Relationship • Respect •
Reciprocity • Responsibility
Vision: We see a world in which Indigenous communities are thriving and adaptable to meet environmental and societal challenges.
The Indigenous Resilience Center is supported by the Agnese Nelms Haury Program in Environment and Social Justice. It aims to position the University of Arizona as a world leader in Indigenous resilience research, education, and outreach. Dr. Karletta Chief (Diné), Director of the Indigenous Resilience Center, explains, “The Indigenous Resilience Center is the University of Arizona’s commitment to giving back to local tribes who have stewarded this land for millennia. Tribes have endured and sacrificed so much in terms of land loss and social and environmental impacts, much at the hand of the United States. Universities have benefited from this through their physical infrastructure and have a responsibility to be a bridge — to ethically address the challenges those communities face in ways that build trust and transparency.”
Going beyond the land acknowledgement statement
Extension
The IRes faculty and staff will partner with tribes to collaboratively identify community-driven resilience goals and priorities (focusing on capacity to implement strategies and actions that reduce climate change impacts in a respectful and culturally sensitive way while addressing underlying social, economic stresses and environmental risks).
Research
The IRes will focus its research on resilience in Indigenous communities. This includes sustainable solutions, renewable technologies, solar energy, water treatment, traditional agriculture, controlled environment agriculture, horticulture and small-scale farming, food sovereignty, regenerative agriculture, drought resilience, Native plant restoration, ecological restoration, and more.
Teaching
IRes faculty will teach and promote STEM courses that are specifically tailored towards resilience, Indigenous knowledges, community-driven tribal research, tribal consultation, research ethics, natural resources management, traditional agriculture, Indigenous data sovereignty, tribal environmental health, STEM education, among others.
Call for Proposals
The Indigenous Resilience Center (IRes) within the Arizona Institute for Resilient Environments and Societies at the University of Arizona, is pleased to announce its Fall 2022 Community Impact call for proposals. IRes is seeking to support the resilience of Indigenous communities through its Community Impact Award, and is issuing a call for proposals that will strengthen the IRes Mission.
Native Voices in STEM
This professional seminar series invites Native scientists, engineers, activists, community members and leaders to share their personal and professional journeys, providing inspiration to the next generation of change makers.
Join us in Fall 2022 for seminars co-sponsored by the UArizona-Sloan Indigenous Graduate Partnership, the Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences, the Water Resources Research Center, the NSF-NRT Indigenous Food, Energy, and Water Security and Sovereignty, and the Indigenous Resilience Center.
Native Voices in Film
Celebrate Native American Month with Native Voices in Film on November 20th from 2pm-7pm. The Indigenous Resilience Center (IRes), University of Arizona Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) and Loft Cinema's Indigenous Film Committee, are sponsoring a day of free films, vendors, and community gathering. All are welcome at this free event!
This event is FREE and open to the general public.
News
Inhabitants Film
Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson (Hopi) is featured in the Inhabitants film. Inhabitants follows five Native American Tribes across deserts, coastlines, forests, and prairies as they restore their traditional land management practices. For millennia Native Americans successfully stewarded and shaped their landscapes, but centuries of colonization have disrupted their ability to maintain traditional land management practices. From deserts, coastlines, forests, mountains, and prairies, Native communities are restoring their ancient relationships with the land. As the climate crisis escalates these time-tested practices of North America's original inhabitants are becoming increasingly essential in a rapidly changing world.
Land Acknowledgement
We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally-recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the University strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.