IFAIR announces keynote speaker for the 3rd annual Luci Tapahonso Distinguished Indigenous Speakers Series

The Institute of American Indian Research (IFAIR) announces the 3rd annual Luci Tapahonso Distinguished Indigenous Speakers Series, featuring keynote speaker Nancy Marie Mithlo, Ph.D. (Fort Sill Chiricahua Warm Springs Apache Tribe).

The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Hodgin Hall's Bobo Room at The University of New Mexico.

Mithlo, a professor at UCLA in the Departments of Gender Studies and American Indian Studies and Curator-in-Residence at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), will present her talk titled "Dear America: The Trials and Errors of Native Art's Diplomacy."

In this engaging presentation, she will delve into the politics of memory institutions-including museums, archives, film, and fine arts-while analyzing the social production and circulation of American Indian and Indigenous arts.

Mithlo's work challenges the often biased and narrow interpretations of American Indian cultures, offering a corrective lens that encourages a deeper understanding of Indigenous representation and identity.

The Luci Tapahonso Distinguished Speaker Series is an annual event that honors the legacy of Diné author and poet Luci Tapahonso. Tapahonso has published five books of poetry and three children's books over the past 20 years. She began her literary career in the English Department at The University of New Mexico - first as a student and later as a faculty member at UNM.

This series, named in her honor, aims to celebrate and elevate Indigenous voices by inviting prominent speakers who engage with themes related to Indigenous cultures, languages, intellectual traditions, and social issues.

Overall, the Luci Tapahonso Distinguished Speaker Series honors Tapahonso's literary contributions and cultural significance while also providing an important platform for discussing contemporary issues affecting Indigenous communities.