About Us

Who We Are

These efforts are a collaboration between the Confederation of Michigan Tribal Education Departments and the Indigenous Education Initiative at the Michigan Department of Education. The individuals who make up these organizations include educators, policymakers, artists, and advocates. They are relatives and span generations.

A group photo of Confederation of Michigan Tribal Education Departments and the Indigenous Education Initiative members.

A small group of people sits in the Ziibiwing Museum listening to a facilitator talking using their hands.

Our Approach

There are key ways of knowing and being that hold true over community layers of relationships, stories, and experiences. Our work is informed by how the Anishinaabek understand and interact with the world. We call these the Essential Understandings for Michigan. The Essential Understandings for Michigan are fundamental to understanding Anishinaabek People’s ways of knowing and being, so they are where we ask everyone to begin.

We teach and learn these understandings through service and experience. We emphasize relationships and knowledge that may challenge each other’s ways of knowing, the roles of educators and learners, and our shared responsibilities as Michigan citizens. This work teaches us all to hold multiple, simultaneous truths.

Why This Matters

By leaning into what we have in common, this project is a collection of meaningful learning experiences and materials. We aim to build better relationships between Anishinaabe People, educators, and learners across the State who share mutual commitments, communities, and families. Our goal is to truthfully cultivate the stories—past, present, and future—of Tribal Nations and Indigenous Communities that live, work, and share geography with the State of Michigan, and invite as many educators and their allies as possible into the work of indigenizing learning experiences for all students.

Two educators sit on a bench laughing together.

Professional & Community Partnerships

We offer targeted webinars and consultation services designed to bring Anishinaabek perspectives into professional, educational, and civic spaces.

Co-Governance Policy with Tribal Nations in Michigan

The Indigenous Education Initiative Team is committed to co-governance with the 12 federally recognized Tribes whose ancestral homelands are in what is now Michigan, ensuring Tribal voices guide shared priorities for Indigenous learners and families.

Read the Policy

Tribal Consultation & Outreach

Strengthen bonds with local tribes in any context with our Consultation Guide. We invite partners in education to engage in relationship with us to benefit our collective lifelong learning and continuous improvement in Michigan’s school systems.

Read the Guide