AIHEC is pleased to offer our 2026 TCU Native Languages Summit from February 27 to March 1, 2026 in Omaha, NE at the Embassy Suites. To register for the conference and read more information about lodging and conference times click the registration link below. The Native Languages Summit is an in-person event.
TCU LANGUAGE SUMMIT AGENDA
Friday, Feb. 27, 2026
| 11:00 AM | Check in Begins |
| 12:30 – 1:00 PM | Welcome & Opening Remarks |
| 1:00 – 2:00 PM | Keynote Speaker Preserving Language, Empowering Community: A Navajo Perspective on Storytelling, Education, and Indigenous Leadership Jolyana Begay-Kroupa, Chief Executive Officer at Phoenix Indian Center |
| 2:00 – 2:45 PM | Ɔ́’ɔ́ɔɔnaakíiníiin’ɔ & Nakón Wįcó’i’e Tí Michael Turcotte, Instructor at Life’s Language Lodge Peter Gopher, Instructor & Curriculum Specialist at Life’s Language Lodge |
| 2:45 – 3:00 PM | BREAK |
| 3:00 – 3:45 PM | Pria Rainbow: Indigenizing AI to Preserve Language, Culture, Knowledge in Tribal Education David James Clarke, CEO at Praxis AI |
| 3:45 – 4:30 PM | Providing Culturally Appropriate Access to Digital Recordings of Our Teachers’ Words Binah Gordon, Native Studies Instructor at Nebraska Indian Community College Lani Moran-Samqua, Archiving Assistant at Nebraska Indian Community College |
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026
| 7:30 – 8:30 AM | BREAKFAST |
| 8:30 – 8:45 AM | Updates from AIHEC Native Language Initiative Mary Johnson, Director for Native Language Programs at AIHEC |
| 8:45 – 9:30 AM | Mentor Apprentice Program (MAP) in an online (Zoom) Environment: Another Tool to Support Indigenous Language Cultivation Dr. James McKenzie |
| 9:30 – 10:15 AM | Carrying Our Language into the Future: Transforming the Language Curriculum for the Next Generations Alex Fire Thunder, Chair Lakota Studies Dept. at Oglala Lakota College Darrell Red Cloud, Lakota Studies Instructor, Oglala Lakota College [BIO] |
| 10:15 – 10:30 AM | BREAK |
| 10:30 – 11:15 AM | No More Shelves: Creating Onvkuce to Connect Learners with Mvskoke Voices Dr. Monte Randall, President College of Muscogee Nation Dr. Colton Wood, General Studies Coordinator at College of Muscogee Nation Neil Myers, IT Manager at College of Muscogee Nation |
| 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM | Sustaining Indigenous Languages, Cultural Knowledge Systems, and Community-Based Educational Practices for Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) Nicolette Weston, Transfer & Admissions Program Administrator at American Indian College Fund Melanie Archuleta, Program Officer for Native Arts & Culture at American Indian College Fund |
| 12:00 – 1:15 PM | LUNCH |
| 1:15 – 2:00 PM | Wóoyake: Primary Dakota/Lakota Language Recording in the TCU Classroom Nacole Walker, Iyápi Director for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Elliot Bannister, Tribal Digital Humanities Specialist, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe |
| 2:00 – 3:00 PM | Collaborating with Care: Digital Language Preservation, Informed Partnerships, & Tribal Knowledge Sovereignty Dr. Alycia de Mesa, Indigenous Education Specialist at Labriola National American Indian Data Center Lorrie McAllister, Dean of the University Library at Hofstra University Dr. Trevor Reed, Prof. of Law at UC Irvine School of Law |
| 3:00 – 3:15 PM | BREAK |
| 3:15 – 4:00 PM | Building Salish Language Teachers: Salish Kootenai College’s NLTE Program Rosemary Matt, Chair Native Language Teacher Education at Salish Kootenai College |
| 4:00 – 4:45 PM | Hands-on Native Language Curriculum and Assessment Working Session Jessi Falcon, Education Coordinator for the Hoocąk Waazijja Haci Language Division |
| Dinner On Your Own |
Sunday, March 1, 2026
| 7:30 – 8:30 AM | BREAKFAST On your own at Hotel restaurant |
| 8:30 – 9:15 AM | AIHEC AI Initiatives Shelly Knight, CyberInfrastructure Facilitator at AIHEC |
| 9:15 – 10:00 AM | Revitalizing and Reintroducing Endangered Languages with Technology and Games Hai Ng, Co-founding Director, Project Quipu, Inc. |
| 10:00 – 10:15 AM | BREAK |
| 10:15 – 11:00 AM | Skills for Reclaiming Our Ancestors Words Wynema Morris, Native American Studies Faculty at Nebraska Indian Community College Vanessa Hamilton, Extension Coordinator at Nebraska Indian Community College |
| 11:00 – 11:45 AM | Exploring Dakota Language Together: How Students Learn with Community and Technology Misty Flowers, Dakota Language Adjunct Faculty at Nebraska Indian Community College |
| 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM | LUNCH |
EXPLORE PAST EVENTS
To find information on previous TCU Native Language Summits please click the link below. Additionally, recordings of the Professional Development Workshops will be posted here when they are completed.