November marks Native American Heritage Month. It is a time full of celebration, reflection, and resistance.
This month, we gather to celebrate the stories and traditions of Native Americans that are woven into their cultural practices and history. According to First Nations, the most highly rated American Indian nonprofit in the nation, the focus for 2025 is foodways, family, and tradition. There are almost 3 million Indigenous individuals, and more than 600 – 700 Indigenous communities in what is known as the U.S. and 560 groups are federally recognized as having governmental rights. Indigenous Peoples exemplify a way of life that meaningfully connects the past to the present. Native Americans are not a monolithic group, but rather a multitude of diverse traditions, cultures, and peoples.
By fighting for climate justice, addressing threats of water contamination, and protecting tribal sovereignty, just to name a few, Native Americans have deeply shaped this country.
Indigenous communities continue to contribute profoundly to the advancement of all aspects of society, including the arts, education, and our understanding of the world around us. Indigenous voices have transcended what it means to tell stories as a means of cultural communication and healing, whether through pictograph paintings on bison hides or grandparents passing cultural relics and lessons to their grandchildren, or through reclaiming the truths of Native peoples and confronting false narratives that society has perpetuated. By fighting for climate justice, addressing threats of water contamination, and protecting tribal sovereignty, just to name a few, Native Americans have deeply shaped this country. Today, Native Americans continue the fight, whether it’s through the Lessons From Standing Rock, a climate justice movement, philanthropy care through The Native Voices Rising, or Reclaiming Native Truths, a project amplifying meaningful Native stories and narratives.
But how might qualities of Indigenous tradition and history enrich our own understanding as non Indigenous people? It starts with passion. The love and care that Native Americans pour into their communities is visible, loud, heartfelt and built upon tradition. So many facets of Native American culture, past and present, offer lessons that allow us to reflect on how to gather, listen, take charge, and honor those before us. Native American culture is embedded in everything we do… whether that is through the paths we take, the water we swim in, the food we eat, or the land we live on.
What can we do in support? There are many things we can do, including:
- We can practice land acknowledgments thoughtfully to truly recognize the people before us.
- Read Indigenous stories this month to open our lenses to community resilience and understanding.
- Listen to Indigenous voices, whether in person or through podcasts.
If you’re curious about learning more about Indigenous Peoples, check out the resources below.
Add These Indigenous-Authored Books to Your Reading List:
- The Round House (Louise Erdrich): A young Ojibwe boy seeks justice after his mother’s assault on their North Dakota reservation, revealing deep flaws in the legal system.
- As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom Through Radical Resistance (Leanne Betasamosake Simpson): A powerful call for Indigenous resurgence that centers Nishnaabeg knowledge, love, and resistance as pathways to freedom beyond colonial systems.
- Braiding Sweetgrass (Robin Wall Kimmerer): A Potawatomi botanist weaves Indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge to show how reciprocity with the natural world can heal both people and planet.
- There There (Tommy Orange): The lives of twelve urban Native Americans converge at a powwow in Oakland, exposing the complexities of contemporary Indigenous identity and survival.
Listen to These Podcasts for Indigenous Perspectives:
- All My Relations: A conversational podcast exploring Indigenous relationships—to land, community, and culture, hosted by Matika Wilbur and Temryss Lane.
- Native America Calling: A live call-in radio talk show connecting Indigenous voices across the U.S. and Canada about current issues and culture.
- Métis in Space: Two Métis hosts deconstruct sci-fi film and TV through a decolonial lens, mixing pop culture with Indigenous futurism.
- Coffee With My Ma: A podcast featuring Kahentinetha Horn sharing stories of her activism, art, and Indigenous life, through conversations with her daughter.
- Telling Our Twisted Histories: A series that unpacks colonial distortion of language and history, exploring one word or concept at a time from an Indigenous perspective.
Events:
- City of Seattle Honors Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Native American Heritage Month with Festivities, Exhibits, and Performances
- Smithsonian NMAI: Storytelling, film, and art events (online + D.C.)
- United Indians Native Art Market in Seattle, a curated exhibition and marketplace featuring authentic Indigenous artisans and their masterworks
- Pow Wows Nationwide: Use PowWows.com to find one near you
Show up, support, and celebrate living culture — not stereotypes.
Include These Mini-Activities in Your Next Workshop or Classroom:
- Thoughtful Land Acknowledgment: Begin your session acknowledging the specific Indigenous Nation(s) on whose traditional territory you gather; for example, in Seattle, recognizing the Coast Salish peoples, including the Duwamish and Suquamish Tribes. Here’s a link to find which land you are on: https://native-land.ca
- Storytelling Integration: Read or share an Indigenous story that emphasizes connection to land or community resilience, then facilitate reflection on parallels in diverse identities. Click here to read an award-winning Indigenous story: http://www.our-story.ca/winners/writing/6117:i-ll-tell-you-a-story
- Indigenous Speaker Invitation: Partner with local Indigenous cultural centers such as the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center to co-host guest talks or virtual presentations.
Explore These Indigenous-led Organizations and Resources:
- National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) website for educational resources and event calendars.
- Indigenous Environmental Network, which provides resources on Indigenous environmental activism and knowledge.
- American Library Association Native American Heritage Month resource page with curated reading lists and programming guide
Honoring Indigenous Peoples this month and every month means more than acknowledgment; it’s about active learning, listening, and supporting sovereignty and self-determination. The stories, art, and movements shared here remind us that Indigenous cultures are not relics of the past but living, thriving, and deeply interwoven with the fabric of this land.
As you explore these books, podcasts, events, and organizations, remember that allyship is an ongoing practice. Commit to showing up, amplifying Indigenous voices, and challenging colonial narratives in your own spaces. When we engage with curiosity, humility, and respect, we participate in a collective act of truth-telling and reconciliation.
Let this Native American Heritage Month be your invitation to keep learning, keep listening, and keep standing with Indigenous Peoples today and every day.
If you haven’t yet had the opportunity, make sure to order a copy of Elmer Dixon’s powerful memoir DIE STANDING: From Black Panther Revolutionary to Global Diversity Consultant and check out what others have been saying about Elmer and his story.
Check out these other opportunities to see what folks are saying about Elmer and his continued work.
- See Elmer speak at Stories from the Revolutions’ Front Lines at his keynote at TEDxUTulsa
- Listen to Elmer talk on NPR’s The Jefferson Exchange
- Read about Elmer’s story in a piece featured in The Seattle Times
- Listen to Elmer on The Medium