Pathways to Sovereignty: Spiritual Strength, Cultural Knowledge, and School Success

We hope that you will join us for the 41st Annual Oregon Indian Education Association (OIEA) Conference, May 1st & 2nd in the Memorial Union Hall on the Oregon State University campus.

About the Conference:

American Indian/Alaska Native education sits at the very intersection of sovereignty and cultural sustainability in our Native communities. Without educating ourselves and those around us to the issues of sovereignty, governance, sustainability and cultural knowledge, we limit our capacity to truly decolonize the conditions in which Native communities continue to struggle. It is through the intersections of spiritual strength, sovereignty and educational access and success that Native communities can truly aspire to realize their own unique goals.

Agenda at a Glance Conference Agenda

This year’s Oregon Indian Education Association (OIEA) conference focuses on the theme Pathways to Sovereignty: Spiritual Strength, Cultural Knowledge and Student Success. Through this theme, the OIEA conference seeks to find the connections that exist between exercising sovereignty through Native spiritual resilience, that both inform and inspire cultural knowledge preservation and student success. The conference will highlight those areas that have been fundamental in changing curriculum, perceptions, attitudes and cultures within both education and policy. OIEA 2018 will focus on five presentation topics:

  • Decolonizing Curriculum
  • Pathways to Higher Education
  • Integrating Traditional Knowledge
  • Native Language Revitalization
  • Professional Development
  • Family Outreach

Tribal education practitioners, Native faculty, researchers, student voices, community members and community organizations are encouraged to share their insights and best practices, or to provide voice to issues and concerns that are relevant to the Native community. Participants may provide presentations, panel discussions or workshops that are interactive, engaging and thought provoking. As a conference dedicated to Native American success, this opportunity provides a forum to present and participate in knowledge sharing and community building.