Indigenous advocate Dina Gilio-Whitaker poised for speaker series

OKLAHOMA CITY Indigenous award-winning author and renowned scholar Dina Gilio-Whitaker will be the featured guest for this year’s Martha Jean Lemon Distinguished Speakers Series at Oklahoma City University.

The free event will be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 17 in the Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center at NW 24th Street and Blackwelder Avenue.

Gilio-Whitaker, a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes, is a sought-after speaker and advisor across various academic disciplines and organizations. She teaches American Indian studies at California State University San Marcos and is an independent advisor on Indigenous environmental issues. Her expertise spans conservation, law, science, government, outdoor sports, and beyond.

Her latest book, “As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice from Colonization to Standing Rock,” draws from academics, environmental experts, Native American historians, and government agencies. It provides a vivid picture of how industries and public policies have impacted the environment, particularly on Native American and public lands. Her journalism has been featured in publications such as Indian Country Today, the Los Angeles Times, and High Country News.

“Ms. Gilio-Whitaker is bringing years of research and advocacy experience on this important topic,” said Amy Cataldi, dean of OCU’s Petree College of Arts & Sciences. “We look forward to learning how we, as a community, can engage with our fellow citizens to become better stewards of our land and resources.”

For more information, visit okcu.edu/lemonlecture . The speaker series at OCU is made possible by the Martha Jean Lemon Distinguished Speaker Series endowment, supported by the Jeanne Hoffman Smith Center for Film and Literature and Bank of Oklahoma.

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