Indigenous Education: Elevating the Genius of Indigenous Communities with Ben Calabaza & Nena Lopez

For far too long education has been done to Indigenous communities rather than with them. In 2015, The Native American Community Academy Inspired Schools Network (NISN) created an environment for systemic transformation of education systems for Indigenous youth by supporting Indigenous leadership and the creation of community-led schools. Twenty years ago the namesake school, Native American Community Academy, opened its doors in Albuquerque, New Mexico with the mission of providing students an education grounded in wellness, community, college/career readiness and leadership—all of which were informed by the community.

Today, NISN supports a network of 18 schools across 7 states in implementing their own community-led vision of education—one that is centered in identity, holistic wellness and academic relevance. Kwiyagat Community Academy in Towaoc, Colorado is an NISN school who is seeking to reimagine an education where the Ute Mountain Ute language and culture is central to students' learning. Learn about the Kwiyagat Community Academy story and how its network of schools are working towards educational transformation and sustainability of Indigenous ways of being and knowing.

Ben Calabaza (Kewa Pueblo) serves as the Director of Communications for NISN, where he leads communication strategies that uplift and enhance visibility for community-led schools in seven states. With 20 years of experience in marketing, branding, and storytelling, he has worked with local and national non-profit organizations, museums, and cultural institutions. He also serves on the boards of the Chamiza Foundation and Mesa Verde Foundation.

Nena Lopez is from the Uintah Band of the Northern Ute Tribe out of Fort Duchesne, Utah and the Weenuche Band of the Ute Mountain Tribe out of Towaoc, Colorado. She teaches kindergarten at the Kwiyagat Community Academy in Towaoc, Colorado and has been instrumental in the development and refinement of their school's Graduate Profile and 5th Grade Graduate Capstone. Her work at the Kwiyagat Community Academy has resulted in valuable contributions to ensuring students within her community experience quality education as promised by the school's mission that was dreamed by the members of her community.



This webinar is part of the Crow Canyon Webinar Series, hosted every other Thursday at 4pm MT by Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. These webinars are offered free of charge thanks to the support of generous donors.
See what’s coming up at https://crowcanyon.org/archaeology-we.... Stream past webinars from our YouTube channel at    / crowcanyonconnects  .

Crow Canyon Archaeological Center is a nonprofit organization located near Mesa Verde in southwest Colorado. Our mission is to empower present and future generations by making the human past accessible and relevant through archaeological research, experiential education, and American Indian knowledge.

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