{"id":16140,"date":"2025-10-14T02:01:24","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T08:01:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/fort-lewis-college-honors-native-students-community-members-on-indigenous-peoples-day\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T21:55:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T03:55:04","slug":"fort-lewis-college-honors-native-students-community-members-on-indigenous-peoples-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/fort-lewis-college-honors-native-students-community-members-on-indigenous-peoples-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Fort Lewis College honors Native students, community members on Indigenous Peoples Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Sophomores
Sophomores Melody Jerrellyn Eisenberger, left, of the Kiowa Tribe, and Malachi Laskie of the Chickasaw Tribe joined the solidarity walk Monday during Fort Lewis College's Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Fort Lewis College\u2019s Indigenous Peoples Day celebration brought the community together Monday to celebrate and honor the college and the region\u2019s Indigenous population.<\/p>\n

Karl Little Owl, executive assistant to the vice president of Diversity Affairs, delivered a campuswide blessing. He told The Durango Herald<\/em> it was a prayer of gratitude and one seeking protection, wisdom, guidance and healing for the FLC community.<\/p>\n

\"Karl
Karl Little Owl, center, executive assistant to the vice president of Diversity Affairs, led the campuswide blessing Monday during Fort Lewis College's Indigenous Peoples Day celebration, then joined in for a rainy solidarity walk across campus. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

He emphasized the importance of one\u2019s tongue, the words one uses and the power of forgiveness.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday is Indigenous Peoples Day, (and) there\u2019s a lot of folks in the country still struggling with that,\u201d Little Owl said to the crowd gathered in the Native American Center. \u201cAs we know, we\u2019re going through a reconciliation process right now. We\u2019re only at the tip of the iceberg with our reconciliation process here on campus. \u2026 A lot of our generations are still healing, but the power of forgiveness helps us move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A
A large crowd joined in a rainy solidarity walk across campus during Fort Lewis College's Indigenous Peoples Day celebration Monday. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Fort
Fort Lewis College President Heather Shotton joined in a rainy solidarity walk through campus Monday during the college's Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Fort Lewis College President Heather Shotton joined the day\u2019s events, including walking alongside staff, faculty and students during a rainy Solidarity Walk.<\/p>\n

Shotton, a citizen of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and a descendant of the Kiowa and Cheyenne nations, is the college\u2019s first Native American president<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow we honor our histories, how we reconcile with those histories, particularly as institutions of education, (is) important,\u201d Shotton told the Herald. <\/em><\/p>\n

\"Fort
Fort Lewis College President Heather J. Shotton joined Fort Lewis College's Indigenous Peoples Day celebration Monday. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201c(As a) Native American Serving Nontribal Institution, one of the things that we do is recognize that we\u2019re on Indigenous land, and we work really hard to build strong relationships and partnerships with the tribes whose land we\u2019re on,\u201d Shotton said. \u201cFor so many of our students, this is an important day for them, and we want to honor that, (and honor) the different identities and backgrounds of students, their histories, their cultures. (It\u2019s) an important step for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nearly 40% of Fort Lewis College students are Native American or Alaska Native, representing more than 180 sovereign tribal nations across the country, according to the school\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Associated
Associated Students of Fort Lewis College Student Body President Asa Worthington, Kiowa Tribe, spoke to attendees Monday at the 2025 Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration on the college campus. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Fort
Fort Lewis College President Heather Shotton and Associated Students of FLC Student Body President and Kiowa Tribe member Asa Worthington gathered for lunch with attendees at the college's Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Kiowa Tribe member and Associated Students of Fort Lewis College Student Body President Asa Worthington delivered a speech during a pause in the Solidarity Walk, in which he repeated twice the sentiment that every day is Indigenous Peoples Day.<\/p>\n

\"Sophomores
Sophomores Melody Jerrellyn Eisenberger, left, of the Kiowa Tribe and Malachi Laskie of the Chickasaw Tribe joined Fort Lewis College\u2019s Indigenous Peoples Day celebration Monday. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Fort Lewis College sophomores Melody Jerrellyn Eisenbeger, a citizen of the Kiowa Tribe, and Malachi Laskie, a citizen of the Chickasaw Tribe, attended the event together Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been really nice,\u201d Eisenberger said of her experience at the event. She said she was unable to attend last year because she was at a pow wow, and was glad she was able to join this year. \u201cI\u2019m really excited, and really happy about it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Fort
Fort Lewis College\u2019s Native American Center was packed during the college\u2019s Indigenous Peoples Day celebration Monday. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Laurie
Laurie Monte of Rez Girls Catering, based out of Ignacio, served a lunch to attendees Monday that included pozole, red and green chile, fry bread, sweet rice and salad during Fort Lewis College\u2019s Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

A keynote speech by Jasmine Williams detailed her journey of self-advocacy, and highlighted the challenges and resilience of Indigenous communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I think about what Indigenous Peoples Day means, I think about the journey \u2013 the way each of us carries our own ancestors\u2019 strength, while trying to find our own path,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Keynote
Keynote speaker and Native American Serving Nontribal Institution Coordinator Jasmine Williams speaks to attendees Monday at the 2025 Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration at the Fort Lewis College Native American Center. (Elizabeth Pond\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Williams closed the speech with a message of encouragement to Indigenous students.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo the students here, you deserve to be in every room that you walk into. You belong in higher education, in leadership and in decision-making spaces, and you are capable of things our ancestors only dreamed of,\u201d Williams said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time you speak up \u2013 for yourself, for your people, for what\u2019s right \u2013 you make it easier for the next generation to do the same,\u201d she said. \u201cAs Indigenous peoples, we are not just surviving, we are shaping the future. Keep believing in yourself, and never forget to carry generations of brilliance within you.\u201d<\/p>\n

epond@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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