November is Native American Heritage Month. This month is a time to celebrate our peoples and not only our history, but also how far we have come and how we are still resilient to this day. Now more than ever, Native people are being represented in media, are active in advocacy, and are accomplishing great things that make our people proud. May we celebrate our past, present, and future this month and fill it with Native joy, humor, and expression.

There are many different ways to honor and celebrate this month. One is to know and remember whose native land you are on. Though we Mvskoke people were forcefully removed, we currently inhabit land that was once the home of other tribes—such as the Wichita, Caddo, and Osage people.

Take this time to really dive into your culture and connect. Read Native poetry, admire and be inspired by Native art, learn our oral histories and stories, look more into the Land Back movement, and most of all, take action. Action this month can mean through advocacy, or can simply mean getting involved in your Native community. Connect with one another and support one another. And of course, don’t forget to rock your Native fit! Show off your traditional clothing, rock your mocs, wear your beadwork, and just show off all of what makes each of our tribes unique!

On that note, the Rock Your Mocs campaign (RYM 2022), is from November 13 – 19th this year! The week-long event allows for not only a week of celebration, but a week of activities centered around being proud of one’s culture and traditional clothing loud and proud! Be sure to wear some form of traditional clothing during this week to participate in the RYM Movement!

And maybe, if you're interested, think about participating in MCN Cultural Center & Archives' NAHM Contest! Find more info below