Connecting with Native American cultural practices, history and perspectives at UCLA

November is Native American Heritage Month, and Bruins and the general public are invited to engage more deeply with the Native and Indigenous community and perspectives around sovereignty, land stewardship and more.

Join fellow Bruins at the events listed on the calendar below, which include several programs around the Fire Kinship exhibition at the Fowler Museum and book talks with civil rights activists and artists.

To learn more about additional upcoming events, visit the UCLA American Indian Studies Center, the Department of American Indian Studies, Native Nations Law & Policy Center and similar campus units and resources, including student group calendars.

On view through April 12, 2026

Fire Kinship: Southern California Native Ecology and Art

The Fowler Museum's exhibition, launched last year as part of the PST ART: Art & Science Collide initiative, explores the role of fire in Southern California Native practices, especially in regard to land stewardship, community well-being and tribal sovereignty. Featuring historical and contemporary artworks, it highlights Indigenous knowledge that calls for a return to these fire-based practices.

Admission to the Fowler Museum is free.

November 1, 2:30 p.m.

Panel Discussion: Fire, Land Stewardship and Indigenous Conservancy

Presented in conjunction with the Fire Kinship exhibition at the Fowler Museum, this panel will bring together Indigenous scholars, fire practitioners and land trust leaders to discuss the role of fire as both a cultural practice and an ecological tool. It will also explore how Indigenous-led conservancies are reclaiming land stewardship through legal frameworks.

Featured panelists include Elizabeth Paige, the education and stewardship program manager for the Native American Land Conservancy, Michael Madrigal, the Native American Land Conservancy board president, and Charles A. Sepulveda, an assistant professor of ethnic Studies at the University of California, Riverside.

The event will be held in person at the Fowler Museum at UCLA. You must register to attend.

November 3, 12:15 p.m.

'The Water Remembers': Amy Bowers Cordalis at UCLA Law

Shortly after the release of her book, "The Water Remembers," attorney and civil rights activist Amy Bowers Cordalis, who is a member of the Yurok Tribe, will speak at the UCLA School of Law. Cordalis will share her story of fighting to restore the Klamath River and uplifting Indigenous sovereignty and their way of life.

The event will take place at the UCLA School of Law. Lunch will be provided. Register to attend.

November 9, 2:00 p.m.

Weshoyot Alvitre's 'Brave': Reading and book signing

Award-winning author-illustrator Weshoyot Alvitre, who is of Tongva and Scottish descent, will give a talk and a special reading of her picture book, "Brave." The book explores the painful legacy of colonization by telling the story of a Native American boy who draws strength from beautiful and meaningful family traditions, despite teasing at school. Alvitre, who was born in the Santa Monica Mountains on the property of Satwiwa, has long used her art and writing to visualize historical material through an Indigenous lens.

This event is part of the StoryTime Around the World series, which invites audiences to live readings by acclaimed storytellers and provides a space to connect with different traditions and lived experiences. In addition to the live reading and discussion, this event will also include a reception and book signing.

It will be held in person in the courtyard of the Fowler Museum at UCLA. Admission is free, but registration is required.

November 21, 1:00 p.m.

Exhibition Walkthrough with Silvia Forni

Join a special exhibition walk-through of Fire Kinshipwith Silvia Forni, the Shirley and Ralph Shapiro director of the Fowler Museum at UCLA. The exhibition focuses on the important kinship ties that connect Indigenous communities to the land, as well as the inextricable connection between ecological knowledge, spirituality and creative expression.

This event will be held in person at the Fowler Museum. Admission is free, but registration is required.