The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian to Host 45th Anniversary Benefit on November 19 at Glencoe's Writers Theatre

The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian will host its annual benefit and awards on Saturday, November 19, at the Writers Theatre in Glencoe, Ill. The multifaceted, immersive event will feature dynamic Native singers, musicians, a variety of regional Indigenous foods, silent auction, and a keynote address by the 2022 Dr. Carlos Montezuma Award recipient, Congresswoman Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk).

This year's event on November 19 will be especially notable as it is the Mitchell Museum's 45th anniversary and the culmination of Native American Heritage Month. The annual benefit and awards are an essential fundraiser for the Mitchell Museum, with proceeds directly supporting the Museum's exhibitions and educational programming that inform visitors about Native culture and showcase the expertise of Native educators, artists, and performers.

The Museum's premier event and annual awards ceremony is named for Dr. Carlos Montezuma, a Yavapai-Apache Tribe citizen, physician, and social justice activist for Native American rights. Dr. Montezuma was the first Native American student to earn an undergraduate and a medical degree from Northwestern University. In 1904 he became one of the founders of the Society for American Indians, which focused on improving the physical, social, and economic well-being of Native Americans.

This year's Dr. Carlos Montezuma honoree is United States Representative and Ho-Chunk Nation citizen Sharice Davids (KS 3rd District) for her contributions to social activism that have advanced Native American people nationally. In 2019, Rep. Davids was sworn into the 116th Congress, making her one of the first two Native American women to serve in Congress and the first openly LGBTQ+ representative to be elected in Kansas. Rep. Davids graduated from Cornell Law School, served as a White House Fellow, is a former professional mixed martial artist, and authored, Sharice's Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman, a picture book sharing her story with children.

Scheduled events for the evening also include performances by vocalists Jennifer Stevens (Oneida and Oglala Lakota) and Michaela Marchi (Isleta Pueblo), and instrumentalist Bill Buchholz (Algonquin/Metis).

Individual tickets are $145, and group tickets of 10 are $1,100, with additional sponsorship opportunities available.

For more information on the 45th Anniversary Benefit and Awards Ceremony and to purchase tickets, visit: https://mitchellmuseum.org/events/45thanniversary/