Eastern Connecticut State University will host three events in commemoration of Native American Heritage Month in late October and November. The events will feature prominent figures and guest speakers from the local Native American community, as well as demonstrations of music, jewelry making and natural medicines. All events are free and open to the public.

On Oct. 31 at 3 p.m. in the Student Center’s Betty Tipton Room, internationally acclaimed author and activist Winona LaDuke of the Anishinaabe Tribe will lead a talk titled “A Native Perspective: Sustaining Our Land, Recovering the Sacred.” Her talk will explore how indigenous understandings of land, religion and sacredness influence strategies for a sustainable environment. LaDuke is the executive director of Honor the Earth, a non-profit organization that raises awareness and financial support for indigenous environmental justice. The organization recently played an active role in the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.

On Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. in the Student Center Theatre, Chief Marilynn Malerba of the Mohegan Tribe will present “A Talk with First Nation, First Modern Female Chief.” Appointed in 2010, Malerba is the 18th chief of the Mohegan Tribe and is the first female chief in the tribe’s modern history.

On Nov. 13 from 11-1 p.m. in the Student Center Lobby, Eastern will celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions with a “Native American Heritage Day of Events.” Starting at 11 a.m., there will be an opportunity to participate in demonstrations of natural medicines (led by Mohegan tribal member Charlie Strickland) and jewelry design (led by Natasha Gambrell of the Eastern Pequot Tribe). At 12 p.m., there will an interactive program featuring a variety of Native music led by Chris Newell, a singer and senior educator of the Mashantucket Pequot Museum.

These events are co-sponsored by the Intercultural Center, Arthur L. Johnson Unity Wing, the Office of Equity and Diversity, the Institute of Sustainable Energy and the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Criminology and Social Work. The mission of Native American Heritage Month is to educate the public about the challenges faced by Native people currently and historically as well as the ways in which tribal citizens and communities have worked to conquer these challenges. All events are free and open to the public.