Native American Heritage Profile Director Chandra Hampson

November may be the month to celebrate Native American Heritage, but the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Native people extends well beyond 30 days. Our district recognizes Native Nations have been stewards of these lands since time immemorial. 

SPS School Board Director Chandra Hampson knows a lot about preserving her Native American Heritage. She is HoChunk from the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and Anishinaabe from the White Earth Reservation. 

As Hampson headed to Oregon to spend the Thanksgiving break with her family, she reflected on how she preserves her family’s history by educating the younger generations. 

“One of my aunties … is always trying to make sure we learn new words,” Hampson said. “They’re mostly teaching the little kids.” 

When COVID-19 made its way to the U.S., it hit Native Americans hard. 

“It gets really scary really fast because every time you lose a fluent speaker, you lose a ton of history and information,” Hampson said. “When we lose the knowledge, we lose important critical information.” 

Hampson acknowledged that because families are so busy trying to make a living, they can’t always spend time focusing on teaching traditions. That is where the SPS Native Education Department steps in. 

“Part of what our Native Ed department is trying to do is keep that connection going and trying to help kids be successful … connected to one another and connected to their to their culture.”