Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative

News and Updates

Keep up with NAISI activities and programming and stay informed by viewing NAISI in the news, subscribing to receive the monthly E-bulletin newsletter, and joining the email list below.

Recent News

Brown Arts Institute

ERIC-PAUL RIEGE: ojo|-|ólǫ́

On September 3, The Bell opens ojo|-|ólǫ́, a major solo exhibition by Diné artist Eric-Paul Riege (b. 1994, Na’nízhoozhí [Gallup, New Mexico]) that brings together his textile, sculpture, sound, video, and performance practices. A trained weaver, Riege incorporates customary Diné practices into his production of monumental soft sculptures and weavings that reference Diné mythology, the history of settler trading posts inside and adjacent to the Navajo Nation, and the notion of “authenticity” as a value marker of Indigenous art and craft. Made from synthetic and natural materials sourced from traditional and hyperreal sources, these artworks invite viewers’ touch and play as much as they evoke challenging conversations about Indigenous sovereignty, the global art market, and the role of educational institutions in both disseminating and dispossessing knowledge about Indigenous art and cultures.
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Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice

Reclaiming the Past: Black & Indigenous Histories Summer Institute Returns

In July 2025, we welcomed 15 High School students for a week of learning, reflection, and community-building focused on the often-untold histories of Black and Indigenous peoples in New England. Brown’s Simmons Center, NAISI, and the Tomaquag Museum led courses on the 13th Amendment and The War for the Dawnland, with guest speakers and space to reflect on these important stories.
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The four-day conference was organized by Natives at Brown, a group of Native American and Indigenous-identifying students at Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design. The event featured a series of speakers and workshops centered around “Indigenous Resistance and Activism,” which was the theme of this year’s conference.
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Native American and Indigenous Studies Brown Email List

Subscribe to the Native American and Indigenous Studies at Brown email listserv! NAISI staff, faculty, and students use this list to share targeted information about Native American and Indigenous Studies at Brown and beyond. Email nais@brown.edu to be added to this list.