On Friday, October 30 we held a webinar to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Native American Languages Act, featuring a panel with longtime language activists David Beaulieau (White Earth Ojibwe), Ofelia Zepeda (Tohono O’Odham), and Gloria Sly (Cherokee). The panel was moderated by National Coalition President Leslie Harper (Leech Lake Ojibwe), founder of Niigane Ojibwemowin Immersion School.
This event was hosted by the National Coalition of Native American Language Schools and Programs. It was co-sponsored by ‘Aha Pūnana Leo, the University of Hawaii Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language, the University of Montana’s Environmental Studies Program, and Saokio Heritage.
Though he could not join us, we were honored that Senator Tom Udall (New Mexico), Vice Chairman of the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee, wrote a welcome letter for the event. He also made a public statement for the Congressional Record commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Native American Languages Act, which you can read here.