Map of Native American Tribes in Arizona (Retrieved from Arizona Department of Education: (https://www.azed.gov/oie/22-federally-recognized-tribes-arizona))

Join us for Festive Food Wednesdays with the GCC Palms Cafe. Each Wednesday, the GCC Cafeteria will be selling a variety of Native American Food options to celebrate Native American Culture.

Please note this presentation will be live streamed on the GCC Livestream Youtube Channel. See the link below. 

About the Presenter:

Patty Talahongva is Hopi. She comes from the villages of Walpi and Sitstomovi on First Mesa in northern Arizona. Her clan is Corn. She is an award winning journalist. Her work can be seen in museum's including the Heard Museum in Phoenix and the Penn Museum in Philadelphia. She also produced and directed a documentary on American Indian Code Talkers in WWII for the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. She is currently writing a book on her family’s experience at the Phoenix Indian School which she also attended. It will be published by Legacy Lit an imprint of Hachette Book Group in 2025. She is also working on an investigative documentary for the PBS program Frontline.

You can follow her book project on Instagram @indianschoolroad 

Please note this presentation will be live streamed on the GCC Livestream Youtube Chanel, but not the film. 

About the Presenter:

Valaura Imus-Nahsonhoya (Hopi) is the Arizona Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Coordinator, Tribal Affairs, Office of Governor Hobbs. Founder and Executive Director of Honwungsi Consulting Services, LLC.Previous Director of Community Engagement, ASU Research on Violent Victimization, Associate with the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College, and Study Coordinator for the Arizona State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Task Force. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion from Northern Arizona University and Masters in Criminal Justice with an Emphasis in Legal Studies from Grand Canyon University. 

With over 20 years of progressive experience augmented by a strong background in victim service program development and implementation, including policy development. Grant proposal writing and financial management. Effective in coordination and collaboration of major events. Subject matter expert, educator, and trainer on victim service implementation, human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual violence, Missing & Murdered Indigenous People, and other related topics. Her partnerships expand throughout the United States, Canda, and Alaska to assist with improvements of advocacy, health and wellness of Indigenous People. 

Join us for a pre-recorded cooking session with Olivia Joe from Native Health and learn how to cook Blue Corn Mush. 

About the Presenter:

Olivia is a full-blooded Navajo (Dine) woman who grew up in Northern Arizona and moved to Phoenix as she got older. Olivia is a dedicated and accomplished Food Pantry Assistant at NATIVE HEALTH, where she has been a valuable team member since 2021. With many years of experience in her field, childhood education and food distribution, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the team.

She is known for leading and presenting food demonstrations, youth classes, and organizing events. She has a proven track record of engaging the community in her classes and providing the community with food resources. 

Outside of work, she is currently working on a degree in Elementary Education and ways to serve the Indigenous Community.

About Native Health:

NATIVE HEALTH started in 1978 as a small community nursing program. The agency has grown over its forty year history to offer a full array of health care and social services throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area.

To learn more about Native Health, please visit: https://www.nativehealthphoenix.org/about-us/history/

Take a picture or video wearing your moccasins and post on social media with the hashtag #ROCKYOURMOCS and tag us @gccaz and @gccslifeleadership

What is Rock Your Mocs?  

Established 2011, Rock Your Mocs, is best described as a worldwide Native American & Indigenous Peoples virtual unity event held annually and during November National Native American Heritage Month in the U.S.A. During the Rock Your Mocs, people wear their moccasins, take a photo, create a video or story, add the hashtag #ROCKYOURMOCS and upload to social media. This creates “an online photo album” for the world to see and enjoy. Rock Your Mocs is wherever you are and also, individuals, organizations, businesses, schools, museums and tribes are taking the initiative to create their own independent local events too!

Why: A positive opportunity celebrate tribal individuality united by wearing moccasins. We honor our ancestors, and indigenous peoples worldwide, during Rock Your Mocs events and commemorate National Native American Heritage Month

Adapted Verbatim from: https://rockyourmocs.org/sample-page/

Join us as Emile delivers a talk about her role as former 1st Attendant to Miss Indian Arizona, an ambassador position that represents the 22 federally recognized tribes that reside within the state of Arizona. Additionally, she will share information about the various Native American tribes here in the Southwest and about her traditional talent, how to dye wool using plants from her family's home on the Navajo reservation.

About the Presenter: 

Emile Eich is a tribal member of the Navajo Nation and her family is from Wide Ruins, AZ. Emile graduated from NAU in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology with University Honors. 

She is currently working full time as a data analyst at ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and is pursuing a Master's of Science at ASU in Program Evaluation and Data Analytics.

Emile also served as Miss Indigenous Northern Arizona University and 1st attendant to Miss Indian Arizona, her duties within these roles include serving as an ambassador on behalf of the Native American student population at NAU and later the 22 federally recognized tribes within the state of Arizona.

Please note: This event is sponsored by the Glendale Community Colleges' Diversity Committee. 

Join us for an afternoon of Native American Flute and Hoop Dance Performance.

About the Presenter: 

Tony Duncan (San Carlos Apache and Mandan Hidatsa Arikara) is an internationally recognized World champion hoop dancer, fancy dancer, flutist, and singer. With his wife Violet (Plains Cree of Kehewin Cree Nation & Taino), they raise their 4 children in the cultures of their ancestors.

Tony has performed around the world, toured with Nelly Furtado, won several Native American Music Awards, and is a 5-time World Champion hoop dancer. He has performed for former First Lady Laura Bush and appeared on MTV, The Tonight Show, and others.