American Indian College Fund launches new campaign in honor of Native American Heritage Month

Denver, Colo., Nov. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In recognition of Native American Heritage Month, the American Indian College Fund has launched a new campaign, You Can Do Something, to reframe how Americans understand history, power, and culture, and the choices we have today to honor and empower Native peoples. The campaign is designed to increase awareness of Native culture and provide clear, tangible ways for non-Native audiences to support it. 

The campaign kicked off November 1 with the launch of a :30s film, What You Pass On, the first day of Native American Heritage Month. The film uses real Indigenous students rather than actors and opens in familiar spaces, such as schools, football fields, and history displays, juxtaposing what Americans are taught with what is missing from those lessons.  

An Indigenous narrator points out how pride in mascots, presidents, and moments of founding have too often overshadowed Native histories and stories. The film culminates with a Native teacher placing books by Indigenous authors on a classroom shelf. The message is clear: while we can’t choose what was handed down to us, we can choose what to pass on to those around us. 

Directed by acclaimed Native filmmaker Christopher Nataanii Cegielski, with original music and voiceover by Indigenous musician Black Belt Eagle Scout, the campaign centers Indigenous perspectives and authenticity at every step of the process. It is designed to challenge what viewers were taught and to inspire them toward action by driving audiences to Indigenouseveryday.com, an online hub sharing dozens of ways to take action, like listening to Native voices through music and podcasts, supporting Native food and restaurants, reading Indigenous authors, buying from Native-owned businesses, and watching Native-created films and television shows. The site makes it clear: while no one can do everything, everyone can do something. 

The takeaway for viewers is both sobering and hopeful: America’s history cannot be rewritten, but our choices today can reshape the future. By spotlighting Native culture and resilience, this campaign empowers audiences to participate in everyday acts of respect, visibility, and change. 

The campaign will run primarily across digital platforms (YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok), meeting audiences where they consume and share culture, as well as limited CTV. Throughout November, the film will also air during select NFL games through a partnership with CBS , recognizing Native American Heritage Month. The campaign will include out-of-home and social-first advertising campaigns. 

To learn more about the campaign and the creatives behind the work, please contact Dina Horwedel, Senior Director of Public Education and Communications, 
American Indian College Fund, 303-430-5350, dhorwedel@collegefund.org or Lucy Dwyer, Director of Communications, Wieden+Kennedy Portland  
503-836-2330, lucy.dwyer@wk.com.  

### 

About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 35 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $20.5 million in scholarships and other direct student support for access to a higher education that is steeped in Native culture and values to American Indian students in 2023-24. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $349 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 34 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Gold Seal of Transparency from Guidestar, and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit collegefund.org.  

Attachment

• What You Pass Down

CONTACT: Dina Horwedel
American Indian College Fund
303-430-5350
dhorwedel@collegefund.org

Lucy Dwyer
Wieden+Kennedy
503-836-2330
lucy.dwyer@wk.com