NATIVE AMERICAN POLICY ADVOCATE TO SPEAK AT UNM

Nov. 11, 2003

NATIVE AMERICAN POLICY ADVOCATE TO SPEAK AT UNM

Native American policy advocate Susan Shown Harjo, Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee, will discuss "Shaping the Native Academy to Support Native American Sovereignty, Self-Determination, and Cultural Rights," Monday, Nov. 17, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the University of New Mexico Student Union Building, Lobo Room.

A reception will be held prior to the presentation from 6-6:30 p.m. and open discussion follows the talk from 7:30-8 p.m.

Harjo's talk is part of the UNM Native American Studies (NAS) Fall 2003 Lecture Series.

"NAS welcomes Harjo's presentation as the department continues to work toward developing an interdisciplinary bachelor's degree in Native American Studies. We hope to have the full major approved in Spring 2004," said NAS Director Greg Cajete.

Harjo, president and executive director of the Morning Star Institute, a national Indian rights organization founded in 1984, and columnist for Indian Country Today newspaper, helped Native Americans recover more than one million acres of land. She was key in developing some of the most important federal policy advances in the modern era in Native American religious freedom, cultural rights and sacred lands protection, and arts promotion.

Her policy and arts achievements were highlighted during the 1999 White House Celebration of American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Unveiling of the Sacajawea Dollar Coin, when the first lady recognized her as one of five native women trailblazers.

Twice-featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, she is listed in the 100 Most Distinguished American Indian Tribal and Political Leaders (Oryx Press 2001), she is featured in Indian Country (Grove Atlantic 2001) and is a recipient of a 2002 Panche Be Award.

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