User blog:Jpearson/Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with Fandom

Hey everyone!

It’s Native American Heritage Month and we’re excited to celebrate with all of you! The Community Team looks forward to sharing what we have planned for the month as we highlight and celebrate Native American creators and IP.

Native American Heritage Month Observance
Native American Heritage Month celebrates the rich history, diverse culture, and contribution of America’s first people. On August 3, 1990, President George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, which we now refer to as Native American Heritage Month. While it is important to celebrate the culture and customs throughout this month, we must discuss the challenges the community faces. Throughout the month, we plan to have opportunities to have thoughtful conversations that discuss the challenges of the community and ways we can become allies and support each other.

Storytellers and Storytelling
This year we’ll explore the theme of Storytellers and Storytelling. The theme's focus is the purpose of storytellers and the impact of storytelling. We're excited to explore various IPs and discuss the significant cultural nuances that are essential to all stories. This programming will be a combination of blogs, videos, and online events that showcase not only the contributions of the Native American community to pop culture but the contributions of our own Fandom community as well.

We’ve discussed the power of telling stories and sharing the rich history of culture. Storytellers are able to build bridges to connect us and our shared experiences. Here at Fandom, we commit to creating a diverse space where everyone can learn and grow from storytellers to fans.

Upcoming Initiatives and Programming Planned for the Month
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Fandom is planning programs that spotlight Native American voices, culture, and content in genre IP. Join us for a month-long celebration and don't forget to share your stories with us so we can continue to amplify them! Check out some of the opportunities we have planned for the month at the opportunities to join the conversation below.

Join the conversation in the Native American Heritage Month Discord Roundtable
This online discussion will take place on Fandom's Discord server. These discussions last an hour and highlight various indigenous creators, influencers, and IP across movies, tv, gaming, and more. We’ll come together to discuss the influence and impact of Native Americans in the entertainment industry and dive deep into the power of storytelling.

Learn more about the organizations like Native American Media Alliance and editors making an impact!
Our community blog is a place to amplify the stories of community members and our partners at Fandom. We’re excited to introduce organizations that make a major impact and shift the culture of entertainment. Learn more about the Native American Media Alliance (NAMA) and the amazing work they are doing behind the scenes!

Tune in to the Native American Heritage Month Panel on Twitch and YouTube!
Stay tuned for updates as we plan a panel discussion with leaders as they share their voices, and showcase their talent and experiences during this session. Similar to the BHM Panel we hosted towards the beginning of the year, we’ll focus on Native American show-runners in genre programming! We’re excited to host this thoughtful conversation with the community about the importance of nuanced storytelling and the importance of cultural diversity. We strive to create inclusive spaces for our community and partners and welcome conversations such as these.

Learn more about beloved gaming characters!
We're planning an opportunity to coincide with the 10th anniversary of a beloved gaming character. We’ll dive deep into characters’ backgrounds with a fun twist.

Recommendations:
Finally, we’d like to present our recommendations across movies, shows, gaming, and lifestyle that you may or may not be familiar with. Check out a few recommended IPs on our growing list and share your favorite Native American characters, actors, creators, and IPs with us in the comments below!