November is Native American Heritage Month, a time dedicated to celebrating Native Americans and their diverse cultures, histories, and traditions. America is a vast land of many cultures dating back thousands of years to the original inhabitants of the land.
Native American Heritage Month is a time to raise awareness of injustices faced by native persons, both historically and contemporarily, and the ways in which we can support tribal citizens, natural land conservation, and honor the traditions and values of native people.
We honor and recognize the traditions, languages, and stories of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Island communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each passing generation.
IVC Land Acknowledgement
Please take a moment as we honor, acknowledge, reflect, and express our sincere gratitude for, and appreciation of, the peoples, ancestors, and sacred land that we gather upon today.
We honor the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of Indigenous peoples who have been here since time immemorial, and to recognize that we must continue to build solidarity, and kinship, with Native Indigenous communities.
At Irvine Valley College we honor the Kizh Nation, the Acjachemen Nation, and the Gabrieleño/Tongva Tribe. We would also like to pay our respects to the land and life of Indigenous people, the ancestors, elders, and our relatives/relations past, present and emerging.
What is a Land Acknowledgment?
A land acknowledgement is a formal statement typically presented at the beginning of public events and gatherings that recognizes and honors the original residents of a given land; Indigenous groups.
We highly encourage campus members to open meetings and events with the IVC land acknowledgement, especially during this month and beyond.
Featured IVC Event
On the Backs of Our Ancestors Film Screening
Wednesday, November 19 | 1 – 3 pm | Hybrid: A 311 or via Zoom
Join us for a special screening of the film On the Backs of Our Ancestors, followed by an in-depth discussion with director Todd Perry and Acjachemen Tribal leader Mark Mendez. This film will explore themes of Indigenous history, resilience, and cultural legacy from the Acjachemen perspective. Opening remarks by IVC Professor of Ethnic Studies, Dr. Araceli Centanino.
HMOC & RedBoy Productions Powwow Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
Sunday, November 2 | 10 am – 6 pm | Heritage Museum of Orange County, Santa Ana
Join us for the 2nd Annual HMOC x RedBoy Productions Powwow celebrating Native American Heritage Month! This family and pet friendly event is free and open to all members of the public! Enjoy authentic dance and song performances, fry bread and Indian tacos, arts and crafts, information and vendor booths, and more!
IVC FELLAS: IVC Fellowship Exchange of Lessons Learned & Academic Support
IVC FELLAS is a DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) driven male initiative focused on student success and community engagement for the college’s self-identified men of color students, staff, and faculty. This brotherhood was created to encourage college completion and transfer and to establish a sense of belonging. All are welcome. Learn More »
Womxn of Color Collective (WoCC)
The WoCC is a group dedicated to building community and empowering self-identified womxn of color students, staff, and faculty. Womxn is used in place of “women” to be inclusive of all gender experiences surrounding femininity. Non-female-identifying students, such as non-binary and gender-expansive, are explicitly invited and welcome. Learn More »