NRCS American Indian/Alaska Native Special Emphasis Program

Kelley Barkell, Program Manager

The American Indian/Alaska Native Special Emphasis Program Manager deals with a different set of criteria than other special emphasis programs. The program seeks to: support the unique role of American Indians and Alaska Natives within the federal government system; recruit potential American Indian/Alaska Native employees; develop mentoring processes among American Indian/Alaska Native employees; build coalitions with appropriate advocacy groups; develop annual objectives for the American Indian/Alaska Native program; provide information to all employees to keep them informed of American Indian/Alaska Native program activities; establish and maintain effective relationships with American Indian/Alaska Native organizations and groups (may require attendance and participation in their meetings); participate in recruitment efforts; contribute to the development of the overall Equal Opportunity program; attends, participates, and delivers quarterly reports at Equal Opportunity Committee meetings.

November has been designated as American Indian Heritage Month, providing an opportunity to make people aware of the history of American Indians and their contribution to the world.

This year’s winner of the American Indian Heritage Poster contest is Carrie Silverhorn of Miami, Okla. Silverhorn is a member of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and is of Eastern Shawnee/Wyandotte decent. The 32 year old has been an artist since childhood and claims, “Art is the passion that drives me to create beauty from my surroundings and allows me to produce what my imagination whispers to me.”
 

Some Documents may require Acrobat Reader

    American Indian/Alaska Native Employees Association: http://www.aianea.com/index.html

    American Indian Center of Indiana: http://www.americanindiancenter.org/

    Eiteljorg Museum: http://www.eiteljorg.org/

    Indiana Government Web site on Indians in Indiana (history): http://www.in.gov/history/2342.htm

    Native American Voices of Indiana: http://www.naivoi.org/

    Purdue's Native American Educational and Cultural Center: http://www.purdue.edu/naecc/index.html

    American Indian/Alaska Native Program Brochure (PDF; 199 KB) 

    American Indian Cultural Values Flyer (PDF; 191 KB)
 

Kelley Barkell
2040 Riverfork Drive, West
Huntington, IN  46750

Phone:  260-356-6816, ext. 3
Fax:  260-356-9557
Email:  kelley.barkell@in.usda.gov