Published: March 5, 2003

American Indian Advocacy and the indigenous student organization Oyate will host a weeklong conference, "Power, Politics: Native Women Sharing Leadership," at the University of Colorado at Boulder March 10-15.

"The Boulder community and general public will have an opportunity to hear Native American women discuss their fields of expertise and experiences addressing contemporary issues as leaders and educators," said Leslee Caballero, American Indian Student Services counselor at the Cultural Unity Center.

"For our panelists and all future native leaders, the challenge is to bridge the gap between mainstream academic knowledge and the relevance of that knowledge in native communities."

All sessions will be held at the University Memorial Center and are free and open to the public. The schedule of events is as follows:

* "Native Women at CU-Boulder" panel, March 10, 7 p.m., UMC 235

* Presentation by Debra Harry, director of the Indigenous People's Council on Biocolonialism, March 11, 7 p.m., UMC 235

* "Contemporary American Indian Identity and the Social, Political and Economic Aspects of Ethnic Group Boundaries" panel, March 12, 7 p.m., UMC 235

* "Native Women in Art" exhibit featuring works by CU-Boulder native women and an open microphone session, March 13, 8 p.m., UMC 457. Creative expressions of all forms addressing the theme of native women are welcome.

* Round Dance Social with Denver Indian Singers, March 14, 7 p.m., Glenn Miller Ballroom

* "Native Women in Politics and Law" panel, March 15, 10 a.m., UMC 247

The symposium is sponsored by Oyate Indigenous Student Organization, American Indian Advocacy at CU-Boulder, Arts and Sciences Student Government, Cultural Events Board, Women's Studies Program, Ethnic Studies department, Office of the Chancellor for Student Affairs, Dennis Small Cultural Center, Native American Rights Fund, Counseling and Psychological Services, Cabazon Band of Mission Indians and the Council for Energy Resource Tribes.

For more information contact Caballero at (303) 492-2175.