneficial for any tribal members who are thinking about attending law school is to ask your school of choice to visit an actual class session. It is also a great way to interact with the law professors and other law school students who are always willing to share their experiences with you and to share great tips on what to expect once you are admitted to the school.”
Brandi N. Montreuil: 360-913-5402; bmontreuil@tulalipnews.com
The National Indian Education Association will be returning to Alaska for their 45th Annual Convention and Tradeshow. The four-day Convention will take place at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center in downtown Anchorage from 15-18 October 2014.
The 2,000 teachers, school administrators, tribal leaders, and higher education faculty expected to attend NIEA 2014 will have daily agendas packed with more than 100 workshops focusing on advancing educational programs for Native students.
NIEA President Pamela Agoyo noted that, “Being home to 229 federally recognized tribes, Alaska is rich in Native history and educational leadership at the tribal level, which makes it the ideal location to host our 2014 annual conference.”
Native education stakeholders incorporated NIEA in 1970. The membership-driven organization has since been dedicated to the mission of advancing quality education for all American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian peoples. The Association’s 2,500 members work each day to strengthen Native educational opportunities while also preserving the unique cultures and languages of Native Americans.
For more information about NIEA 2014 or to inquire about attending the convention as a member, sponsor, or tradeshow exhibitor, please visit their website at www.niea.org
School Board votes to name longtime educator to replace José Banda; will conduct full search with community engagement this fall for permanent Superintendent
Distinguished local superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland was appointed Interim Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools by the School Board during a special meeting Friday.
The highly respected Dr. Nyland retired in June 2013 after nine years as the Marysville School District Superintendent, where he transformed a challenging climate. When he began in 2004, a 49-day teachers’ strike had resulted in declining enrollment, graduation rates were low and the community hadn’t approved a school bond issue in 16 years.
Through strengthening relationships with teachers and staff, community engagement with families, building partnerships with the business community, local service organizations and the Tulalip Tribes, he was able to rebuild the Marysville district into one that saw stabilized enrollment after the strike, win voter approval for a $118 million bond issue for new schools in 2006 and work with staff to raise graduation rates by 22 percent.
In 2007, Dr. Nyland was named Superintendent of the Year by the Washington School Administrators Association, and he was also a finalist for National Superintendent of the Year. The School Board of Marysville was named Board of the Year in 2012.
[Nyland headshot 2014]
Dr. Nyland replaces outgoing Superintendent José Banda, who on Thursday was appointed Superintendent of Sacramento City Unified School District. Seattle School Board members said they will soon outline a recruitment plan for hiring the next permanent Superintendent, a process that will include community engagement. Dr. Nyland will start by Aug. 1, and the Board is expected to ratify his contract at the Aug. 20 meeting.
“We feel deeply honored and privileged that Dr. Nyland will be stepping in as interim Superintendent,” said Board President Sharon Peaslee. “We hear from people who worked with Dr. Nyland that he is a brilliant visionary and the most outstanding superintendent they have ever known. One of his many strengths is bringing people together around highly effective improvements and solutions.”
This is not Dr. Nyland’s first interim appointment. He served as Interim Superintendent for the Shoreline School District in 1997, where he was appointed during a difficult time and helped renew trust and build relationships with labor groups, won voter approval for renewal of a local tax initiative to support schools and created a district focused on school improvement around literacy.
Before that, he was the Chief Academic Officer and Human Resources Director for six years at Highline Public Schools, and also served as Director of the Superintendent Program at Seattle Pacific University, where he also served as an adjunct professor from 1997-2013.
He started his career as a high school teacher in Gig Harbor, spent time as a principal and Superintendent in Alaska, and then returned to Washington to become the Superintendent of the Pasco School District from 1982-1992.
“My personal mission, no matter what role I’m in, has always been to bring people together to do what it takes to improve student success,” Dr. Nyland said. “I am delighted to join Seattle Public Schools to make sure the leadership transition is seamless, and to continue making progress on the five-year Strategic Plan.”
A 1966 Roosevelt High School graduate, Dr. Nyland received his Bachelor of Arts, Master’s degree and Doctorate in Education Administration from the University of Washington. He also served on the Dean’s Advisory Council at the UW from 2009-2011.
Since retiring from the Marysville School District, Dr. Nyland has spent the past year as a leadership coach, work that he has done through most of his career. This past year he has been in more than 100 classrooms working with 40 districts in the areas of superintendent evaluation training, superintendent coaching, student assessment consulting and as a leadership coach for principal evaluations. In fall of 2013, he worked with the Seattle School Board to facilitate a meeting on the superintendent evaluation process.
Dr. Nyland and his wife Kathy have a grown son and daughter. In his spare time, he is an avid reader, works on genealogy, does volunteer work and jokes that he may be one of the “world’s slowest runners.”
“Dr. Nyland and his family have longstanding ties to our community and he is well-known for his superb work as a leader who has repeatedly championed moves toward greater equity in public education,” Peaslee said. “We are fully confident he will continue to build relationships in our community and enhance our efforts to help all students meet high standards.”
Colleges are introducing new programs targeting prospective Native American students, hoping to show that higher education and their cultural identities can complement each other.
Few Native Americans go to college and most of those who do never graduate. To improve those statistics, more colleges are offering camps where teens from different tribes are exposed to college life. In this image, Native American, Brandon Duran plays during a drum circle before workshop sessions at University of California, Riverside on Thursday, June 26. Photo/ Chris Carlson, AP
By Krysta Fauria, Associated Press
Elijah Watson knows he wants to go to college. He also knows that it will be difficult to leave home on the Navajo reservation if he does.
The 17-year-old was reminded of the tough decision he’ll face next year when he participated in a weeklong celebration in March of his cousin’s Kinaalda, a hallowed Navajo ceremony marking a girl’s transition into womanhood.
“I’m afraid because it’s really hard to leave my family,” he said, noting that college would mean he’d be away from taking part in the same rite for his little sister and participating in other important tribal ceremonies.
To reach students like Watson with higher education aspirations, a growing number of universities are offering programs to recruit and prepare Native American students for a transition to college life that can bring on a wrenching emotional conflict as they straddle two worlds.
Many young Native Americans find themselves divided by their desire for a higher education and the drive to stay close to home to hold onto a critical part of their identity. Sometimes, families discourage children from pursuing college, fearing once they leave the reservation they won’t come back.
That was the case with Watson’s mother — his grandmother encouraged her to stay home and carry on the family tradition of pottery-making.
“These students could be in a classroom with hundreds of kids and no one will be like them so it’s really good for these programs to pull all of these kids together,” said Ahniwake Rose, the director of the National Indian Education Association.
“Moving to college for these kids is taking them so far away from their homes. On top of that, we still have so many first generation students and their parents can’t give them any idea of what college is like,” Ms. Rose said.
Dozens have implemented mini-college boot camps, including the University of California, Los Angeles, Yale, and Duke. Last week, Watson found himself at the University of California, Riverside, where he was joined by other students, including some as young as 12.
The programs challenge the idea that tribal customs and higher education don’t mix, said Joshua Gonzalez, the director of Native American Student Programs at the university 60 miles east of Los Angeles and hundreds of miles from Watson’s home on the Navajo Nation.
Throughout their week at Riverside, students got a taste of the college experience by attending classroom lectures, eating in the cafeteria and sleeping in the dorms. The 30 students also participated in cultural activities like prayer circles and beading workshops.
“We encourage having your culture and traditions as well as academics,” said Mr. Gonzalez, whose program has a roughly 90 percent success rate in getting Native Americans to go to college.
“To be able to know your language, to be able to sing the songs, to know the creation stories — those are things that are really important,” he said.
Upon completion of Riverside’s program, students are given access to the university’s resources and staff to assist with the application process.
Pamela Agoyo, the director of American Indian Student Services at the University of New Mexico, said many programs are introducing kids to the idea of college as early as middle school to give them the time to embrace the possibility and plan for it.
“Institutions are realizing that you don’t start planning for college your freshman year of college,” Ms. Agoyo said, noting that students need to plan and prepare for their experience beforehand.
Rose said the boot camps are critical to college success because they help identify peers and mentors who can guide students through rough patches.
Few go on to college and when they do, most drop out.
Only 12 percent of Native Americans between 25 and 34 have four-year degrees, compared to 37 percent of whites, according to a 2012 report by the National Center for Education Statistics. Of the students who do go to college, less than 40 percent graduate, compared to 60 percent of whites.
Jordan Thomas, a member of the Lummi Tribe, attended Riverside’s program and will be a freshman there this fall. She was born on a reservation in Washington state and at age 2 moved with her family to Southern California because there were more educational opportunities.
Lummi cultural traditions are important to her family — she once missed eight weeks of middle school to attend her grandfather’s burial ceremony — and the Riverside program gave her confidence that she can attend school and not lose her Native American identity.
“I learned that it’s all about balance,” she said. “This program has truly helped me.”
TULALIP – The first Thursday of each month the Hibulb Cultural Center & Natural History Preserve features free admission to their exhibits, guest lectures and workshop series and a chance to purchase new arrivals at the center’s gift shop.
