NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH ideas

how to celebrate native american heritage month at work

this article will feature five meaningful ways you can honor and celebrate native american heritage month this november.

November is Native American Heritage Month, an opportunity to celebrate indigenous and Native communities and expand our awareness and knowledge. For many, celebrating NAHM includes preserving stories and artifacts, educating the next generation, celebrating indigenous culture, and supporting indigenous communities. Celebrating occasions like NAHM is important for your business as it will boost team morale and employee engagement. Taking the time out of your busy schedules to commemorate Native American heritage and culture will show your team your priorities. How can you honor NAHM and support Native/Indigenous communities this November?

1. EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS/SEMINARS

For in person events, an educational workshop or seminar during Native American Heritage Month is a powerful way to increase awareness and understanding of Native American culture and history.

You can identify special topics or themes like the contributions of Native Americans in various fields like arts, literature, sciences, medicine etc. You can invite knowledgeable and respected Native American speakers, historians or scholars to lead these workshops, and give presentations about their topic. To make this engaging, add an interactive element like a Q&A or group discussion.
Depending on your location, it may be possible to explore the history of Native American tribes in your region, and engage in a bigger conversation about the impact of stolen land, and the impact/resilience of Native communities.
Alternatively, you can invite activists to explore contemporary issues that may be relevant to your field like healthcare outcomes disparities for Native Americans if you’re in the medical/pharmaceutical industry, or if you’re in an environmental industries you can bring in an expert to discuss the environmental concerns for Native American communities.

2. VIRTUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

For remote/hybrid teams, use NAHM as an opportunity for your team to learn about Indigenous culture through an online exhibit that showcases interesting aspects of Native American history like symbolism, or art and culture.

Americans is an online exhibit by the National Museum of The American Indian. This gallery explores Native American symbols in contemporary American culture and media, the how, why, and often the misrepresentation.

Contemporary Perspectives In Indigenous Arts exhibit is courtesy of the Denver Art Museum, which houses one of the largest collections of Native American art. Through the eyes of seven Indigenous artists, your team will learn about Indigenous life, past and present, covering themes of identity, history, survival, land, place, and community.
A Lasting Statement: An Exhibition Showcases the Range, and Enduring Impacts of Native Women’s Art was published in Smithsonian’s American Indian magazine. It is a snippet of their former exhibit, ‘Hearts Of Our People’ and features traditional and ever-changing art from Native women, whose art and impact have been largely unrecognized.

3. SUPPORT NATIVE-AMERICAN OWNED BUSINESSES

One of the most tangible ways to support Native Americans is to buy from small Indigenous-owned businesses. You will not only be putting your money where your mouth is, but you will be giving your team a gift they will appreciate and remember.

Bedré is a Chickasaw Nation-owned and operated luxury chocolate business and the only Native American luxury chocolate brand. They offer gift sets like their Ornate Tin, which features a selection of products like chocolate-covered chips and chocolate bars, and a Round Tin featuring chocolate snacks plus a 12oz bag of their premium coffee.
Iowa Bee Farm is owned and operated by members of the Iowa and Nebraska tribe, and they source their honey locally from bees with access to rich and diverse native wildlife. They sell local raw and creamed honey but also derived products like beeswax candles. Their classic gift set includes a honey bear, a small lotion, and other honey goodies.
SweetGrass Trading Co. is an online marketplace for Native American businesses featuring food, beverages, wellness, beauty, and wellness native products. Some great gift ideas include this Frybread and Honey Kit, Wild rice Pancake and Syrup Kit, or Candle Gift Set.

4. SUPPORT NATIVE-AMERICAN AUTHORS

If your team already participates in a book club or would like to for NAHM, check out some incredible Native American authors and stories featuring leading Native American characters.

The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson follows a Dakota family’s story across generations. This novel explores the search for family, identity, and a community amid generational trauma. Through farming, characters reconnect with their ancestral practices and discover the knowledge long embedded in their genealogy.
Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation by Michael Powell is a story about a passion for the sport passed down through generations. It is a moving exploration of the impact of sport on young people in struggling communities.
Imaginary Borders by Xiuhtezcatl Martinez is a refreshing take on climate change through the lens of an activist, it instills a sense of urgency through a hopeful lens.

5. SUPPORT NATIVE AMERICAN RESTAURANTS

Supporting Native American restaurants is a great and meaningful way to support Native American businesses and contribute to the recognition of Native American culture, which some of your team members may not be familiar with.

For in-person teams, you can organize a series of catered lunches featuring foods from Native American restaurants, You can do this once a week during NAHM on a day when most of the team will be present, or on a special day dedicated to Native American cuisine.
Similarly, you can coordinate for local food trucks to visit your workplace for a day, or several days during the month like every Wednesday or Friday. Employees can enjoy a variety of traditional dishes and get to experience a new cuisine, and you can support local business owners. This may even lead to long-term vendor partnerships which will benefit the Native American community in the long term.
For virtual/hybrid teams, send your teams an UberEats or DoorDash gift card and host a themed Native American lunch and learn. This may include a movie/documentary and employees can share what they ordered/their go-to dish.

We hope this list has inspired you to bring your teams together this November to honor Native American Heritage Month, and build a more inclusive society in your work setting.

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