The Institute of American Indian Research

Greetings,

The Institute for American Indian Research (IFAIR) is dedicated to advancing Native and Indigenous education, research, and service at the University of New Mexico (UNM). Each academic year, we host and support numerous events designed to foster the study of Indigenous nation-building, community organizing, and the diverse experiences of Indigenous peoples.

In 2022, IFAIR proudly launched the Luci Tapahonso Distinguished Indigenous Speaker Series. Professor Emeritus Luci Tapahonso (Diné), the first Navajo Nation Poet Laureate, began her esteemed career in the English Department at UNM. Widely recognized for her poetry and narratives about Diné life and culture, Tapahonso has inspired countless Diné and Indigenous students. Given her monumental contributions to both the Navajo Nation and UNM, we found it fitting to name this new speaker series in her honor.

This speaker series, named in Professor Tapahonso’s honor, is intended to bring together Indigenous scholars and intellectuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences to share their perspectives on Indigenous issues with UNM’s faculty, staff, students, and the general public. To kick off the series, we invited Sarah Deer (Muscogee/Creek Nation), a respected Indigenous lawyer and advocate, to deliver the inaugural lecture on Native survivor narratives. Since then, we’ve been fortunate to host several other remarkable Indigenous scholars and advocates who have generously shared their knowledge with UNM’s faculty, staff, and students.  Keynote speakers include:

• 2022: Sarah Deer (Muscogee/Creek Nation)

           “The Reckoning: Native Crime Victims and the Future of Tribal Communities”

• 2023: Diane Wilson (Sicangu Lakota)

                      “Seeds and Stories”

• 2024: Nancy Mithlo (Fort Sill Chiricahua Warm Springs Apache Tribe)

          “Dear America: The Trials and Errors of Native Art Diplomacy”

• 2025: TBA

The Luci Tapahonso Distinguished Indigenous Speaker Series has become a fixture at UNM during Native American Heritage Month, with several accomplished Indigenous scholars, writers, artists, and advocates visiting campus.  In addition to the speaker series, IFAIR has hosted several other Indigenous leaders, including Ramona Emerson (Diné), Dale DeForest (Diné), Beth Piatote (Nez Perce), Taté Walker (Lakota), Jordan Dresser (Northern Arapaho), who have each contributed vital perspectives on issues surrounding Native sovereignty and self-determination.

We encourage you to visit our website regularly for updates on upcoming events and collaborations with nearby Indigenous nations and communities. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Sarah Hernandez, PhD

Director, Institute for American Indian Research 

hernands@unm.edu