Change of location

Due to weather, the 20th anniverary celebration of Akwe:kon has been moved to the Appel Commons Multipurpose Room on the third floor (North Campus).

Cornell's American Indian Program will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its innovative student "living-learning" residential program house, Akwe:kon Friday, Sept. 9.

From 1 to 3 p.m. in the Appel Multipurpose Room on the third floor (North Campus), speakers will include American Indian Program Director Jolene Rickard (Tuscarora), Cornell President David Skorton and Ganondagan Historic Site Manager G. Peter Jemison (Seneca). Jemison will deliver the Thanksgiving Address/Words That Come Before All Else.

An Iroquois/Haudenosaunee social dance will follow later in the day, 7 to 10 p.m., in the third-floor multipurpose room of Appel Commons. Examples of Haudenosaunee Confederacy social dancing can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdYByMddJEo.

Akwe:kon was the first university residence in the country purposely built to celebrate Native American heritage. The name is the Mohawk word meaning "all of us," which is a crucial part of the American Indian Program's student support, providing culturally based programming while mentoring respectful community engagement.

Since its founding, Akwe:kon has served as a gathering place for indigenous educators and leaders throughout the world to share their experiences with diverse Cornell students, faculty and staff.