Celebrate Indigenous Experts with ACM for #NAIHM

November is Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month (NAIHM)! At ACM, we’re proud to honor Indigenous computing experts whose valuable contributions and innovation have left a positive impact on the future of inclusive technology. Throughout the month, ACM will be spotlighting Indigenous computing experts and organizations that empower Indigenous communities through STEM education and provide accesible resources. Follow along on X, Instagram, Facebook, Matsodon, Threads, Bluesky and Linkedin as we celebrate and uplift Indigenous voices in computing.

Computing Expert

Andrea Delgado-Olson is a member of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians. She founded Native American Women in Computing (NAWiC) which aims to connect Native women in tech with other Native women and promote a positive community for resource and heritage sharing. She co-founded Zaawink, a company that provided temperature monitoring smartwatches to employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Jason Edward Lewis is Hawaiian & Samoan. His area of expertise is on Indigenous futures, digital media, and software design. He founded Obx Laboratory for Experimental Media, where he explores computation as a creative and cultural material. He directed the Initiative for Indigenous future. He co-directs multiple organizations such as the Indigenous Protocal and AI Workshop, the Indigenous Futures Research Centre, and the Skins Workshops on Aboriginal Storytelling and Video Game Design. 

 

Angie Abdilla is a palawa woman. Her research interests include Indigenous Knowledge systems, ancient and new technologies. She is the founder and director of Old Ways, New and co-founded the Indigenous Protocols and AI working group. She and her team created Country Centered Design, a methodology that supports a cultural process to research, community engagement, and strategic design for product development for public and private technology sectors.

 
 

Mikaela Jade is a Cabrogal woman of the Dhraug-speaking nation of Australia. She is the founder and CEO of Indigital, an tech-edu company that integrates Indigenous knowledge, environmentalism, and technology to foster a trusted and positive connection between Indigenous communities and corporations.

Resources by Indigenous-led Organization 

Advancing Indigenous People in STEM (AISES)

AISES is a nonprofit organization that works to increase representation for Indigenous people in the STEM field. AISES offers resources for college students such as mentorship, leadership, and research programs. 

IndigeSTEAM

IndigeSTEAM is a Canadian organization committed to providing Indigenous-led and educational opportunities for Indigenous youth. Indigesteam offer in-person and online workshops for both young and adult Indigenous people interested in STEM. 

Indigenous Pathways

Indigenous Pathways, an outreach program designed to engage post-secondary Indigenous students in Canada as part of TECHNATION’s Career Ready Programs. The program hosts gatherings that connect students with tech leaders and provide valuable opportunities for career growth. 

Indigitize

Indigitize works to address the lack of opportunities for Native American students to learn computer science. In their resource hub, they offer data for researchers, scholarly articles, and materials for educators.