Did you know that November is Native American Heritage Month?

2022 is flying by, and November is here again!

There are several well-known celebrations within what many refer to as "The Holiday Season." Still, thanks to the Diversity and Inclusion efforts of the modern era, some lesser-known holidays and themes are finally being spotlighted - and progressive companies are embracing them.

Are Diversity and Inclusion really important to my business?

Well, the answer that we see in the data is pretty clear. According to recent surveys by Glassdoor and Deloitte, more than 3 in 4 Job Seekers and Employees value diversity within a company (Glassdoor 76%, Deloitte 80%) enough to affect their decision-making when choosing an employer. Also, within the employed subset of the survey responders, over 50% wanted to see their companies invest more toward DE&I efforts.

This data reveals that DE&I has become increasingly important in recruiting and retaining top talent.

As employers and decision-makers in the professional community, many of us have the opportunity to be on the front lines of progressing diversity and inclusion efforts and can do so in very real ways.

Those efforts can range from deeply assessing and reorganizing business practices to hiring decisions to simply acknowledging and accepting the vastly varied perspectives in the workplace!

In this article, we want to share five simple ways to Celebrate Native American Heritage Month at work.

This data reveals that DE&I has become increasingly important when it comes to both recruiting and retaining top talent.

Now that we've touched on why DE&I is essential let's move on to the subject at hand... November is Native American Heritage Month!

It's the perfect time to embrace and celebrate rich and diverse cultures and histories and acknowledge indigenous people's significant contributions - no matter where you and your company reside!

One of the most common hesitances surrounding cultural celebration at work is regarding terminology. As business leaders, many would often prefer to avoid the subject altogether than risk offending valued customers. Luckily, many online resources are available to help us educate ourselves on preferred terminologies and phrasing. This small effort can show your current and potential customer base that you embrace them ALL, no matter their walk of life.

5 Ways to Celebrate 'Native American Heritage Month' at Work

1) Acknowledge what Native land your office (or home) is on

There are many handy maps online such as https://native-land.ca/ that can give you that information! Just type in the address you want to learn more about and discover which Indigenous people originated from that land before us.

For example, the Pinpoint Talent business address (San Jose, CA) is located on what was once occupied by the “Ohlone” - a tribe which two members of the Pinpoint team have ancestral origination from! While San Jose is now a highly populated and diverse location, members of the Ohlone tribe and many of their descendants still reside there.

2) Attend a related event with your team

A lot of companies have a regular weekly “happy hour” (even remote companies who use video conferencing) - why not spend that hour attending an event to learn more about indigenous culture? There are several fun and educational events listed on the official Native American Heritage Month website: https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/

3) Read and discuss the written work of Indigenous authors

If your workplace has a book club, it would be the perfect venue to read and discuss the work of a Native American author. If you don’t have a book club, what better time to start one? Remember, a “Book Club” doesn’t have to be officiated, it can just be two people discussing great literature!

While there are thousands of options to choose from, here are a few recommendations

Moon of the Crusted Snow, Waubgeshig Rice
Night of the Living Rez, Morgan Talty
This Accident of Being Lost, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

4) Support Native-Owned Businesses

Even an online shopper can do this! By searching #NativeOwned you’ll find many great sites and vendors. Etsy is one of the best resources when it comes to supporting local, small, minority owned businesses https://www.etsy.com/market/native_owned

5) Observe and Discuss Native American arts and artists

Art is one of the purest expressions of perspective for an individual, but this can also be true of a group. In every culture in the world, artistic expression has emerged to provide an outlet for thoughts, feelings, traditions, and beliefs. It can be both rooted in history and a catalyst for change. Check out https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-11-influential-native-american-artists for influential artists Indigenous to the US.

We hope this list of ideas has given you some inspiration on how to celebrate Native American Heritage month both at home and at work.

Progress itself is often made slowly and through countless minute choices. Choosing to participate in inclusion this month and any month is a step toward building community between all while also learning about the rich history of the very land you’re on now and the people who originate from it.

DE&I: Celebrating Native American Heritage Month