Professor Kurt Jordan’s Welcome Remarks – Transcript:
Welcome to the 2021 Awards and Recognition website for Cornell University’s American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program. I am Kurt Jordan, Associate Professor and director of the Program.
Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ’ (the Cayuga Nation). The Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ’ are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. The confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state and the United States of America. We acknowledge the painful history of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ’ dispossession, and honor the ongoing connection of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ’ people, past and present, to these lands and waters.
As many of you know, the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program typically holds an event in May to honor graduating students and other noteworthy achievements, and to present several awards for service to the program and community.
I am sorry that we must celebrate virtually for the second year in a row. We can all hope that this is the last time we have to do so!
For graduating students, you have our best wishes that the world outside Cornell you will join will be filled with face-to-face activities and new social opportunities. For continuing students, staff, and faculty, we can look forward to what likely will be a fully in-person semester this fall.
We at AIISP are committed to honoring those members of our community who deserve recognition. With that in mind, we have developed this website to celebrate graduating Indigenous students (both undergraduate and graduate), AIIS minors, program award recipients, student organization and Akwe:kon award winners, and recognitions for service by faculty, staff and student employees.
The site also contains welcome and congratulations from Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ’ Sachem Soyo:wi:s (Soy-OWN-wiis), who is also known as Sam George; remarks from student support specialist Wayva Waterman Lyons; and a keynote address by notable Cornell alumna and current Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Meredith Palmer.
We also draw your attention to the inauguration of our Outstanding Alumni Recognition Award, which this year will be given posthumously to Janine Jamieson-Huff, the Onöndowa’ga:’ (or Seneca) undergraduate activist who started the wheels in motion in the early 1970s that ultimately were responsible for creating what we now know as AIISP. The service award given by the undergraduate organization Native American and Indigenous Students at Cornell, or NAISAC, also has been renamed in her honor.
We hope that this resource will be a durable reminder of your accomplishments at Cornell. We offer it to you with gratitude.
Nyá:węh, miigwetch, thank you.
