Luther College's Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month Events Foster Dialogue

When your school board votes, Decorah News is there to report. Chip in to keep your voice in the room. DECORAH — Luther College will celebrate Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month in November with a series of public events designed to foster dialogue and strengthen community connections. The monthlong observance begins with a lecture by University of Arizona anthropology professor Marcela Vásquez-León at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, in Olin 102. The event is supported by the Lucille Price Endowed Lecture and the Luther College Department of Identity Studies. Vásquez-León will discuss her experience mentoring Indigenous and Afro-descendent women from Latin America through the Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) program, a five-week U.S. State Department initiative hosted at the University of Arizona. She will reflect on how participants build networks of intersectional feminism and solidarity, while also navigating challenges shaped by U.S.–Latin American geopolitics. Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, Vásquez-León holds a doctorate in anthropology and a master's degree in agricultural economics from the University of Arizona. She directs the university's Center for Latin American Studies. The celebration continues with a campus conversation, Intergroup Dialogue: An Indigenous Leadership Practice, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, in Brunsdale Lounge. The discussion will explore Indigenous leadership grounded in relationships, storytelling and reciprocity. Participants will "practice dialogue as leadership, building community through shared stories, nurturing curiosity through deep listening, and fostering inclusivity by honoring every voice as part of our collective wisdom." The event is sponsored by the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES). Events conclude with a Cultural Community Connection celebration at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, at The Landing Market, 211 College Drive, featuring author Carson Faust and his forthcoming novel If the Dead Belong Here (Viking, 2025). Faust will give a presentation, take questions and sign books. The event is sponsored by CIES with support from The Landing Market. Faust, a two-spirit member of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of South Carolina, has received fellowships from the McKnight and Jerome foundations. His work appears in "Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology." He lives in Minnesota. Indigenous-inspired cuisine will be served starting at 5 p.m. The meal costs $10 per person and $5 for college students (with ID) and children 17 and younger. No reservations are required. Feed your curiosity! Subscribe to the free newsletter and indulge in all that's local. Your friends will be impressed.