By Sasha Williams

Editor’s note: In the Nov. 28 edition, The Cardinal featured a profile of U of L sophomore Melinda Pennell, an American Indian student.

Students, faculty and staff are working to form the first ever American Indian association at the University of Louisville.

“The university environment should be the best place to develop any community, and that includes the American Indian community,” said Reginald Meeks, group founder and Assistant Director of External Programs for the College of Arts and Sciences.

The organization was initiated after several students, looking for a way to get involved on campus, discovered no American Indian organizations existed at U of L. They approached Meeks, who is Cherokee and Ojibwa, with the idea to form an on-campus group themselves. Many of the members say they were frustrated with the lack of options for American Indian students.

Sophomore Meredith Isbell was one of those students. “I felt like there was no organization I could fit into,” she said.

“Before this, I wasn’t even sure there were other Native peoples on campus,” said sophomore Melinda Pennell.

Meeks believes the organization is the first of its kind at this university because the demand for such a group wasn’t previously expressed by students. He said it wasn’t long ago that being American Indian carried such a stigma that many people ignored or even downright denied their heritage.

At U of L there are less than 100 students who identified themselves as Native American on their applications.

“The demand has not been there,” Meeks said. “This organization could be a voice for those who have thus far been voiceless.”

Once Meeks heard from students this fall, he sent e-mails inviting the 65 self-identified American Indian students at U of L to help form the new organization. So far, turn-out has been small, approximately 10 students, but members hope that will change once the group is up and running.

“We’re working on getting recognized right now. We’re still writing a constitution and deciding on a logo,” Isbell said. She believes once the group becomes recognized and active on campus, interest will grow.

“There are a lot of people out there that didn’t put American Indian on their application, and we’re trying to find them,” Isbell said. “We know they’re out there.”

According to Meeks, the group is open not only to American Indian students, but to anyone at U of L with genuine interest in American Indian culture.

“Part of the purpose of this organization is to educate the larger community about the rich cultural heritage that the American Indian population represents,” Meeks said. “We’ve contributed a great deal to this community. American Indian people are alive and well, contributing and learning-we are not just historical figures.”

One of the first things members say they would like to see happen as a result of their organization is for U of L to allow students to take American Indian classes as part of their cultural diversity curriculum.

Some members feel part of the reason stereotypes still exist is because many people receive little to no education about American Indians,their real history, religion and cultural practices.

Isbell said in elementary school she received detention for contradicting her teacher about what really happens at pow-wows. Pennell said racist attitudes caused her to finish her high school education via correspondence courses.

Even at the college level, students say they contend with others’ preconceived notions of what American Indians should be like. Isbell said if non-Indian students had more opportunities to learn about American Indian culture, they might be more sensitive.

“They’re not trying to be rude, they just don’t know any better,” Isbell said.

In addition to educating others about their culture, some of the group’s other goals include introducing American Indian scholarships, hosting on-campus activities, forming a big-brother big-sister type program for incoming American Indian students and working with other local American Indian groups on community outreach.

However, members said the main reason for the organization will always be student support.

“I think we’ve already seen how being connected with people that share your background can provide a very safe and supportive environment,” Meeks said.

Members say to look for more from their group next year, after they’ve been recognized.

“We will be very active, I can promise you that,” Meeks laughed. “We’ve got a group of students who are very excited to come together to build this community.”

For more information about the American Indian student organization, contact Reginald Meeks at 852-3042, or e-mail him at reginald.meeks@louisville.edu.