Tuesday, November 27, 2018 – 3:00pm
Penn Law SchoolSansom Street
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Excerpt from the Draft Statement of Purpose:
The Penn Native Community Council (PNCC) Committee is formed to highlight the histories, heritage, and cultures of the Native American, First Nations, and Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Specifically, the Committee aims to recognize the important contributions that Native staff, faculty, and alumni have made to the Penn community (past and present), to encourage and support Native students at Penn, and to raise awareness of Native histories at Penn. The Committee also aims to remind the Penn community that the University is situated in the historical homelands of the Lenni-Lenape/Delaware tribal nations.
During each academic year, the PNCC Committee will offer at least two public events to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Native peoples locally, regionally, and/or globally. The inaugural event will take place in November 2018, during the month that the United States recognizes as Native American Heritage Month, or, as it is commonly referred to, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. This is an opportune time to educate the general public about Native nations, to raise general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have historically faced, and to offer insights into Native strategies designed to preserve cultural continuity, tribal sovereignty, and long-term survival.