CSUMB to celebrate Native American Heritage Month

By Theo DeRosa

For Cal State Monterey Bay junior Lily Myers, crafts, such as making her own earrings, are an ideal way to express her Native American identity and to help celebrate November’s Native American Heritage Month.

Growing up in Benicia, Myers, president of the Indigenotters, CSUMB’s Native American student group, didn’t have many other outlets to tap into her heritage.

“No one I knew came from any background similar to mine at all,” Myers said. “When I came to college, I kind of had this moment of, ‘I can’t keep doing that. I can’t keep not seeing myself in my education because that’s not fair to people like me or myself.’”

A month or so into her first semester, Myers’ homemade abalone heart earrings, decorated with beads, caught the eye of a CSUMB faculty member. That’s how Myers was first introduced to Native American Students United, CSUMB’s student group for Indigenous people on campus.

The following semester, Myers became the club’s president, a role she has held for nearly a year and a half. The organization rebranded as the Indigenotters ahead of the 2025-26 academic year, a change spearheaded by Myers with the aim of making the group more inclusive. The Indigenotters have more than two dozen active members, including Indigenous people and other supporters.

“I want to see more Indigenous culture and Indigenous joy on campus,” Myers said. “My vision is to see that every year (we are) able to have consistent events and have a safe place where people from all cultures can come and share.”

As part of Native American Heritage Month, the Indigenotters will host a crafting workshop, including beading and earring-making, from 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 4 in the Otter Student Union Game Room.

Three other events also honor the month: 

• Tuesday, Oct. 28: Chef Wahpepah will conduct a seminar on Food is Medicine from noon to 2 p.m. in OSU Ballroom A.
• Wednesday, Oct. 29: The Indigenous Unity Singers perform from 2-3:30 p.m. in OSU Ballroom A.
• Thursday, Oct. 30: El Centro sponsors Calavera Face Painting, a Dia de los Muertos event with an indigenous flavor, from 5-6 p.m.

A member of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation tribe of southern Ontario, Canada, Myers knows the importance of events like that. Not only did she, her friends and family members make crafts like corn husk dolls or dreamcatchers to stay connected to their heritage, but Myers recently helped a new member of Indigenotters make a traditional ribbon skirt to dance in.

“It was really emotional because I never thought that I would get to share something so personal and so culturally relevant at my college,” she said. “It was just so amazing to be able to see that I truly got to share culture and teach culture at this campus.”

Myers wants to see the CSUMB community as a whole celebrate native cultures.

“Indigenous culture is meant to be shared because it’s one of those things that has been hidden for so long,” she said. “People sometimes are afraid to try to understand it more, when really we should be open to blending our cultures, taking people from all over the world and learning about everybody’s culture.”

While CSUMB has a small population of Indigenous students, Myers knows the importance of representation on campus. She has already grown the Indigenotters’ membership, has sworn in plenty of new club officers and knows many students who are interested in joining.

But there’s always more to do.

“Making sure that there are places that are known, like our club, or having an affinity center, maybe one day might draw more people to be able to say, ‘Oh, I too can get my higher education,’” Myers said. “I think promoting higher education to everyone, because everyone deserves that chance, is a great reason to have clubs like this on campus.”