here is queer is a decolonized virtual multimedia art gallery aiming to understand how queerness is conceptualized around the world and throughout time by various indigenous communities, faciliate a centralized space for indigenous thought and story in their understandings of being two-spirit, and discover how queer and indigenous identities and movements intersect on the journey for self-determination. The gallery is open!

cody freeman (all pronouns) is a queer, genderfluid PhD student in the Comparative and International Development Education program at College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. They are also the Founder & CEO of The Global Center, an NGO that transforms the world through education for LGBTI+ youth globally.

This Humanities Futures Lab design project aims to open up the process of designing and implementing the MESPAC Humanities Futures Lab course model to be contextualized for various settings including tribal and community colleges. Intended as a jumping-off point, my hope is that these resources lead to a deeper investigation of how humanities tools can be used for environmental stewardship and Indigenous education.

Isabel Huot-Link is a Master of Human Rights student at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota studying the political ecology of education.

The murder rate of Indigenous Women is 3x higher than Anglo-American women (MMIW). In 2016, there were 5712 cases of MMIWG across the United States. Native American women comprise a significant portion of the missing and murdered cases. Not only is the murder rate ten times higher than the national

average for women living on reservations, but murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women. (Native Hope). This Resource is mainly for non-Indigenous people, Activists, learners, and supporters committed to Social Justice and decolonial activism. 

Sunga Kufeyani (She/Her) is from Lilongwe, Malawi. She is a Doctoral Student in the Comparative International Development Education at the University of Minnesota. 

In this essay, I advocate for Black and Native solidarities through potential educational models in Black-Native ecologies and discussions on the reemergence of ecological relationships, stories, practices, worldviews, and cosmologies that Black and Native folks have always carried. I look to the past, at my family’s story in Oklahoma and the Indian Territory, offer present educational examples from across Turtle Island America, and finally dream towards our collective futures. The article is published on Medium.

Hannah Jo King (they/she) is Black American of mixed African and European ancestry. They are a PhD student studying environmental justice in the Natural Resources Science and Management program at the University of Minnesota.

The Indigenous Education for All Toolkit provides a basic understanding of how to advocate for Indigenous Education for All. As someone who assisted in the implementation of Indigenous Education into K-12 education standards, these are the processes and tools that were utilized in professional development presentations and community engagement meetings. The toolkit includes a brief history of US Indigenous education, statistics, resources, and strategies that can be used by all educators, families, community members, and anyone who believes in Indigenous Education for All.

Racquel Banaszak is an Anishinaabe educator, artist, and lifelong learner. She is an enrolled citizen of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe. She is particularly interested in how federal Indian policies and laws have shaped Indigenous communities and the ways they hold on to who they are. Her visual imagery is an ode to her ancestors whose strength and perseverance has paved the way for her today. 

She is currently pursuing her Master of Heritage Studies and Public History at the University of Minnesota. She holds a graduate certificate in Native American Studies from Montana State University (2018) and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (2012). She studied Indigenous Visual Culture at the Ontario College of Art & Design University in Toronto, Canada. 

This article emphasizes the significance of biodiversity education, using the example of the critically endangered Balkan lynx in North Macedonia. It highlights the negative impact of inadequate enforcement and lack of education on the preservation of endangered species and underlines the need for educating the public about the value of biodiversity for the survival of such species. The article is published on Medium.com

Srna Zafirovska (she/her) is a Macedonian Fulbrighter at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She is a Master's student in Comparative and International Development Education with a strong emphasis on biodiversity and education for sustainable development. 

In the Fall of 2022, students Abbie Condie and Chou Moua joined a project in synthesizing what evaluation could be for the Resurgence Practitioner Network, a cohort of Native and Indigenous educators from across Turtle Island.  These educators discussed in talking sessions on what evaluation could be by contributing knowledge from their experiences, nations, and communities. With guidance from Prof. Mexi, Abbie and Chou were able to create a list of practices that corresponded to the areas of listening, observation and processing; doing and asking; sharing; and creating within four evaluation areas.  

As a collective, they are reimagining and designing a school evaluation toolkit to reflect shared and distinct ethics, values, and practices as Indigenous educators. The Resurgence Practitioner Network is currently comprised of the following urban Indigenous alternative schools: 

• Indian Community School – Franklin / Milwaukee, WI

• Takoda Prep – Minneapolis, MN

• Nawayee Center School – Minneapolis, MN

• Many Nations Academy – Portland, OR

• Native American Community Academy – Albuquerque, NM

• Anahualcalmecac International University Preparatory of North America – Los Angeles, CA

 
From the project sessions held at NACA, future work involves piloting this co-designed Indigenous school evaluation process in the academic year 2023- 2024 at two schools.  

Chou Moua a PhD student in Comparative and International Development Education. His interests are in Hmong Diaspora research, education, and monitoring and evaluation.

Abigail Condie is a Masters of Development Practice student at The Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She has a background in monitoring and evaluation.

In collaboration with the Youth Leadership Initiative, Ntxheb Chang co-designed and co-facilitated a three-part workshop series called, "Land is, Therefore We Are" for high school students around place and cultural development. Each session is grounded in Indigenous epistemologies and ways of being and is a culmination of the people she met and knowledge gained throughout her coursework.  These workshops captures the centrality of place to the development of identities, values, beliefs, and ethics and is anchored around place as relationship.

Ntxheb Chang is a Hmong woman whose lived experiences navigating gender, race, citizenship status, and socioeconomic class informs her life passions for educational equity, youth leadership development, and refugee and immigrant rights. Her strong belief in the values of equity, collaboration, and community informs her approach to youth work, relationship building, and everyday being. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Higher Education at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities while contributing to building an ecosystem of equitable youth work at the Youth Leadership Initiative.