HFCS Class of 2021 Alumna, Aiyana Baker, is currently attending Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. She is studying nursing with a minor in biology and will graduate in May of 2025. Quinnipiac University will host its first intertribal Powwow “Dancing in the Shadow of the Giant” on April 13th, 2025. This effort was led by the Indigenous Student Union, of which Aiyana is the current president. The Powwow and its related pre- and post-events will bring together Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples to honor Native American cultures and identities. There will be lectures, workshops, talking circles, the annual teach-in, and the signature event, the Powwow. The Powwow events are free and open to the campus community as well as the general public. Aiyana reached out to HFCS to share her success and thank the community for supporting her journey. Aiyana would like to share her story with our community:
“Growing up in Hoosick, I was physically distanced from my Native homelands, which were placed in Uncasville, CT with the Mohegan Tribe, but they were never too far from my heart! I was able to go throughout my career at HFCS with my grandfather by my side up until his passing in my junior year of high school. He was the greatest encouragement in my journey, and is a big reason why I am where I am today and sharing my story along with bringing change to the Quinnipiac community. He always taught me to be proud of where I came from and all about my Native history. He would share pictures and books with me, and I would bring them to school every year to share with my classes whenever we were talking about Native American history. It was always important to me to emphasize with my classmates where I came from and what struggles we had faced to become a federally recognized Tribal Nation. I felt as though HFCS allowed me to do just that. Every history teacher I ever had at HFCS allowed me to go in front of the class and share what I was given by my grandfather and share my story. Additionally, I was able to live out my ancestry by being a player on the HFCS lacrosse team, which is a traditional native sport.
Between the support that I had from my grandfather and other family members along with the support from HFCS, it encouraged me to continue sharing my story at Quinnipiac. When first coming to Quinnipiac, I almost felt as though my voice was going to be quieted as there was not as much Native recognition as I had hoped, with the university bearing a Native name and sitting on Native land. My cousin had begun the first ever Indigenous Student Union during her time here at Quinnipiac and it had just become a chartered and school recognized organization as I was beginning my journey. I first joined as a general board member in the fall of my freshman year and became treasurer in the spring. Much to my surprise, I was elected for the President position my sophomore year and have held the President position ever since. We began as a very small organization with little funding, and I was quickly immersed in a leadership role that would come with many challenges of public speaking, decision making, and advocacy.
During my time at Quinnipiac, I am proud to say that I have been able to be a part of growing the organization. It was always my one goal before I graduated to have the university host a powwow like my tribe has always done, and I am so very grateful that this dream is now coming true. Additionally, I have also been able to work my heritage into my nursing career by doing presentations on the uses of plants for medicine, based off of a book that my great great aunt wrote who was Medicine Woman of the Mohegan Tribe. I have also participated in growing some of those plants in a pollinator garden here at Quinnipiac.
I truly think that it is so important for students to represent their cultures and where they came from as they are the voices of change. I truly appreciate all the support that HFCS has given me through the years and am so incredibly grateful for you all, as I truly would not be here without you! I hope that my story encourages other students at HFCS and shows them that they truly can be a person that makes great change wherever they end up!”
