Building on the powerful work of Since Time Immemorial tribal sovereignty curriculum, the Native Voices Arts Academy and Cultural Curriculum began in 2017 as a collaborative, sovereignty-grounded, arts learning project between tribal nations, tribal compact and public schools serving Native middle school youth, OSPI (WA State Native Education, Arts Education and Migrant Education programs), and Arts Impact. Students and teachers participated in two arts academies each year, where they engaged in place-based indigenous arts infused learning with Native teaching artists and cultural educators. The academies included teacher training, followed by one-on-one mentorships with Native teaching artists in the classroom during the school year. In September of 2023, the Native Voices Leadership Team declared their intention to form an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Native Arts and Cultural Learning
“As the first peoples of this land, our tribes continue to follow the migratory footsteps of our ancestors in our vast homelands and waterways. Since the beginning of time, our indigenous knowledge has been honored and sustained in our rich languages, stories, songs, history, culture, art and ways of life. It is with deep respect, our children continue the pathways of our ancestor’s vision for the future. “
— Patsy Whitefoot, Yakama Elder
Native People as the Original Migratory People
The Native Voices project was funded with generous support from the Title I, Part C, Migrant Education Program of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Native students whose families pursue sovereign treaty-protected practices like fishing, berry gathering or other seasonal agricultural work or fishing across school district boundaries may be eligible to receive support from the Migrant Education Program.
For program information, please contact:
- Sylvia Reyna, Program Supervisor, Title I Part C, Migrant Education Program, at [email protected] or 360.725.4474
