The Fridley School Board enjoyed a special presentation from Fridley High School 11th grade students Videl Rosales and Laneena Sailor, who presented on the significance of Native American Heritage Month at the November 16, 2021 board meeting.

“Our goal is to educate others that Native people exist - we still exist,” said Rosales. “It’s also important for people to understand and have a correct portrayal of Native American people, which is different from what is typically portrayed in the news, media, and some books today.”

In their presentation, Rosales and Sailor also highlighted two main tribes within Minnesota: Anishanaabe (Ojibwe) and Oyate (Dakota) people. Within these two tribes, there are 11 different Tribal Nations. They also discussed traditional clothing, foods, and language.

The students began their presentation with a Land Acknowledgement statement, created in collaboration with the district’s equity and inclusion department and Native American Parent Advisory Committee. The purpose of the formal statement is to acknowledge and respect Indigenous peoples’ longstanding history as traditional stewards of the land.

Fridley Public Schools provides opportunities for students to learn more about Native American heritage and culture through a Native Student Group, a program that works in collaboration with the non-profit MIGIZI (which means ‘bald eagle’ in Ojibwe) based in Minneapolis.

Rosales, who is of Atawak and Yaqui ancestry, said she has been part of the student group since 5th grade. “Being part of this group is amazing,” said Rosales. “It’s a great way to learn about the original people who were here on this land, and I get to learn more about my culture and the native land that I come from.

According to Sailor, whose ancestry is Ojibwe, her favorite part about being part of the group is connecting with fellow students, and having the opportunity to bond by through art projects, field trips and diving deeper into history lessons.

“There is a lot of variety when it comes to Native American culture and tribes,” said Sailor. “It’s been fascinating to learn more than we do in history classes, especially about the resurfacing of original indigenous cultures. It’s amazing to hear about and see.”

Throughout Native American Heritage Month, schools across the district have provided lessons that relate to Indigenous people - from advisory lessons at the high school to elementary students exploring cultural artifacts and researching history during media time.