Native American Heritage Month Lectures and Information

During Native American Heritage Month, THRO Director Dr. Karina Walters will be offering two lectures about Native health. Please join us!

November 3, 2023, 1:00 p.m. ET      
Dr. Walters will present, “Watering the Seeds of AI/AN Ancestral Love and Wisdom to Create Healthful Families and Generations,” as a featured speaker for the Administration for Native Americans (ANA), part of the Administration for Children and Families. After the presentation, Dr. Walters and ANA Commissioner Patrice Kunesh will talk together about issues related to the health of Native children and families. Learn more and register.

November 7, 2023, 2:00 p.m. ET      
The NIH Office of Cancer Survivorship at the National Cancer Institute will host a presentation by Dr. Walters, “Beyond Survivance: Thrivance Among American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Survivors.” Learn more and register.

THRO’s 2023 Native American Heritage Month poster kicks off our yearlong theme “Indigenous Knowledges Powering Science” and features the artwork of Zuni Pueblo artist, Mallery Quetawki. She created Healing Spirit, 2018, P42 ES025589 (UNM METALS), to showcase Native cultures’ connectedness to the land, air, and water. By combining Indigenous Knowledges with academic training in science and research, the Crow woman in the center pushes back the negative effects of pollution and mining on Tribal lands. She represents the many Native people doing research every day to improve health for future generations. Learn more about Healing Spirit and see more of Mallery’s art.

Native American Heritage Month Annual Guest Lecture
Protecting the Health of Future Generations Through Community-Based Research and Actions: Working in Partnership with the Tribes of Sivuqaq, Alaska

Join THRO and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) on Wednesday, November 16 at 3 p.m. ET for the annual Native American Heritage Month guest lecture. Learn about NIEHS-funded environmental health research in Alaska with co-presenters Pamela Miller and Viola “Vi” Waghiyi, of the Alaska Community Action on Toxics. They will share stories about the region and how this collaborative research began and discuss their decades of experience conducting community-based participatory research with local Tribes, including how their work has been informed by traditional and community knowledge, a summary of findings, and policy actions and interventions to protect health. Watch live: https://videocast.nih.gov/watch=46388

Native American Heritage Month Annual Guest Lecture
Interconnectedness of Culture and Science

Dr. Donald Warne, of the University of North Dakota, offered a virtual guest lecture about the interconnectedness of Native culture and science. Watch the recorded lecture and read the overview summarizing his key observations.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, THRO was working with Tribal Nations during Native American Heritage Month and throughout the year to rapidly respond to urgent questions and information needs. THRO hosted an NIH-wide educational meeting about how to effectively communicate important health information to American Indian and Alaska Native communities, featuring speakers from the Indian Health Service and Johns Hopkins University. No public event was held.

Native American Heritage Month Annual Guest Lecture
Substance Use and Mental Health in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities

Dr. Melissa Walls, of Johns Hopkins University, offered a lecture about substance use and mental health in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Native American Heritage Month Annual Guest Lecture
American Indian Therapeutic Traditions

Dr. Joseph Gone, of Harvard University, offered a lecture about American Indian therapeutic traditions and modern health treatments.

Native American Heritage Month Annual Guest Lecture
Organically Synthesizing Solutions to Increasing Native American Participation in Chemistry

Dr. Eric J. Sorensen, Ph.D., of Princeton University, offered a lecture about his research in organic chemistry synthesis and the challenges of increasing Native American participation in chemistry.

Native American Heritage Month Storytelling Challenge
Health and Wellness in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities

In recognition of Native American Heritage Month, THRO announced a video storytelling challenge to create awareness around American Indian and Alaska Native culture and how it supports health and well-being in Tribal communities. Winning submissions were selected in 2017. View the selected videos.

Resources and Information: Culture, Research, and Health

Blog Post: How to Effectively Communicate About Tribal Health Research

Dr. David R. Wilson, the director of THRO, shares his thoughts in a post on NIH’s Science, Health, and Public Trust blog about the importance of understanding the history of Tribes in the U.S. to better communicate with and about American Indians and Alaska Natives.

I Strengthen My Nation Challenge Winners

American Indian and Alaska Native communities have inherent strengths and cultures that foster healthy communities. NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse and We R Native asked youth ages 14-25 to share their ideas about Indigenous resilience to substance misuse through art or community projects for the I Strengthen My Nation Challenge competition. Young people from 37 Tribal Nations showcased their creativity, strength, and passion for enhancing health in their communities. View the video replay celebrating Challenge winners.

Student Spotlight with Leah Nez

In a Q&A with THRO, Leah Nez discusses her background, experience as a post baccalaureate fellow with NIH, her path to studying bioethics, and advice for other students interested in science research and health.

NIH Traditional Medicine Summit Report

The NIH Traditional Medicine Summit Report details a historic gathering for NIH that provided a foundation for integrating traditional healing knowledge with research.