From a young age, BYU student Naloni Felix cherished her heritage. She fondly remembers learning Native American traditions from her grandmother and watching her grandfather meticulously hand-craft beautiful Native American jewelry.
Felix, a member of the Lumbee and Navajo tribe, grew up with cultural traditions deeply embedded in her community. However, as her family moved across the country, she noticed a significant lack of accurate representation of Native American history in school curriculums.
“Some stories that were told offered a very generalized explanation of Native American history,” recalls Felix.
Now a public health student at BYU, Felix is determined to address these education shortcomings. She’s worked as an intern with the BYU ARTS Partnership Native American Curriculum Initiative (NACI), a program that collaborates with Utah tribes to create arts-integrated lesson plans and education resources for Utah teachers.
“The Native American Curriculum Initiative makes sure that native voices and stories are told throughout the classroom,” she says. “We work really hard to find the right resources and have primary sources for lesson plans and make sure we provide information from the right tribal sources if tribal information is being taught.”
Felix has presented her work at the Utah State Capitol on multiple occasions and had the opportunity to speak with government leaders and policymakers about Native American history – inspiring learning opportunities that have been an influential part of her BYU experience.
“One of the most rewarding parts of working with NACI is seeing it happen in real time. When we’re able to transport the lesson plans to the classroom and see kids soak in this information and be excited about it, I think that’s one of the most rewarding parts.”
After earning her master’s degree in public health, Felix envisions a career in hospital administration, potentially on a reservation, to give back to the community and culture that have profoundly shaped her life.
To learn more about the BYU ARTS Partnership effort to bring Native American art to Utah elementary school curriculum, click here.
