SHI TO SPONSOR LECTURE ON RACIAL CRISES AND EQUITY
Free virtual event part of Native American Heritage Month celebration
Nov. 20, 2020
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a free online lecture this Tuesday on racial crises and equity as part of its series in recognition of Native American Heritage Month.
The presentation, Native Americans/Alaska Natives: Racial Crises and Racial Equity, will be given by Michael Roberts, who is Tlingit and has served as president of the First Nations Development Institute and previously served as chief operating officer for the organization.
The acronym BIPOC stands for “Black, Indigenous and People of Color,” and the most significant part of the acronym for Native communities is the inclusion of Indigenous people, who are often conveniently forgotten in discussions where race is mentioned, Roberts wrote.
In his talk, Roberts will discuss Reclaiming Native Truth, a project to dispel America’s myths and misconceptions.
“Reclaiming Native Truth is a national effort to foster cultural, social and policy change by empowering Native Americans to counter discrimination, invisibility and the dominant narratives that limit Native opportunity, access to justice, health and self-determination. Reclaiming Native Truth’s goal is to move hearts and minds toward greater respect, inclusion and social justice for Native Americans and Alaska Natives,” he wrote.
The talk, scheduled at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 24, will be live streamed on SHI’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/sealaskaheritageinstitute). The series, which focuses on citizens and shareholders in Alaska Native corporations and tribes, is also offered as part of a one-credit course through the University of Alaska Southeast.
The talks are offered through the Preparing Indigenous Teachers and Administrators for Alaska Schools (PITAAS) program and funded by the Alaska Native Education Program.
About the Lecturer
Michael E. Roberts, whose Tlingit name is T'eix Sháach Tsín, is a member of the G̱ooch/Ch'áak' naa (Wolf/Eagle Tribe), Kóon Hít (Flicker House), Kooyu Kwáan (Kuiu Island People).
Roberts has served as president of the First Nations Development Institute and previously served as chief operating officer for the organization. He spent five years in private equity and has worked at Alaska Native corporations and for local IRA councils, primarily in accounting and finance.
Roberts serves on the board of First Nations Development Institute and is immediate past board chair of Oweesta Corporation. He is also a board member and treasurer of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders Network, and a board member and Investment Committee chair of the $266 million Native American Agriculture Fund, the largest philanthropic organization solely devoted to serving the Native American community. His past service includes board positions for Native Americans in Philanthropy and The Association for Enterprise Opportunity, as well as on the Advisory Council of the Center for Native American Public Radio and on the National Advisory Committee for the National Center for Family Philanthropy.
Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts social scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.
CONTACT: Amy Fletcher, SHI Media and Publications Director, 907.586.9116, amy.fletcher@sealaska.com.
