About the Redhawk Indian Arts Council
The Redhawk Indian Arts Council is a not-for-profit organization founded and maintained by Native Americans. The Council is dedicated to educating the general public about Native American heritage through song, dance, works of art and other cultural forms of expression. Over the last six years, we have touched the hearts and opened the minds of thousands of people to the beauty of North, South, Central America and the Caribbean Indigenous cultures. Through our many powwows, events, workshops and educational programs, we have addressed stereotypes, fostered awareness of Native American cultures and created a venue for Native American artists to share their art forms with the public and other Native Peoples.
Since 1994, this small grass roots organization has produced many large events. During the past seven years, our Gateway to the Nations powwow has become the official New York City Native American Heritage Festival with over 20,000 people visiting this three-day event. The Redhawk Indian Arts Council also hosts two other large festivals. One in Northern New Jersey and the other in Orange County, New York, attracting over 50,000 people to the two events each year.
We have worked closely with many large corporations such as ATT, Lucent Technologies, HBO, Viacom, IBM and the United States Postal Service to create a cultural diversity program that reflects Native American People in a contemporary and politically correct way.
The Redhawk Indian Arts Council is very much involved in educating students, both Native and non-Native alike. We have served as educators and advisors to the Title IX Native American Education Program of New York City. The program helps urban Native American students to learn, love, respect and better understand their culture as well as themselves. We also work with many school systems throughout the tri-State area, creating an updated Native America curriculum. This allows students and educators to relate to Native people in not just in a past tense but also as important members of today’s society.
Educating a non-Native public about our culture is a challenge we feel may be our greatest yet. Americans are bombarded with images of stereotyped Indians created by western movies, cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny wearing a headdress or the Braves fans performing their infamous tomahawk chop. These are just some of the reasons we feel our programs are so important to the reeducation of not just students but the general public as well. Our motto is Open their hearts to the beauty of our culture and you will open their minds to who we are as a people.
Board of Directors
Honorary Chairperson
Kathy Lee Gifford
Marleen Kelly
Cliff Mathias
For more information contact us
Click here to read a letter from the board
