Message from the Board President

HOLLY COOK MACARRO, BOARD PRESIDENT RED LAKE BAND OF OJIBWE

We are witnessing a critical moment in history as our stories are elevated to a national stage. This year we’ve seen the birth of the nationally renowned television show Reservation Dogs that features honest and accurate Native characters and stories. Just a few short weeks ago, one of the show’s Executive Producers Sterlin Harjo, along with cast members D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Devery Jacobs, Paulina Alexis, and Lane Factor, had the opportunity to discuss inclusivity in the entertainment industry while presenting an award at the Emmys.

During their speech, Woon-A-Tai shared: “Thankfully, networks and streamers are now — now — beginning to produce and develop shows created by and starring Indigenous people.” Our stories are finally being shared across the United States, and they are catapulting our fight for visibility and representation forward. For the first time in history, our communities see themselves authentically represented in mainstream media.

In the pages of this magazine, you’ll find some of the narratives of our own incredible scholars and alumni. Alumni Brett Isaac and Tyson Jeannotte share how our traditional knowledge is shaping the fields of clean energy and resource preservation. Scholar Alexis Estes writes of the healing power of art and the impact it’s created, both for her personally and in her community. Alumni Dr. Linda Oxendine and Jermayne Tuckta, as well as Scholar Mosiah Bluecloud, speak on the critical need to preserve our languages for generations to come.

Serving as Board President for American Indian Graduate Center and witnessing these incredible stories being elevated brings me immense joy. As our organization continues working to achieve our mission and vision to fulfill the unmet need of all Native students pursuing higher education, we also continue working to elevate Native voices and stories across the U.S.

Thank you for joining us as we share Our Collective Story.

Chi Miigwech (Thank You)!

Holly Cook Macarro President, Board of Directors A warm welcome to the Fall 2021 edition of The American Indian Graduate Magazine, where we will share the brilliant, rich, and inspiring stories of Native scholars and alumni that comprise Our Collective Story.

American Indian Graduate Center was initially born out of the self-determination era and created to empower Native students pursuing law degrees to protect our Tribal communities and address disparities in accessing higher education. But what started as a movement toward self-governance has grown into American Indian Graduate Center becoming The Center for Native Scholarships.

Over the past 50 years we have grown and blossomed into one of the largest Native scholarship providers in the U.S., and now empower Native students to pursue undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in any field at any accredited institution of their choosing. We are proud to have supported more than 16,000 scholars representing over 500 Tribes in all 50 states, each with their own unique journey that tells a piece of our beautiful story.