[Popsugar] Janee’ Kassanavoid Is the First Native American Woman to Medal at the World Athletics Championships

For the first time ever, the World Athletics Championships are being held on US soil, and American track and field athletes are making history left and right. Take Janee’ Kassanavoid, for example, who just became the first Native American woman to medal at the games, clinching a bronze medal in hammer throwing. “I am SO … Read more

Thank You, Judith!

After ten years serving as AICRJ’s Senior Editor nonpareil, Judith DeTar (PhD 2012, USC) retired from her position July 1st. As a copyeditor, Judith was the consummate professional: editing authors’ work with an expert ear for maintaining the author’s voice, an expert eye for correcting typos and refining awkward phrasing, and an analytical focus on … Read more

[Native News Online] How 75,847 Signatures Helped Restore Jim Thorpe’s Place in Olympic History

Jim Thorpe, a citizen of the Sac and Fox Nation, is an iconic hero among Native Americans. He was a dominant college athlete, a medal-winning Olympian and a Hall-of-Fame professional football player. He also played professional baseball and basketball, for good measure. We have always known he was the greatest athlete in the world! His … Read more

Appointment of Darnell M. Hunt as Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

From the Office of the Chancellor:   Dear Bruin Community: I am delighted to announce that Darnell M. Hunt — currently dean of UCLA’s Division of Social Sciences and professor of sociology and African American studies — will be our next executive vice chancellor and provost (EVCP). A longtime campus leader widely respected for his … Read more

[CNN] A new Google Doodle honors the history-making Native American comedian Charlie Hill

A new Google Doodle honors the history-making Native American comedian Charlie Hill Google honored barrier-breaking comedian Charlie Hill, the first Native American comic to appear on national TV, with a Doodle on what would’ve been his 71st birthday. When Hill was a young comic in the 1970s, he refused to deign to racist stereotypes of … Read more

Appointment of Professors Angela R. Riley and Shannon Speed as Special Advisors to the Chancellor on Native American and Indigenous Affairs

From the Office of the Chancellor Dear Bruin Community: I am delighted to announce the joint appointment of Professor of Law Angela R. Riley and Professor of Gender Studies and Anthropology Shannon Speed as UCLA’s special advisors to the chancellor on Native American and Indigenous affairs. These two outstanding scholars and leaders will build on … Read more

[Native News Online] Senate Committee Hears Indigenous Testimony on Federal Indian Boarding School Report and Legislation

Two issues were on the table during the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs’ hearing June 22: the Department of the Interior’s landmark investigative report on Indian Boarding Schools, and legislation intended to work in tandem with the department’s initiative to address trauma and bring healing to boarding-school survivors and their communities. The 106-page report—released last … Read more

AIS Graduation 2022

On Friday the entire AIS community—students, alumni, faculty, staff, friends and family—gathered to celebrate the Native and AIS students graduating in 2022. This was our first in-person graduation ceremony since 2019, and emotions ranged from elation to tears to trepidation to relief to gratefulness. Student Services Advisor Tim Topper emceed magnificently, students were blanketed, and … Read more

Announcing the Native American and Pacific Islander Bruins Rising Initiative

From the Office of the Chancellor Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost What you need to know: New initiative will include efforts to diversify and support our students, faculty and staff Commitments include new faculty FTE, support for post-doctoral and graduate fellowships Dear Bruin Community: This past April, the University of California announced … Read more

[Indian Country Today] Wilma Mankiller quarters released to eager public

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – A standing-room-only crowd gathered in Tahlequah to celebrate the life and legacy of the Cherokee Nation’s first female principal chief, Wilma P. Mankiller, who is now immortalized on a U.S. quarter released June 6. “She’s a legend,” Cherokee Nation citizen Henry Carey Jr., 66, of Tahlequah, said. “She deserves it. Wilma Mankiller, … Read more