MoFo Recognizes Native American Heritage Month

November is National Native American Heritage Month, a time to come together to honor and acknowledge the rich history, cultures, and contributions of Native Americans to our society. This month, we encourage you to take some time to learn about the diverse traditions, languages, and customs of Native American communities.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the current total population of Native Americans in the United States is 6.79 million, which is about 2.09% of the entire population. Native Americans represent less than 1% of the legal profession and are the smallest racial or ethnic group among U.S. lawyers —nearly unchanged from 0.6% a decade earlier.

In a 2015 study by the National Native American Bar Association, “The Pursuit of Inclusion,” Native American attorneys faced racial, ethnic, gender, and other professional challenges in workplaces that were not addressed by traditional diversity and inclusion programs, partially due to the lack of Native American representation in the industry.

At MoFo, we value diversity and inclusion. We recognize the importance of understanding and respecting the heritage and perspectives of all our team members. In support of Native American Heritage Month, we would like to highlight the following resources and upcoming educational events. The events are virtual and free for all to attend:

• Native Land Digital provides educational resources to teach nonindigenous people to learn more about the lands they inhabit and how they can actively participate in building a better future for everyone.
• Kyle T. Mays: An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States is an online talk with Kyle T. Mays, author of An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States, the first intersectional history of the Black and Native American struggle for freedom in our country that also reframes our understanding of who was Indigenous in early America.
• The Smithsonian has several events to explore including live events at the American Indian Museum, Sidedoor podcast episodes, and resource articles.

For more information about diversity and inclusion at MoFo, please visit our diversity page.