OSU KLATOWA EENA ALUMNI NETWORK

Close up photo of Indigenous drum

Message from KEAN Leadership

How do we move forward? It is the question being asked by the world population following the development and release of vaccines to fight the coronavirus after spending a year in quarantine watching national economies collapse.

How do we move forward? It is the question being asked by the U.S. population after a decade of divisive, partisan politics followed by the inauguration of a Democratic president and Congress.

How do we move forward? It is the question being asked by the minority communities of our country following the Black Lives Matter movement and awakening of minority activism in response to the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

Everywhere we look, the question of, “How do we move forward?” is being asked as we deal with the most impactful year on human society in our lifetime.

Likewise, we at KEAN are asking how do WE move forward? How do we deal with the loss of so many elders in our Native and Indigenous communities? How do we continue to make progress toward being an elite alumni association that represents the needs of our Native and Indigenous students, staff, alumni and communities at Oregon State University? How do we reach our past Native and Indigenous alumni to form a base of elders who can provide guidance and wisdom?

We are making small steps in cementing our alumni group as a formidable force within Oregon State. Our voice is getting louder as we get more confident in our position within the community. Our collection of expertise and strengths is growing daily as we continue to build community with our alumni. We have made our presence known within the Native community with our distribution of face masks to help our elders avoid the coronavirus. But much work remains to answer the question, “How do we move forward?”

By bringing together the strengths and perseverance of ALL of our communities.

May we walk in peace with the Creator,

Orman E. Morton III
President of the Klatowa Eena Alumni Network


Visit our webpage and join our Facebook group.

Photo of handmade masks

We Got Your Face Covered

Between December 2020 and March 2021, KEAN members gathered enough supplies to donate 820 reusable cloth masks to tribes in need around the country through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. We also helped facilitate other local community-based sewing groups to donate several dozen masks.

We are looking forward to doing another community project in the future. If you have any ideas on how we can help support our home community please let us know.

KEAN Community Connect and Trivia Night

Need a fun and casual way to take a break? Join us for an opportunity to bond with each other, talk about future activities and play a fun game of OSU Native trivia. Bring your snack and beverage of choice. We’ll bring the music and prizes.

TUESDAY, MAY 25
5:30 p.m. PT

REGISTER
Photo of Suzan Shown Harjo

Photo credit: Paul Morigi/AP Images for the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian

Community Spotlight - Suzan Shown Harjo
Submitted by Renée Roman Nose, KEAN

Suzan Shown Harjo (Cheyenne & Hodulgee Muscogee) is a writer, curator and policy advocate, who has developed landmark laws and led myriad campaigns for Native and Indigenous Peoples’ rights. She has helped Native Nations to protect cultural, historic and sacred places, and to recover over one million acres of lands.

READ ABOUT HER ACHIEVEMENTS

KEAN Design Contest

Calling artists! We are seeking artwork that will represent the cultural significance of our network, an artistic representation of the community. The leadership has decided that this task is best performed by our members.

To that end, we are asking for our membership to submit their own artistic expression of what it means to be an Indigenous member of the Oregon State community. The winning submission will be featured on our website and newsletter. Design concepts due by Aug. 1, 2021.

Email concepts to klatowaeena@osualum.com with subject line "Design Concepts." We encourage you to think of art that can be featured digitally.

munk-skukum Living-Learning Community

munk-skukum offers a residential space for students to find community, explore cultural identity and learn more about the lands on which they will be residing.

During the spring and summer of 2020, two OSU student designers created a color palette and four large murals to transform the first floor of Poling Hall for the munk-skukum Indigenous and Nia Black Scholar living-learning communities.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR DESIGN

Your Feedback Requested

We want to know what our next year of activities and events should be. Do you want to connect with fellow alumni and students? Do you want to highlight careers and community achievements? How do you want to engage?

TELL US!

HELP US BUILD A NETWORK

Know of events, activism or employment opportunities for Indigenous community members? Let us help spread the word. Post the information on our Facebook page or email the information to klatowaeena@osualum.com.

 

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Oregon State University Alumni Association
204 CH2M Hill Alumni Center, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA

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