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
People of the West Film Screening
Wednesday, November 4 | 10:30 am – Noon | Equity Inclusion Center, E9.107 (SAC 130)
Join us for a screening of People of the West in recognition of Native American Heritage Month. Connect with our campus community as we celebrate Native American voices and perspectives through film followed by a discussion led by the Ethnic Studies Department.
Native Beading Workshop (Session 1)
Wednesday, November 18 | 11 am – 12:30 pm | TBD
Join us for a Native beading workshop led by Dr. Kimberly Robertson (Mvskoke), a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, artist, and Professor of American Indian Studies at CSU Long Beach. Participants will explore beadwork as a practice of wellness, relaxation, storytelling, and community-building while creating their own beaded keychain to take home.
Native Beading Workshop (Session 2)
Wednesday, November 18 | 1 pm – 2:30 pm | TBD
Join us for a Native beading workshop led by Dr. Kimberly Robertson (Mvskoke), a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, artist, and Professor of American Indian Studies at CSU Long Beach. Participants will explore beadwork as a practice of wellness, relaxation, storytelling, and community-building while creating their own beaded keychain to take home.
Native Basket Weaving Workshop
Wednesday, November 18 | 3 – 4:30 pm | TBD
Join us for a hands-on Native basket weaving workshop led by Ciara Belardes and her father, Domingo Belardes, of the Blas Aguilar Adobe Foundation. Participants will learn about the cultural significance of basketry while creating their own woven piece.
HMOC & RedBoy Productions Powwow 2026
Saturday, November 14 | 10 am – 5 pm | Heritage Museum of Orange County, Santa Ana | Learn More »
Come and enjoy Native American culture, Native Food, Native Arts, and Crafts! Powwow 2026 has something special for everyone. Don't miss out on connecting with incredible people and celebrating together right here in beautiful Orange County!
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 »