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Â鶹¹ÙÍø is proud to recognize Native American and Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month throughout the month of November. The Native populations in Chicago are among the largest in the nation. Â鶹¹ÙÍø is committed to recruitment and retention of Native students and values the contribution of their communities to the fabric of our city, state and our University. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, families and community members are invited to join us throughout the month to honor and commemorate the history and traditions of First Peoples. 

Â鶹¹ÙÍø Land Acknowledgement

Â鶹¹ÙÍø Native and Indigenous Student Scholarship

Questions?

Contact Joeli Brinkman, Ph.D. at d-cortez1@neiu.edu.

Need accommodations?

To request accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at least 48 hours in advance at sds@neiu.edu or (773) 442-4598.

2026 Events 

All events are free. 

Please note: Not all events are open to the general public. The audience is noted for each event. Events noted as "Â鶹¹ÙÍø community" refer to Â鶹¹ÙÍø students, employees, retirees and other University stakeholders (i.e. members of the Board of Trustees). 

Urban Gardening and Local Food Production Seminar

Thursday, Nov. 5
Time: 3:30-5:00 p.m.
Location: Main Campus, Building B, Pedroso Center, B 159
Audience: Â鶹¹ÙÍø community 

In celebration of Native American and Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month, join the Pedroso Center for a conversation about urban gardening and local food production. Speakers include Horticulture Educator and Visiting Extension Outreach Associate of Urban and Innovative Agriculture . 

Rock Your Mocs 

Sunday, Nov. 8 - Sunday, Nov. 15
Time: All day
Location: Online
Audience: Open to the public

is a global social media event to celebrate tribal unity. Native American and Indigenous people worldwide are encouraged to wear their moccasins or traditional footwear and share their photos on social media. 

How to Participate: 

• Whether it’s for a day or all week, Native American and Indigenous people are encouraged to wearing your traditional footwear and upload a picture to social media and add #RockYourMocs, #RockYourMocsÂ鶹¹ÙÍø, #RockYourMocs2026 to your post and tagging @RockYourMocs (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X), @pedrosocenter (Instagram) and @neiulife (Instagram, Facebook).

• Allies are encouraged to participate by learning about the tribes in your area and what types of moccasins they wore; supporting Native American and Indigenous
  companies, organizations and performing arts; and understanding cultural appropriation. 

From ICE Warehouses to New Prisons: Carceral Infrastructure Does Not Make Us Safe 

Tuesday, Nov. 10
Time: 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Location: Main Campus, Building B, Pedroso Center, B 159
Audience: Â鶹¹ÙÍø community 

Join us for a panel discussion with leading Chicago-area organizers and educators to learn about why communities across Illinois and the U.S. are challenging Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, AI surveillance tools, and new state prison-build projects. This discussion will be held in collaboration with the Departments of Health Sciences and Physical Education; Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies; and Communication, Media and Theatre. 

First Nations Resilience & Gardening as a Political Act with Fawn E. Pochel (Saulteaux-The Key First Nation)

Tuesday, Nov. 17
Time: noon-1:30 p.m.
Location: Main Campus, Building B, Pedroso Center, B 159
Audience: Open to the public

Co-Founder Fawn E. Pochel (she/they) has over a decade of community organizing and advocacy experience raising awareness of Native Peoples living in Chicago. The garden, which opened in 2019 and is located on North Pulaski Road and West Wilson Avenue in Albany Park, provides a healing space for the Intertribal Native Community of Chicago and promotes public knowledge and appreciation of Chicago’s Indigenous landscape, native plants, gardens, and the environment.

A gender-queer urban Native, Pochel () was born and raised in Chicago by way of the ; their father was a scoopie and survivor of Canadian Day Schools from Treaty 4. They have worked closely with communities across Chicago to incorporate land-based pedagogies and Indigenous worldview into curricula and policy. A double alum of Â鶹¹ÙÍø, Pochel (B.A. ’21 History, M.A. ’23 Educational Leadership: Higher Education) previously served the University as the Program Director of Gender and Sexuality; and Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander Initiatives for the Pedroso Center. Pochel currently serves as a Community-Engagement and Development Specialist for .

Storytelling Performance with Tellin’ Tales Theatre

Wednesday, Nov. 18
Time: 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Location: Main Campus, Building B, Pedroso Center, B 159 and via Zoom
Audience: Â鶹¹ÙÍø community

Four seasoned solo performers share personal vignettes based on their real-life stories about living with a disability. The result is a beautiful message of independence and the power of dealing with the world on their own terms. Funny as well as touching, these stories will change the way you think about disability. This event is brought to you by the Division of Student Affairs, Student Disability Services and the Disability Studies program.

Native American and Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month Keynote Presentation featuring Jennifer Lynn Johnson, Ph.D. 

Tuesday, Nov. 24
Time: 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Location: Main Campus, Building B, Pedroso Center, B 159 
Audience: Open to the public

, is a citizen of the and a descendant of the . She is an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for the History of Education in the department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership in the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In 2010, she was honored by the Seminole Nation for her efforts in language revitalization as the first recipient of the Heritage Award. Dr. Johnson is looking forward to meeting with Â鶹¹ÙÍø's Native American and Indigenous students during this event.

Field Trip: Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum 

Wednesday, Nov. 25
Time: 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Location: Main Campus, Building B, Pedroso Center, B 159 
Audience: Â鶹¹ÙÍø students

The in Evanston, Illinois is devoted to amplifying Native voices and improving public understanding and respect for Indigenous knowledge, history and contemporary contributions. The first 44 students who RSVP will receive free transportation to the museum from the Main Campus and back.

Admission to the museum will be free for all visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 25 and will feature an Indigenous Artists Pop-Up Market with local Indigenous artists.