Boozhoo all,
In October 2021, MSU’s North American Indigenous Student Organization (NAISO) attended the Big Ten Native Gathering Conference at Northwestern University. During that conference, there was a period of discussion where students from all universities shared their experiences as Native students at their respective universities.
It was during this discussion that Native students from MSU’s NAISO shared their experiences, much of it extremely negative and disheartening. They shared the issues they have encountered at MSU and even shared things that continue to happen.
Students feel isolated, tokenized, and marginalized within classroom settings, online spaces, and everyday interactions. Indigenous peoples within the MSU community need support; we need our existences recognized by the University community.
These issues raised the need for immediate solutions. We need a space that is entirely intended to collectively uplift, support, listen, and demand change within Michigan State University for Indigenous students/faculty/community members. Thus, NAISO will be hosting a Native Issues Town Hall. During this forum faculty, staff, and students will be able to discuss these issues in order to brainstorm and demand solutions. There will also be opportunity for anyone to share their experiences, comments, concerns, or questions. The Town Hall will take place virtually Tuesday, March 1 at 7pm.
If you would like to share a statement but want to remain anonymous, feel free to send your statement to the NAISO email at naiso.michiganstate@gmail.com, and it will be read by a NAISO representative during the Town Hall.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://msu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwlcu-uqjojGdA5-7M74JAgn-R9lBQl-Bj2
Sincerely,
MSU NAISO
