University of Montana
Most kids can't remember their first birthday, but Kevin Kicking Woman can.
He was 14 years old, his party consisted of cake, presents and a barbecue.
"I felt corny because I never had one before so I didn't know how to act. You always think about them all the time," he said.
But his childhood wasn’t always filled with positive memories. When he was two years old his father put him up for adoption and then he moved around from home to home. He faced abuse, was taunted by his siblings and missed out on the typical childhood most children have.
She has long dark hair that even Rapunzel would envy. Her voice is stern yet soft when she speaks to students.
The tattoos on her wrists are usually in plain sight but are now peeking out from under her sleeves. Her right wrist is inked with the words “For my people.” Her left wrist is inked “For my family.”
Krystal Two Bulls is a 26-year-old Oglala Lakota woman who received her bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Montana. Two Bulls is among the few Native American mentors for Native American students on campus.
Sam McCracken has traveled near and far sharing his story about how one man rose from one of Montana’s most desolate Indian reservations to a managerial position at the biggest sports apparel company in the country-Nike.
He has told many audiences about how he was unsure about his place in the world as a young man but rarely mentions how his Montana roots helped him become an influence in Indian Country.
By Santee Ross, University of Montana
Now more then ever do I wish I had an iPhone.
Not just because of the awesomely-geeky gadgets Apple makes but because there is a new application for the iPhone that teaches the Lakota language.
College can be a maze for any student with each twist and turn representing a new course or major that could lead a student into frustration. This is especially true for minority students, who might have to adapt to an entirely new environment if they want to succeed.
This is where Salena Hill comes in.
By Santee Ross, University of Montana
Have you ever had plastic covering your head that you get the suffocating feeling of not breathing and panic erases any logic? That’s exactly what moving to a new place is like; especially when you don’t know a soul.
I moved from Wyoming to Montana to attend the University. When I moved I kept thinking to myself, “Oh my god, I don’t know anybody and I don’t think I can do this.”
Moving from a community where there is a HUGE population of Indians to a city that is mostly white was a culture shock.
MISSOULA, Mont. – About 50 people attended a town hall meeting at the University of Montana to discuss fallout from several incidents that involved racial discrimination.
MISSOULA — University of Montana’s President Engstrom announced that the Montana University system’s board of regents has proclaimed the fourth Friday of September, American Indian Heritage Day, at campuses across the state.
Academic and Native American Program Liaison Salena Beaumont Hill said the campus in Missoula has celebrated this day for years but is pleased with the board of regent’s decision.
