Native American & Indigenous Community Celebration

Hosted by Multicultural Student Affairs and Native American & Indigenous Affairs, the Native American and Indigenous Community Celebration is an annual spring event to gather in community to share and recognize scholarship, research and community accomplishments related to Native American and Indigenous knowledges, methodologies and sovereignty. Each year, we feature a fun slideshow, different speakers from across campus, and recognize Special Honorees, nominated by the Northwestern community, with a blanketing ceremony. All are invited to this celebration. Visit our PlanIt Purple events calendar page for the latest year’s date.   

Special honoree nomination form

Nominate someone to receive a Special Honoree Award: Nominations are currently closed.  

Past Special Honorees  

• 2015: Ananda Marin 
• 2016: Loren Ghiglione 
• 2017: Ninah Divine 
• 2018: Doug Medin and Patricia Telles-Irvin 
• 2019: Aaron Golding and Bruce Lindvall 
• 2020: Lesley-Ann Brown-Henderson 
• 2021: Patty Loew and Kelly Wisecup 
• 2022: Niyo Moraza-Keeswood and Pamala Silas 
• 2023: Jasmine Gurneau 
• 2024: Janet Dees and Ojibwe Language Circle (Forrest Bruce, Lawrence Curley, Jordan Gurneau, and Michaela Marchi) 
• 2025: Isabel St. Arnold