Description

Language perpetuates Indigenous knowledge and lifeways. This grant will go toward the support language revitalization efforts of the Keres Language. This a general operating proposal aimed at supporting the overall work of the Keres Children’s Learning Center (KCLC). KCLC is one of the leading Native American language immersion programs in the country and are in the Pueblo of Cochiti, NM. KCLC was supported by Luce indigenous Knowledge Fellow Trisha Moquino, who was in the inaugural fellowship class. KCLC is also a leader in promoting different education models as it relates to Native American language immersion. They were the first Indigenous Language Immersion Montessori program in the country. They also have created a national network of Native language immersion programs. They host an annual Native language immersion conference that brings together language instructors from across the country to develop networks and share learnings and best practices around language immersion instruction. They also run the Indigenous Montessori Institute, an anti-racist, anti-biased approach to education using Indigenous knowledge systems and the Montessori Philosophy to deliver teacher training. This is also a teacher training institute and also an institute that organizes Native language professionals to advocate for better policy and support for Native languages. KCLC is currently in the midst of a capital campaign, an effort to raised $12 million to build a new education center in Cochiti Pueblo.  Finally, Trisha is a leading and nationally expert and advocate in language revitalization and education policy. This grant will allow KCLC and their staff to continue to be a leading experts in Native language immersion.