Because she has lighter skin, people don't generally identify Shauna Larson as a Native American.
"When thinking of Native Americans, people usually have a stereotypical view," Larson, president of the Native American Student Association on campus, said. "They think we wear feathers on our heads."
Although she can't remember a time when she has faced any discrimination due to her ethnicity, she recalls times when offensive comments have been made about her mother, she said.
"She has been called Sacagawea on some occasions in derogatory ways," she said.
As part of Native American Awareness Month, Ball State University and the Native American Student Association will pay their own tribute to the month-long celebration of cultural heritage and identity at 7:30 p.m. in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center Tally.
A 2007 nominee for Best Male Performer and Best Pop Recording for the Native American Music Awards, Cherokee folk singer Michael Jacobs will perform a blend of upbeat anthems, folk ballads and flute music.
The event is free and open to the public, and complimentary Starbucks coffee will be provided, Colleen Boyd, director for the Native American studies minor program, said.
While primarily organized by the university as a celebration of Native American Awareness Month from a cultural perspective, Jacobs' performance is based more on his individual spiritual growth.
"Native Americans have been romanticized and demonized for years," Jacobs said.
He said he knew about his Cherokee heritage when he was very young but has recently come back into touch with his roots.
"My culture plays a fundamental role in my life," Jacobs said. "It shapes the way I look at everything; it's the spirit by which I disseminate my world view."
Jacobs started his professional career in the early '80s as a mainstream rock artist and had moderate success, he said.
After attending a Cherokee pow wow in Nashville in 1992, he had an epiphany that led him to have a stronger bond with his native identity, which led him to begin pursuing his culture, he said.
"I felt a strong connection with people from my tribe who I had never met before," he said.
From there he decided to incorporate a mixture of folk and Cherokee influences into his music, he said.
Although he doesn't consider himself an advocate for Native American issues, Jacobs prides himself in being an artist with important things to say from more of an individual perspective, he said.
"I write songs about hope, heartache dreams, love and loss - things everyone experiences," he said. "Native Americans are human beings, not caricatures. We face the same issues as everyone else."
John Boyd, faculty adviser for NASA, said a large part of NASA is discussing Native American cultures, histories and contemporary issues. from both a broad and individual point of view.
"We want to develop support of the Native American society and people who've aligned themselves with it," he said.
The 16-member group is in close contact with other Native American groups at Indiana University, Purdue University and IUPUI and works closely with the Native American studies minor program on Ball State's campus, he said.
The group has been up and running for about a year and is aiming to get people to recognize a supportive Native American community on campus, Larson said.
"Right now we're all about education and huge in recruiting," Larson said.
While the group primarily provides support and social opportunities for students of Native American heritage, any student interested in Native American cultures, histories and contemporary issues is welcome to attend meetings, she said.
Some of the broader issues include addressing questions in cultural identity and community interaction with the environment, John Boyd said.
Event InformationWhen: 7:30 p.m.Where: Tally in the L.A. Pittenger Student CenterCost: This event is free to the public, and complimentary Starbucks coffee will be served
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