Maine Memo — A time for gratitude and reflection

Dear University of Maine and University of Maine at Machias community members,

During this well-deserved break in the semester, I hope you will take the opportunity to recharge and reflect on all we have to be grateful for. This is a time to remember all those we love and care about, past and present, in our individual lives and as members of inclusive and compassionate communities.

November is National Native American Heritage Month, a time to “celebrate Indigenous peoples past and present and rededicate ourselves to honoring Tribal sovereignty, promoting Tribal self-determination, and upholding the United States’ solemn trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations,” as noted in a White House proclamation last month.

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum have joined in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. More information regarding exhibitions and events are online, including our own Wabanaki Winter Market.

Enjoy your November break. We wish you safe travels, opportunities to embrace and demonstrate support, thankfulness and kindness from and to those who matter most to you, and warm memories of those no longer with us. We look forward to coming back together for the remaining weeks of the semester.

All my best to you.

Joan Ferrini-Mundy
President