Keynote speakers scheduled to speak at the upcoming National Indian Education Association’s annual trade show and convention will discuss the changing education landscape of Native communities and how NIEA and its members continue to work collaboratively to strengthen relationships and educational priorities to foster the next generation.

NIEA’s 46th Conventtion and Trade Show will take place from October 14-17 in Portland, Oregon and will feature Randi Weingarten, Dr. Kamana’opono Crabbe, and Matika Wilbur as keynote speakers.

Weingarten is the president of the American Federation of Teachers, the second largest teacher’s union in the U.S., which works to ensure access to high-quality public education for students, their families and communities. Under her leadership, the organization has called for more teacher diversity, specifically working towards increasing the number of Native teachers within our communities, while also developing the American Federation of Teacher’s Quality Education Agenda, which advocates for reforms grounded in evidence and sustainability.

Wilbur is one of the Pacific Northwest’s leading photographers, who has exhibited extensively in regional, national, and international venues. Right now she is working on Project 562, gathering original images and oral narratives from all tribal communities through the U.S. The Project is dedicated to capturing contemporary Native America by organizing and presenting compelling portraits and stories of elders, teachers, activists, and other contemporary Indians.

Crabbe’s mission has been uplifting the ‘mana’ and ‘mauli ola’ of the Hawaiian community through transformation and research excellence since his appointment as Ka Pouhana Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in January 2012. Before his appointment, he joined OHA as research director in 2010. He led the division gathering data that would highlight gaps, disparities, and causal factors creating disadvantages for Native Hawaiians to access good healthcare, governance, housing, education, and employment.

For more information about the upcoming convention and trade show, visit NIEA.org.