 November is Native American Heritage Month, or as it is commonly referred to, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. This is also an opportune time to educate your employees about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.
Your entire team should be able to openly discuss and celebrate various cultural and ethnic backgrounds—and HR leaders should encourage these conversations. There are 5.2 million American Indians and Alaskan Natives in the U.S., and it’s possible your team includes folks with Native heritage. Moreover, recognizing and celebrating your team’s racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds can help build psychological safety and employee engagement! Native Americans are the most impoverished of all ethnic communities; a recent NPR poll revealed that 54% of Native Americans living in tribal communities say they have been discriminated against when applying for jobs. It’s about time to recognize both the rich histories of our colleagues and be aware of our own biases. |
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