4-H celebrates Native American Heritage Month!
Every November we celebrate the history, heritage, traditions, and culture of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Here are some ideas of how youth and 4-H clubs can help celebrate this month!
Learn
Learn more about Native American Heritage Month, why it is celebrated, and its history and impact at
Read
Check out a book written by a Native American author! Ask for recommendations at your local library. Make it a mini book club and discuss your pick with friends or at your club!
Watch
We can learn a lot through film and cinema. Choose movies to watch that help celebrate the Native American culture and experience. Host a viewing party with your club! Here is a list of films as ideas to get you started: https://bit.ly/3E9l9PE
Give
Choose a service project for yourself or your club that benefits a non-profit that serves the Native American community!
Cook
Prepare a traditional Native American recipe for dinner. Make it as authentic as possible by researching the dish's origin and different versions of the recipe. Ask for recipe books or resources at your local library. Incorporate at least one Native American dish into your Thanksgiving Dinner!
Experience
Head to a museum or cultural exhibit in your area to learn more about Native American history and cultures. Don't have a museum close by? Check out an online exhibit and explore it with your club!
Support
Uplift and support Native American businesses by shopping for authentic Native goods at places like https://shop.beyondbuckskin.com/ which has a list of other businesses you could support this month and year round!
Ready for more? Native American heritage celebrates a diverse range of voices, heritage, and traditions that you can help celebrate and honor! Keep exploring throughout the month!
MEET THE AUTHORS:
Roxana Cejeda is a 4-H youth readiness and new audiences outreach associate in the State 4-H Office. Roxana holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign and is passionate about building culturally relevant programs, and creating high fidelity 4-H programs. She currently develops 4-H programs to for minority youth and families. She has previously managed a National 4-H grant that focused in expanding a Latino youth and family program in Cook County, Illinois. Additionally, she oversees a group of youth annually that assist with the Illini Summer Academies, a state-wide 4-H event.
Arsema Tesfai is a diversity, equity, and inclusion Intern with Illinois 4-H and a third year student at University of Illinois majoring in Political Science and minoring in Business. She is passionate about criminal justice and education reform and plans to go to law school.