Native Voices

Beginning in November 2022 and continuing through 2023, several institutions throughout Lake Forest are presenting a variety of activities, performances, lectures and events that celebrate the culture and contributions of Native Americans, past and present, to the community. Entitled Native Voices, the year-long programming illuminates the legacy and current life of Native communities as we traverse thousands of years of history, covering their rich fabric of art, environment, culture, and communication.
Led by Lake Forest Open Lands Association, participating institutions include the Ragdale Foundation, The Lake Forest Library, The History Center of Lake Forest Lake Bluff, Elawa Farm Foundation, Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce, and Gorton Community Center. In addition, Districts 67/115, private schools, and Lake Forest College are involved.
Click on descriptions below for more information and registration (if required).





Date | Host | Age | Decription | Location | Type |
AUGUST | |||||
11 | LFOLA | All ages | Conservation Cocktails: Susan Kelsey, author and documentary film producer presents, "Connecting to the Land: The Billy Caldwell Story" | Lake Forest Open Lands Mellody Farm Nature Preserve | Film/Discussion |
15 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | Private Tour of the McNickle Center | The Newberry Library | Private Group Tour |
SEPTEMBER | |||||
21 | Lake Forest Library | Adults/Young Adults | Afternoons with Judy Levin: The Seed Keeper | Lake Forest Library | Book Discussion |
23 | Lake Forest Library | Adults/Young Adults | Create a Dream Catcher with Kim Sigafus | Lake Forest Library | Presentation/Activity |
27 | Gorton Center and LFOLA | Adults/Young Adults | Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World | Gorton Center | Film |
28 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Indigenous Art | Lake Forest Library | Presentation |
30 | LF-LB History Center | Adults/Young Adults | "The Indigenous History and Evolution of Lacrosse" | LF-LB History Center | Presentation |
OCTOBER | |||||
4 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | An Evening with Stephen Graham Jones | Lake Forest Library | Author Talk |
9 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Nonfiction at Night: Killers of the Flower Moon | Lake Forest Library/Zoom | Book Discussion |
12 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Mystery Book Group: Girl Gone Missing | Lake Forest Library/Zoom | Book Discussion |
16 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | The Poetry Group: special guest poet LeAnne Howe | Zoom | Book Discussion |
19 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | A Conversation with Diane Wilson, Mdewakanton descendant, author of The Seed Keeper | Hughes Theater, Gorton Center | Panel Discussion |
20 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | A Morning Chat with Diane Wilson, Mdewakanton descendant, author of The Seed Keeper | Lake Forest Library | Discussion |
20 | LF-LB History Center | Adults | Private Group Tour at Kenosha Public Museum | Kenosha Public Museum | Private Group Tour |
NOVEMBER | |||||
10 | Gorton Center and Elawa Farm | Adults/Young Adults | Gather | Gorton Center | Film |
18 | Lake Forest Library | Teens | Teen Breakfast & Books: The Marrow Thieves | Lake Forest Library | Book Discussion |
Date | Host | Age | Decription | Location | Type |
JUNE | |||||
2-12 | Lake Forest Library | Families | Self-Guided Storywalk of Thunder Boy Jr. | Lake Forest Library front lawn | Self-Guided Book |
17 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | IL Humanities NEA Big Read: Indigenous Stories Book | LF-LB History Center | Book Discussion |
21 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Braiding Sweetgrass: A Conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer | Lake Forest Library Zoom | Book Discussion |
JULY | |||||
1 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | IL Humanities NEA Big Read: Indigenous Stories Book | LF-LB History Center | Book Discussion |
15 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | IL Humanities NEA Big Read: Indigenous Stories Book | LF-LB History Center | Book Discussion |
27 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | Private Tour of Native Truths Private Tour of Native Truths | The Field Museum | Private Group Tour |
AUGUST | |||||
11 | LFOLA | All ages | Conservation Cocktails: Susan Kelsey, author and documentary film producer presents, "Connecting to the Land: The Billy Caldwell Story" | Lake Forest Open Lands Mellody Farm Nature Preserve | Film/Discussion |
15 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | Private Tour of the McNickle Center | The Newberry Library | Private Group Tour |
SEPTEMBER | |||||
21 | Lake Forest Library | Adults/Young Adults | Afternoons with Judy Levin: The Seed Keeper | Lake Forest Library | Book Discussion |
23 | Lake Forest Library | Adults/Young Adults | Create a Dream Catcher with Kim Sigafus | Lake Forest Library | Presentation/Activity |
28 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Indigenous Art | Lake Forest Library | Presentation |
OCTOBER | |||||
4 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | An Evening with Stephen Graham Jones | Lake Forest Library | Author Talk |
9 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Nonfiction at Night: Killers of the Flower Moon | Lake Forest Library/Zoom | Book Discussion |
12 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Mystery Book Group: Girl Gone Missing | Lake Forest Library/Zoom | Book Discussion |
16 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | The Poetry Group: special guest poet LeAnne Howe | Zoom | Book Discussion |
19 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | A Conversation with Diane Wilson, Mdewakanton descendant, author of The Seed Keeper | Hughes Theater, Gorton Center | Panel Discussion |
20 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | A Morning Chat with Diane Wilson, Mdewakanton descendant, author of The Seed Keeper | Lake Forest Library | Discussion |
NOVEMBER | |||||
18 | Lake Forest Library | Teens | Teen Breakfast & Books: The Marrow Thieves | Lake Forest Library | Book Discussion |
Date | Host | Age | Decription | Location | Type |
MARCH | |||||
8 | Gorton Center | All ages | 3:00 pm: "Reel Injun" OR 7:00 pm: "Reel Injun" | Gorton Center | Film |
13 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | "We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans & Comedy" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
16 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | Afternoons with Judy Levin: "An Indian Among Los Indigenas: a native Travel Memoir" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
21 | LFOLA/LF-LB History Center | All ages | Indigenous Connections to the Land: Indian Burial Grounds & New Discoveries | LF-LB History Center | Discussion/presentation |
29 | Gorton Center | All ages | 3:00 pm: "Alaskan Nets" OR 7:00 pm: "Alaskan Nets" | Gorton Center | Film |
APRIL | |||||
8 | Lake Forest Library | All ages | Explore Ojibwa History & Culture | Lake Forest Library | Discussion/presentation |
14 | Lake Forest and Lake Bluff Libraries | Teens/Adults | An Evening with Author Ursula Pike | LF-LB History Center | Book discussion |
15 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | "More Than Memory: Using Research to Enhance Your Memoir" with Ursula Pike | Lake Forest Library | Memoir writing |
19 | Gorton Center | All ages | Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire | Gorton Center | Film/Discussion |
20 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Afternoons with Judy Levin: "Braiding Sweetgrass" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
28 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | "Wind River" | Lake Forest Library | Film |
MAY | |||||
6 | Lake Forest Library | Ages 8-12 | "I Can Make This Promise" | Lake Forest Library | Book Discussion |
JUNE | |||||
2-12 | Lake Forest Library | Families | Self-Guided Storywalk of Thunder Boy Jr. | Lake Forest Library front lawn | Self-Guided Book |
17 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | IL Humanities NEA Big Read: Indigenous Stories Book | LF-LB History Center | Book Discussion |
21 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Braiding Sweetgrass: A Conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer | Lake Forest Library Zoom | Book Discussion |
JULY | |||||
1 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | IL Humanities NEA Big Read: Indigenous Stories Book | LF-LB History Center | Book Discussion |
15 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | IL Humanities NEA Big Read: Indigenous Stories Book | LF-LB History Center | Book Discussion |
27 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | Private Tour of Native Truths Private Tour of Native Truths | The Field Museum | Private Group Tour |
AUGUST | |||||
11 | LFOLA | All ages | Conservation Cocktails: Susan Kelsey, author and documentary film producer presents, "Connecting to the Land: The Billy Caldwell Story" | Lake Forest Open Lands Mellody Farm Nature Preserve | Film/Discussion |
15 | LF-LB History Center | Young Adults/Adults | Private Tour of the McNickle Center | The Newberry Library | Private Group Tour |
SEPTEMBER | |||||
21 | Lake Forest Library | Adults/Young Adults | Afternoons with Judy Levin: The Seed Keeper | Lake Forest Library | Book Discussion |
29 | Lake Forest Library | Adults/Young Adults | Friday Feature Film - Wind River | Lake Forest Library | Film |
30 | Lake Forest Library | Grades 3-5 | Christine Day, a member of the Upper Skagit Tribe discusses I Can Make This Promise | Lake Forest Library | Book Discussion |
OCTOBER | |||||
16 | Lake Forest LIbrary | Adults | The Poetry Group and Indigenous poets | Lake Forest Library | Reading/Discussion |
19-20 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | Diane Wilson, Mdewakanton descendant, author of The Seed Keeper | Lake Forest Library | Book Discussion |
NOVEMBER | |||||
17 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | Friday Featrue Film - Dances with Wolves | Lake Forest Library | Film |
DECEMBER | |||||
29 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | Friday Featrue Film - Powwow Highway | Lake Forest Library | Film |
Date | Host | Age | Decription | Location | Type |
MARCH | |||||
8 | Gorton Center | All ages | 3:00 pm: "Reel Injun" OR 7:00 pm: "Reel Injun" | Gorton Center | Film |
13 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | "We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans & Comedy" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
16 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | Afternoons with Judy Levin: "An Indian Among Los Indigenas: a native Travel Memoir" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
21 | LFOLA/LF-LB History Center | All ages | Indigenous Connections to the Land: Indian Burial Grounds & New Discoveries | LF-LB History Center | Discussion/presentation |
29 | Gorton Center | All ages | 3:00 pm: "Alaskan Nets" OR 7:00 pm: "Alaskan Nets" | Gorton Center | Film |
APRIL | |||||
8 | Lake Forest Library | All ages | Explore Ojibwa History & Culture | Lake Forest Library | Discussion/presentation |
14 | Lake Forest and Lake Bluff Libraries | Teens/Adults | An Evening with Author Ursula Pike | LF-LB History Center | Book discussion |
15 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | "More Than Memory: Using Research to Enhance Your Memoir" with Ursula Pike | Lake Forest Library | Memoir writing |
19 | Gorton Center | All ages | Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire | Gorton Center | Film/Discussion |
20 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Afternoons with Judy Levin: "Braiding Sweetgrass" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
28 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | "Wind River" | Lake Forest Library | Film |
MAY | |||||
6 | Lake Forest Library | Ages 8-12 | "I Can Make This Promise" | Lake Forest Library | Book Discussion |
Date | Host | Age | Decription | Location | Type |
JANUARY | |||||
17 | City of Lake Forest | All ages | Proclamation of Native Voices | City Councel Chambers | Event |
19 | LFOLA/LF-LB History Center | All ages | Indigenous Connections to the Land: Indian Trail Marker Trees | LF-LB History Center | Discussion/presentation |
21 | Lake Forest Library | Grades 3-5 | Youth Book Club: "Code Talker" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
21 | Gorton Center | All ages | 3:00 pm: "Native Voices: Keep Talking" OR 7:00 pm: "Native Voices: Keep Talking" | Gorton Center | Film |
27 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/ Adults | "Native America" | Lake Forest Library | Film |
FEBRUARY | |||||
Various | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | Read Between the Ravines Lead Up Events | Lake Forest Library | One Book Two Community Book Ravines |
8 | LFOLA/LF-LB History Center | All ages | Indigenous Connections to the Land: Chicagoland Archaeology and Native American Past | LF-LB History Center | Discussion/presentation |
9 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | Teen Book Group: "Firekeeper's Daughter" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
16 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Afternoons with Judy Levin: "A Path Lit by Lightning" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
MARCH | |||||
POST- PONED | LFOLA/LF-LB History Center | All ages | Indigenous Connections to the Land: Indian Burial Grounds & New Discoveries | LF-LB History Center | Discussion/presentation |
8 | Gorton Center | All ages | 3:00 pm: "Reel Injun" OR 7:00 pm: "Reel Injun" | Gorton Center | Film |
13 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | "We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans & Comedy" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
16 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | Afternoons with Judy Levin: "An Indian Among Los Indigenas: a native Travel Memoir" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
29 | Gorton Center | All ages | 3:00 pm: "Alaskan Nets" OR 7:00 pm: "Alaskan Nets" | Gorton Center | Film |
APRIL | |||||
8 | Lake Forest Library | All ages | Explore Ojibwa History & Culture | Lake Forest Library | Discussion/presentation |
14 | Lake Forest and Lake Bluff Libraries | Teens/Adults | An Evening with Author Ursula Pike | LF-LB History Center | Book discussion |
15 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | "More Than Memory: Using Research to Enhance Your Memoir" with Ursula Pike | Lake Forest Library | Memoir writing |
20 | Lake Forest Library | Adults | Afternoons with Judy Levin: "Braiding Sweetgrass" | Lake Forest Library | Book discussion |
20 | Gorton Center | All ages | Film TBA | Gorton Center | Film |
28 | Lake Forest Library | Young Adults/Adults | "Wind River" | Lake Forest Library | Film |
MAY | |||||
6 | Lake Forest Library | Ages 8-12 | "I Can Make This Promise" | Lake Forest Library | Book Discussion |