Circle of Indigenous Students' Alliance (CISA) is a student organization at Georgetown for indigenous students that celebrate and promote indigenous cultures.
History
CISA was originally formed as a club strictly for Native Americans and Alaska Natives, known as the American Indian and Alaska Native Association until a 2012 name change1. That year, the club rebranded as the Native American Student Council (NASC) and opened membership to students without Native American heritage2.
Due to the small number of Native American students at Georgetown, the club has historically faced membership challenges. As of 2018, the club had only three Native American members3; by 2020, it had only five total members, three of whom identified as Native American4.
In fall 2022, the NASC changed its name to CISA "to be more welcoming to students of different Indigenous backgrounds and not restrict its membership to people native to the United States"5. CISA also engaged in significant internal changes, overhauling the club's leadership structure. The club replaced a hierarchical leadership format, led by a president, with a more egalitarian format led by an executive board that includes all members6.
Activities
After changing its name to the NASC, the club began to host an annual powwow held on Copley Lawn beginning in 20137. In past years, the event was a celebration of Native American culture featuring Native American dances and food8. However, the club did not hold a powwow in 2019 due to struggles with student participation9.
In November 2022, CISA hosted a showcase called Hózhó in Riggs Library10. Hózhó featured a range of performances and displays, including poetry recitals, songs, and woven baskets11.
CISA performed at the opening of the Hoya Harvest Garden at Regents Hall in April 2023. Georgetown's Earth Commons Institute has also planned an Indigenous Student's Medicinal Garden that will grow "plants of cultural, spiritual, and medicinal significance"12.
CISA and its members have also lobbied the university on various issues, including land recognition and recognition of Indigenous People's Day. A petition submitted to President DeGioia in April 2019 called for formal recognition that Georgetown was built on Piscataway land13. While Georgetown no longer calls the October holiday Columbus Day, its switch to a Mid-Semester Holiday instead of Indigenous People's Day has attracted criticism from CISA and other members of the Georgetown community14.
- 1Peregrino, Roman. "Native American Students Look for Campus Community." The Georgetown Voice. 26 October 2018.
- 2Peregrino, Roman. "Native American Students Look for Campus Community." The Georgetown Voice. 26 October 2018.
- 3Peregrino, Roman. "Native American Students Look for Campus Community." The Georgetown Voice. 26 October 2018.
- 4Cuccia, Annemarie. "The name changed. The forces keeping Native Americans out of Georgetown did not." The Georgetown Voice. 24 August 2020.
- 5Rareshide, Caroline. "Circle of Indigenous Students' Alliance." The Hoya. 14 April 2023.
- 6Rareshide, Caroline. "Circle of Indigenous Students' Alliance." The Hoya. 14 April 2023.
- 7Peregrino, Roman. "Native American Students Look for Campus Community." The Georgetown Voice. 26 October 2018.
- 8Gach, Margaret. "NASC Pow Wow seeks to spread appreciation of Native culture." The Georgetown Voice. 28 April 2016.
- 9Hamilton, Caroline. "Native Students and the Piscataway Fight for Greater Recognition." The Georgetown Voice. 12 April 2019.
- 10The Earth Commons, Campus Gardens. https://earthcommons.georgetown.edu/action/hoya-harvest-garden/campus-gardens/.
- 11The Earth Commons, Campus Gardens. https://earthcommons.georgetown.edu/action/hoya-harvest-garden/campus-gardens/.
- 12The Earth Commons, Campus Gardens. https://earthcommons.georgetown.edu/action/hoya-harvest-garden/campus-gardens/.
- 13Hamilton, Caroline. "Native Students and the Piscataway Fight for Greater Recognition." The Georgetown Voice. 12 April 2019.
- 14Keating, Abigail. "Georgetown community criticizes non-acknowledgment of Indigenous People's Day." The Georgetown Voice. 4 November 2020.
