POSTPONED: Indigenous Heritage Month Stories & Songs with Karen Kitchen

UPDATED, November 4, 2022: Due to current weather conditions and the ongoing forecast for heavy rain and wind with potential flooding, we are postponing this event. For updates on events and meetings, please subscribe to our email list.

We hope you’ll join Families for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in celebrating Indigenous Heritage month on Saturday, November 5 at Blue Lake Regional Park from 2-4pm.

Le Monde Board Member and Elder Karen Kitchen of the Osage Nation will share stories and songs from 2:10-3pm.

We’ll have the opportunity to visit and contemplate the Nichaqwli Monument at the west end of the lake and to connect with our community over a picnic potluck and playtime.

Karen Kitchen

Karen Kitchen (Osage Nation) is a Prek-12 educator with three decades of service in Title VI Indian Education programs. Since retiring from the PPS school district, she has worked as a researcher and advisor in two NSF funded projects through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: “Examining Contextual Factors to Improve Cultural Diversity in Informal Stem Programs” and “Developing the Processes and Potential to Engage Historically Underrepresented Communities in Public Participation in STEM Research Through Authentic and Impactful Collaboration”, also known as the Noise, People and Birds project.

Karen hosts Multnomah County Library’s Native Story Hour, a program to promote Native authors, illustrators and publishers, and engage children and their families through story and song. Here, and with her duo, The Prairie Blossoms, Karen enjoys performing tribally-specific songs to inspire and educate Native and non-Native audiences about Indigenous history, contemporary issues, and the diversity and beauty of American Indian music. Native Story Hour occurs on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 10:30 PST. Information and registration: Native Story Hour | Multnomah County Library (multcolib.org).

Details

• Where: Blue Lake Regional Park
  • 21224 NE Blue Lake Road, Fairview, Oregon
  • Picnic Area E1
  • PDF map of Blue Lake Park.
  • Note: parking is $5 per vehicle & dogs/pets are not allowed at this park.

• When: 2-4pm. Saturday, November 5.

• What: Story and songs with Karen Kitchen; self-guided visit to Nichaqwli Monument; potluck picnic & play.

• Bring: A chair or other sit-upon; A dish to share if you wish.

More Information

• Here is an article about the Nichaqwli Monument.
• Here is the Oregon Department of Education’s Tribal History/ Shared History curriculum