Grand Valley will create a pilot program in 2025 embedding Anishinaabe teachings into several undergraduate courses by bringing indigenous knowledge keepers from the community to collaborate and co-teach with faculty members.
“Who better to tell our story and teach our story but us?”
Dorie Rios is the Tribal Chairperson of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, and also chairs the Native American Heritage Fund that awarded GVSU $63,500 for its program.
The fund began as a way to address school mascots negatively representing Native people which has largely been successful, Rios says.
It now focuses on promoting positive relationships between Michigan’s schools, colleges, universities, local governments and its 12 federally recognized Native American tribes
“Every tribe typically has their door open to help educate those that live near us and around us. With those doors open, reach out. Start that conversation, even its a hard conversation. We gotta start somewhere.”
The Fund awarded 10 Michigan schools with more than $480,000 in grants this year.
