November Events at SCC Marked Native American Heritage Month

Published: 11/19/2009

Events included a Nov. 4 performance by Bill Miller, Native American singer, songwriter, master flute player, guitarist, and composer, who gave a concert and talked about his experiences and heritage.

The 2008 film documentary, “The Battle for Whiteclay,” about the conflict between a Nebraska town and the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, was shown Nov. 9 and was followed with commentary by guest Frank LaMere, Native American activist, and Michael Murphy, singer/songwriter and activist whose music is featured in the film.

A Nov. 10 panel discussion, “Forgotten People: Native America,” included Murphy, LaMere, and other prominent Native Americans, including Harley Upton, youth supervisor for Boys Town in Omaha, Neb., and three graduate students from Washington University’s Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies: Willeen Whipple, Margaux Carrimon, and Kellie Szczepaniec. During the discussion, panelists talked about their various native backgrounds, and touched on issues of race, politics, and religion, answered questions from the audience, and invited students to get involved with issues facing the U.S. and Native American populations.

Murphy also performed a concert of Native American music on the evening of Nov. 10.

“The True Story of the First Thanksgiving,” a lunch event featuring traditional, authentic food, was held on Nov. 19. Participants learned the history of the first Thanksgiving.

Native American Heritage Month events were hosted by SCC’s Multicultural Programming Committee and the SCC History Department. SCC’s Multicultural Programming Committee is a group of SCC faculty and staff that coordinates events in an effort to broaden students’ perspectives and enhance their education.

Multicultural events planned for the Spring 2010 semester will include:

Black History Month – February

• “Walkin’ Cane,” a blues singer, songwriter, and slide guitarist, will perform at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, in the Café/Bookstore.

Women’s History Month – March

• Loung Ung, best-selling author, Cambodian genocide survivor, and activist, will lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, in the auditorium of the Social Sciences Building.
• Erin Weed, speaker, author, and founder of “Girls Fight Back!” will talk about violence prevention at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 9, in the auditorium of the Social Sciences Building.
• Meg Allison, storyteller, performer, and season five finalist of the USA Network’s “Nashville Star,” will perform at noon on Wednesday, March 31, in the Café/Bookstore.

Asian-Pacific Islander Heritage Month – March (SCC will observe Asian-Pacific Islander Heritage Month in March, instead of the traditional celebratory month of May, while students are on campus.)

• Dana Leong, electro-jazz cellist/composer, will perform at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, March 25, in the auditorium of the Social Sciences Building.

For more information on multicultural programming at SCC, contact Kelley Pfeiffer, student activities coordinator, at 636-922-8544, or Vicky Herbel, assistant professor of sociology, at 636-922-8666.
 
St. Charles Community College is a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences, and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational, and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit www.stchas.edu.