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W&L’s Native American Cohort Presents Public Lecture The cohort will present a virtual public lecture by Elizabeth Rule, assistant professor at American University, titled "Native Americans and Blood Quantum."

NAIC-scaled-497x400 W&L’s Native American Cohort Presents Public Lecture

The Native American and Indigenous Cohort at Washington and Lee University is continuing its yearlong series, “Indigenous in Rockbridge and the Interior: First Peoples, Land and Sustainability,” with a public lecture on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

The cohort will present a virtual public lecture by Elizabeth Rule, assistant professor at American University, titled “Native Americans and Blood Quantum.” Attendance is free, but registration is required and can be accessed for free online here.

Rule will discuss factors that shape contemporary Indigenous identities in the United States, including the history of blood quantum, politics of federal recognition, policies around tribal enrollment and how to be an ally to Indigenous communities.

“Identity is a complex topic, and it is even more complex when considering Native American blood quantum and how, on the one hand, that impacts access to tribal benefits, such as universal health care and education benefits, and on the other hand, the impacts of contending with long-standing injustices related to culture, land, self-governance and autonomy,” said Fran Elrod, a cohort member and associate director of the Shepherd Program. “Elizabeth Rule has a deep knowledge of these issues and can unpack the layers of complexity with us. I really look forward to her talk.”

Rule is director of the AT&T Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy, assistant professor of professional studies, director of the Semester in Washington Politics Program and faculty-in-residence at the George Washington University. She is an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation.

The Native American and Indigenous Cohort invites community members interested in learning more to email them at native@wlu.edu.

The Native American and Indigenous Cohort’s mission is to improve American Indian awareness and education on the W&L campus in order to provide a welcoming, vibrant and culturally sensitive environment for students and employees who identify as American Indian and those who support the issues faced by American Indians today.