{"id":2179,"date":"2023-10-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/education\/blog\/2023\/10\/24\/empowering-indigenous-voices-during-native-american-heritage-month\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T22:39:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T06:39:35","slug":"empowering-indigenous-voices-during-native-american-heritage-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/education\/blog\/2023\/10\/empowering-indigenous-voices-during-native-american-heritage-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Empowering Indigenous voices during Native American Heritage Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

November marks National Native American Heritage Month<\/a>, a period in which we acknowledge and honor those who called the land now known as the United States home long before colonists arrived. According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, there are currently 574 federally recognized nations<\/a> with roughly 1% of students<\/a> attending public U.S. schools identifying as American Indian or Alaskan Native (AI\/AN). We must also be aware that some communities are not federally or state recognized or no longer exist today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We at Microsoft strive to take concrete steps toward ensuring equitable education<\/a>, inclusive careers<\/a>, and representation through media<\/a> that fosters diverse perspectives and supports tribal sovereignty<\/a>. Throughout the year, we honor and value Indigenous communities as we recognize that the history and present-day experience of AI\/AN people is marked by cultural perseverance, innovative adaptation, revitalization, and enduring resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand and honor Indigenous cultures with Flip <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Join Flip for a live conversation and resource share on November 15, 2023, at 3:00 PM PT to learn about the diverse cultures of Indigenous and Native peoples. Explore how to understand and honor Indigenous heritage, language, customs, and traditions in your classroom and beyond. In this session, you’ll gain insights from the ideas and examples provided by fellow educators and Flip Discovery Partners. Additionally, you’ll discover resources and activities to help you teach about and celebrate the history, achievements, and contributions of Indigenous and Native peoples. Learn more and register for this free Flip event<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebrate Indigenous cultures with Minecraft Education<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft Canada has unveiled a new world<\/a> for Minecraft Education, created in collaboration with the k\u02b7ik\u02b7\u0259\u019b\u0313\u0259m (Kwikwetlem) First Nation and the School District 43 (Coquitlam) Education team in British Columbia, Canada, to raise awareness about the unique perspectives and artistry of coastal peoples in the Pacific Northwest.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this immersive, multidisciplinary experience, students (grades 2 through 12) travel back in time to help a coastal community prepare for winter using sustainable harvesting practices. Through participation in these practices, students will gain an understanding of Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge and the interconnectedness of all living and non-living things. Additionally, Students will learn about and perform harvest tasks and build their own self-sustaining village. Check out A Pacific Northwest Coast Experience<\/a> and download the world to get started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re also invited to join us for a special learning series to explore A Pacific Northwest Coast Experience. This free series includes a professional development workshop for educators and two co-taught lessons for students, starting on October 30th at 3:15 PM PT. Learn more about the free learning series and register today<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n

\"Representation<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Learn from elders and knowledge keepers, perform harvest tasks, and build a self-sustaining village\u202fwith A Pacific Northwest Coast Experience in Minecraft Education.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore more Minecraft Education worlds that honor the experiences of Indigenous cultures while building academic skills: <\/p>\n\n\n\n