Defying stereotypes in film and TV is one way to honor Native American Heritage Month.
FRCC student Lola Baum was in high school when she realized that stereotypes of Indigenous peoples in the media had somehow managed to sneak their way into her young brain.
“We had a guest speaker at my high school, and he really got me thinking about the gaps in my own understanding of Native peoples,” she recalls. “He inspired me to think more about my own media literacy when it comes to Indigenous peoples and Native American stories.”
Connecting the Dots
Fast forward 2025 when Lola started working on her honors capstone project as a history student at FRCC. She decided to focus on Native representation in the media—a topic that connected closely with the Native American history class she was taking at the time.
“If you go all the way back to the time of the ‘cowboys versus Indians’ era, there was a lot of reinforcing colonialism by showing the white character as superior—the hero—and the native characters as, you know, primitive, like something that needed to be defeated,” Lola points out.
“Broader American society still romanticizes Native peoples, their cultural traditions and histories, especially in film and media,” according to FRCC Instructor Deirdre Huff, PhD, who specializes in Native American history.
“But that dehumanizes them as people and marginalizes their experiences in order to serve a master American narrative, rather than allowing us to see them as the complex and self-determined peoples that they really are”.
“There’s a lot of misunderstanding about Native peoples,” she says.
A Complicated Relationship
“It is a complicated relationship between the US and Native Americans, because it is a violent history,” Deirdre points out. “It’s a relationship predicated on oppression, cultural genocide, forced assimilation and settler-colonialism.”
“For Native Americans, their land has been invaded and occupied by another society. And while the United States still occupies their lands, they are still living that legacy of oppression and colonization.”
Because this is a difficult part of American history, it’s often uncomfortable for non-Native people to explore.
“Although many tribes continue to reassert their sovereignty rights within the land on which they reside, they are still being colonized,” Deirdre says. “There is no such thing as post-colonization for Native Americans.”
Independent Nations
“One of the unique aspects about Native Americans is that their tribes are politically sovereign nations,” Deirdre reminds us. “There are currently 575 tribes recognized by the US federal government—and nearly 400 unrecognized tribal communities in the US.”
She points out that two of those tribes are right here in Colorado: the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Tribe. In fact, there are 48 tribes that recognize Colorado as part of their ancestral homelands.
A Unique Level of Discrimination
“While other ethnic groups in the US share similar experiences of ethnic discrimination and racism, Native peoples face a unique level of systemic and legal discrimination,” Deirdre says. “The land occupied by the United States is the homeland of Native peoples, who were dispossessed of it by the US government.”
“This land is their Eden. This is where they emerged as peoples, as this land was given to them by the Creator”.
A Lack of Representation
Researching these issues was a bit of an awakening for Lola—and the more she studied the topic, the more concerned she got.
Lola’s honors paper cited an Annenberg study of 62,000 movie characters; it found that “less than one-quarter of one percent (<0.25%) of all speaking roles went to Native American characters across the 16 years studied.”
And there was only one film with a Native actor in the leading role between 2007 and 2022.
Confronting Stereotypes
In one of her Native American history classes, Deirdre shows her students a Teen Vogue article in which Native high school students are interviewed. “They speak about all of the ways they’re still stereotyped—that they still live in teepees, that they still ride horses…”
Lola points out, “When you’re part of a minority community, you may have limited opportunities to meet people who are like you, or have similar interests as you, have a certain lifestyle or cultural practices as you.”
“To be able to see your own community portrayed in a healthy way and an exciting way and just an accurate way allows people to feel connected to a character, to the piece of media they’re consuming, and feel like their culture is being celebrated rather than looked down upon or like simply pushed aside.”
Deirdre points out that many young Native Americans are still fighting against antiquated and dehumanizing stereotypes. “These stereotypes are still perpetuated by ignorance and an unwillingness to learn more about who Native peoples really are: hardworking, intelligent and savvy warriors who fight for the rights of their people and communities.”
Not the Full Story
“A big issue with media representation is the stereotypical portrayals of Native characters,” Lola says. “That can present incomplete or harmful accounts of minority communities.”
In her research, Lola learned that more accurate and varied representation can help audiences of all colors connect more deeply and authentically with Indigenous cultures, while also supporting Native young people’s confidence and sense of identity.
“Many of our students at FRCC identify as Hispanic and Chicano,” Deirdre points out. “And it’s important to remember that many are of Indigenous heritage as well. So, teaching about their Indigenous, as well as Spanish colonial, histories and cultures is an important aspect of how we can work to empower our students.”
She says this an essential role of what is taught in the college’s history, anthropology and other social science and humanities programs.
“Most of my students, of all backgrounds, are eager to know about different cultures and experiences in history,” she adds. “They are enthusiastic to learn about different ethnic groups that make up the fabric of our nation, including Native Americans and their complex historical experiences. They want to gain a fuller picture, and to see things from more than one angle.”
Progress and Hope
Lola eventually turned her honors paper into a public presentation—which she shared with the larger community at Westminster’s College Hill public library on Indigenous Peoples’ Day last month.
In her talk, Lola informed the audience that—despite systemic obstacles and a lack of on-screen representation—modern Indigenous creators are reclaiming their narratives through authentic, multidimensional projects.
Productions like the TV show Reservation Dogs and the successes of contemporary actors like Lily Gladstone are finally shifting public perception by presenting honest, diverse portrayals of Native life.
“These are important questions,” says Deidre. “Who gets to decide what’s traditional or authentic, and what’s not? People want to have destiny or control over how they’re perceived.”
Native Voices Telling Native Stories
Reservation Dogs features an almost entirely Native cast and crew. The acclaimed series represents a major shift, depicting Indigenous youth with humor, grief, awkwardness and honesty—proving that truthful portrayal is a powerful counter-narrative to historical media distortion.
“It’s important to take the time to celebrate Native peoples, embrace and immerse yourself in the culture as much as you can,” Lola encouraged her listeners. She hopes that, after her presentation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, attendees now feel empowered and excited to learn more for themselves.
“We can all look into that for ourselves, and just treat our community members with respect and hope. And shed light on all of the people that are around us and all these diverse cultures and all these different stories.”
Opening Minds, Expanding Horizons
During her presentation, Lola invited others to support the type of Native-created work that provides a more accurate and varied representation of Indigenous peoples and their stories. She also stressed the importance of inviting Indigenous communities to speak for themselves in cultural and policy decisions.
“Disciplines that explore human societies, their cultures and their histories and uniqueness are more important than ever,” Deirdre says. “These disciplines help us to understand how humans connect in a multi-ethnic society such as our own and how humans can work to understand and live with one another, despite our cultural differences.”
Enriching Our Communities
As a teacher, Deirdre points out how important it is to know the histories of other peoples besides your own history and your own story. “We live in a multicultural, ethnically mixed society. That is where we are.”
“When we celebrate what makes America’s cultures unique—such as with this month’s Native American Heritage Month—we should remember to give space to historically marginalized peoples in our country, like Native Americans, to empower themselves and their communities in the ways that are most culturally and socially appropriate for them.”
“That’s kind of the role of education, right? To see things from a different perspective and to learn from that.”
Join Us on Campus to Celebrate
Looking to learn more during Native American Heritage Month? Join the FRCC community at one of our events on campus in November.
Singing, Dancing and Drumming
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with the Iron Family Singers and Dancers with Native drumming, singing and dancing. Participants will also enjoy free Native American food.
Boulder County Campus (Longmont)
Nov. 12 | 11:30 AM – 1:00 pm in the Community Room
Larimer Campus (Fort Collins)
Nov. 11 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM in the Longs Peak Student Center
Westminster Campus
Nov. 18 | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM in the Rotunda
Dream Catcher and Drum Making
Make your own dream catcher sourced from a Native business while learning about the cultural meanings of Dream Catchers. The Larimer Campus will also have kits available to make hand drums. Workshops are hands-on and welcoming—participants can complete projects to take home. While supplies last!
Boulder County Campus (Longmont)
Nov. 16 – 18 | 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM in the Multicultural & Identity Center
Larimer Campus (Fort Collins)
Nov. 16 – 19 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM in the Multicultural & Identity Center
Corn Husk Art
Westminster Campus
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month by exploring corn husk art, a creative tradition practiced by many Indigenous communities for generations. Corn (or maize) is an important part of Native American culture, often representing life, nourishment and a strong connection to the earth. In this hands-on activity, participants will learn about the meaning behind corn, while creating their own unique art using natural materials.
Nov. 16 – 19 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM in the Multicultural & Identity Center
Resources to Go Deeper
Native American Heritage Month as an opportunity to engage more deliberately with these conversations—but of course, we can learn about and celebrate Native cultures throughout the year.
Interested in learning even more? FRCC offers classes in Native American history, Native Peoples of North America and more—both on campus and online. Check out FRCC’s course schedule when registration opens for spring 2027 on November 2, 2026.
You can also take time on your own throughout the year to explore the following recommended resources.
News & Politics
- Indian Country Today News Network
- US Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs
- National Congress of American Indians
- Native American Rights Fund
- Western Tribes & Colorado River Crisis
- Land Stewardship
- Native Americans & Voting Rights
Local Interest
- Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
- Southern Ute Tribe
- Denver Indian Center
- Keystone Policy Center, Center for Tribal & Indigenous Engagement
- Denver American Indian Cultural Embassy
Pop Culture
- Vogue: At NYFW, Indigenous Fashion Stood Out
- Native News Online: 11 Native Actors You Should Know
- NDN Girls Book Club
- Associated Press: Shiyazh Pete, first Navajo NFL player, recognized on Indigenous Peoples Day
- WMFT Radio: 7 Native American Musicians You Should Know
