The Creating Land-Based Commemorations group aims to reconnect the Otoe-Missouria to one of their homelands, to increase opportunities for non-Native people to learn more about Indigenous uses of and reverence for the land, and to promote healing and reconciliation through engagement with the land.
Kevin Abourezk, a citizen of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, is a journalist and Deputy Managing Editor of ICTNews.org, which features Native American news and information. In his 25-year career, he has written about Native American people and stories and has received many national awards. He received a master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of South Dakota.
Elsie Whitehorn, Otoe-Missouria (Eagle), Diné (Tl’aashchi’i ), Iowa, Omaha, a lifelong student, researcher, and educator, she serves as the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Otoe-Missouria Tribe striving to uplift and better her peoples and communities by honoring her ancestors, engaging in active participation, fostering community building, and cultivating strong, meaningful relationships. She is the daughter of the late Randy and the late Rose Whitehorn, granddaughter to the late Mark and late Elsie Whitehorn and the late Ralph and Irene Begay. She makes her home in Red Rock, Oklahoma with her husband Eric and cat Mario. She is a Ph.D. student in Information Studies at the University of Oklahoma with a M.S. in Higher Education Leadership from Northeastern State University and a B.B.A. in Management Information Systems from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. She is honored to be on the Coordinating Council and co-leader for Creating Land-Based Commemorations.
Dr. Jessica Moore Harjo, Ph.D., Weomepe, Otoe-Missouria, Osage, Pawnee, Sac & Fox, is an interdisciplinary artist, graphic designer, and entrepreneur. Dr. Harjo received her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Oklahoma State University, and her Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Design from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Harjo’s most prominent artwork is a permanent public art installation titled “People of the Great Sky, Constellations of the Land” (2023), a 65’ sculpture that spans the ceiling in the entrance of the Oklahoma State Capitol.
Dr. Harjo’s art explores new relationships between the digital and traditional art worlds, and the interactions between colors, emotion, materials, shape, and space. Over the past few years her digital art has shifted to include intersections of textiles, wearable art, public art, and architecture. Her research interests are in design and typography as well as intersections of cultural and visual representation affecting social awareness and identity.
Kat Shiffler is a Landscape Architect with the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program. Based in her hometown of Lincoln, she provides technical assistance to community-led projects in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and the Dakotas. She is honored to contribute to the Walking in the Footsteps of Our Ancestors project as a member of the Land-Based Commemorations Advisory Group.
Adam Hintz is a Lincoln native for whom Wilderness Park has always been home. A devoted advocate of the park, he has served on the board since 2008, has taken leadership roles in the organization since 2010, and is our current board chair. Hintz supports several non-profit organizations through RKD Group, a marketing firm for Nonprofits. Hintz cherishes time alone in the park, staying connected to nature,and exploring with his family and friends. He sees preservation of the park as a vital responsibility to the community and to future generations.
Salvador Lindquist, is an Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He earned his Master of Urban Design with high distinction from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research and teaching focus on climate and environmental justice, with a particular emphasis on community-engaged design and environmental assessment in the Great Plains.