Join the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) on Thursday, January 25, for the 2024 Spring President’s Convocation and Campus Blessing. The event will begin at 11:30 am (MDT) in the Dance Circle with a four-directions campus blessing with Dr. Jessie Ryker-Crawford (White Earth Chippewa), Christian Yellow Kidney (Blackfeet), Paul Quintana (Cochiti Pueblo), and Sareya Taylor (White Mountain Apache Tribe).

Following the campus blessing, the convocation will take place in the Performing Arts and Fitness Center (PAFC) Gym at 12 pm with a welcome address from IAIA President Dr. Robert Martin (Cherokee Nation) and a keynote address from IAIA Alum Amber Morning Star Byars (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) ’18.

• 11:30 am–12 pm: Campus Blessing, Dance Circle (Livestreamed—no audio)
• 12–1 pm: President’s Convocation, Gym (Livestreamed)

The President’s Convocation will be livestreamed for our off-campus community members on the IAIA website.

About Amber Morning Star Byars

Amber Morning Star Byars (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) ’18, is a self-described artist and advocate. Professionally, Byars works as a producer, impact producer, and cultural consultant. She graduated from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in 2018 and from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law in 2022. Passionate about justice and the art of storytelling, she enjoys navigating the intersection of art and law, specifically in the realm of documentary filmmaking. Byars has worked with a variety of names in the entertainment industry such as AMC Networks, IFC Films, XTR, and more. She currently resides in her hometown of Santa Fe, New Mexico.