Native Indigenous Initiatives (NII)

Native Indigenous histories are often silenced and erased. The IE is home to over 4 million residents, however according to the US census in 2020, American Indians and Alaska Natives make up only 2.2% of the population. Native and Indigenous peoples are the traditional caretakers of this land and Native/Indigenous community partners, elders, and residents play a significant role in shaping their narratives and passing them on to future generations. Pitzer's Institutional Research office reports that while those who self-identify as Native/Indigenous have a 100% graduation rate, they remain the least represented student population on campus. 

Native Indigenous Initiatives at Pitzer College supports the academic development of Native Indigenous students connecting students, faculty, local tribes, and community-based organizations. Supported programming can include (but is not limited to) cultural education and excursions, mentoring, scholarly talks and panel discussions, talking circles, historical and archival projects, special collections and repatriation, environmental projects, community-building, arts projects and traditional craft-making, connections to the natural sciences, and student wellbeing. NII also provides paid student jobs and supports unpaid social responsibility praxis course internships. 

Native Indigenous Initiatives (NII) was formed around 2007-2008 with its primary work was connecting Pitzer courses and faculty to local Native American youth and programming with a strong focus on college access work. The program has experienced many successes and challenges over the years. This program aims to utilize a decolonial approach to work in partnership with Native and Indigenous peoples which includes:

• Recognizing colonial influence on economics, politics, society, and knowledge
• Rejecting Western knowledge as universal and superior
• Seeking to break free from Eurocentric ways of being
• Recognizing the crucial need for Native/Indigenous leadership
• Incorporating collective, democratic decision-making
• Emphasizing importance of being in “right relationship” with others
• Pitzer Land Acknowledgement

The CEC has 3 dedicated, paid positions available for Native & Indigenous students to work within NII. 

Our Future is Ancestral: Uplifting Indigenous Knowledge Systems On March 29th, 2025, Native Indigenous Initiatives hosted " Our Future is Ancestral: Uplifting Indigenous Knowledge Systems" at the Robert Redford Conservancy at Pitzer College.  This event brought individuals with Native/Indigenous cultural and artistic expertise to campus for a day of celebration, learning and community. We hosted professional beaders, singers, craftspeople, facilitators, teachers, mentors and elders.  This event was coordinated by NII Program Assistants, Jansikwe Medina Tayac, PZ'25 and Sara Orr, PZ'25 and was funding by  March 29th, 2025 | 9am-4pm Robert Redford Conservancy, Pitzer College Our Future is Ancestral EventBrite

Native Graduation at the NIRC Join us to celebrate our Seniors at this year's NIRC Graduation, hosted by Pomona College's Native Indigenous Resource Center. April 18th, 2025 | 5:30pm-8pm Benton Museum NIRC Instagram

Native Indigenous Consultant, David Montoya III, Coffee Cart

On April 24th, 2025, the Dean of Faculty's office hosted a Meet and Greet coffee cart to introduce David Montoya III, as the Native Indigenous Consultant. 

• Native Indigenous Initiatives Mural project with Native Scholar in Residence, Laurie Steelink
• Native American Garden in collaboration with the Pitzer Student Garden (Grove House). The Design for the garden was provided by late Elder in Residence, Barbara Drake, with permission from the Drake family
• College Access with NII Student Program Assistant, Armaan Syed
• Ongoing participation in the Native American Community Council (NACC) for Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

For more on Pitzer's Native Indigenous Student Union (NISU), please visit : https://www.instagram.com/nisu_claremont/?hl=en

For more information on the Native Indigenous Resource Center at Pomona College, please visit: https://www.pomona.edu/directory/people/joshua-thunder-little