Eighth Annual Urban Native Education Conference

The Block is proud to support the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative (CAICC)  as they present the 8th Annual Urban Native Education Conference on March 22-23, 2024.  This conference is free and open to the public.

Chicago-Land (Checagou) has many connections to fire, from the Council of the Three Fires to the Great Chicago Fire and the Chicago Fire television show. This connection is reflected in our theme for the 8th Annual Urban Native Education Conference: Many Fires: Kindling the Future.

Our conference theme asks us to consider the numerous fires that are collectively burning pathways toward a future that provides nourishment for our elders, warmth for our communities, and fuel for our youth and the generations yet to come. The theme also recognizes the diversity of original teachings we carry, passed down through generations and unrestricted by borders, that positively impact the world around all of us. Lastly, it recognizes the many ways Native Americans, urban and rural, are finding new ways to teach and engage with these teachings as we fan the flames of Indigenous knowledge.

This conference invites Native American and Indigenous community leaders, knowledge keepers and scholars, students, educators, youth, administrators, helpers and staff of educational programs, organizations and institutions, from Chicago-land (Checagou) and beyond to share their experiences and wisdom in creating educational opportunities to prepare future generations to inherit a world full of possibility for Indigenous communities.