Student Staff

 
Zoe Cire (she/her) is a visual artist born and raised on Treaty 6 territory of central Alberta, currently residing as a guest on the territories of the Mohegan, Mashantucket Pequot, Eastern Pequot, Schaghticoke, Golden Hill Paugussett, Niantic, Quinnipiac, and other Algonquian speaking peoples. Cire’s works talk with the culture that raised her, her kokom’s Cree lineage of Beaver Lake Cree Nation and moshom’s Métis lineage. These conversations are expressed through forms of painting, beading and textile work. With a focus on the terrains of material association, Cire’s practice speaks with language and memory, where it can be found, and what it says when it reaches.  Cire completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts and minored in Curatorial Studies from Emily Carr University. Upon graduation, Cire was awarded the Vancouver Art Attack Award where she went on to have a solo exhibition, Berrypicker (South Main Art Gallery). Since then, she has exhibited in Discovery (Seymour Art Gallery) and tântê ê-wî-itohtêyahk (Deer Lake Gallery) and now is currently a Graduate student at Yale School of Art.

Silliman ‘25

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Major: Architecture

Native Nation: Mexico, China, and Sweden 

Naima is a sophomore studying architecture. She was born and raised in San Francisco, California but has roots in Mexico, China, and Sweden. She is a passionate artist, athlete, organizer, activist, and learner. She has been engaged in community visual and performing arts her entire life. Her artistic endeavors span personal drawing, murals, and set design. Recently, she became very interested in archival work which interested her in the NACC Arts Liaison position since it bridges many of her interests!

Mikiala Ng – Head of House Staff 

Pierson ‘24

Hometown: Waialua, Oʻahu

Major: Art (Painting/Printmaking)

Native Nation: Hawaiian

Mikiala Ng (she/her) is a junior from Hawaiʻi and is a proud member of both the artistic and Indigenous communities at Yale. Through her art, Mikiala advocates for environmental issues, Native rights, and the celebration of Indigeneity. She also loves making art as gifts, decorations, or a relaxing activity at the end of a long day. While at home, Mikiala enjoys surfing, going to the beach, and spending time with her family and two dogs.

Evan Farmer

Benjamin Franklin ‘22

Hometown: Louisville, KY

Major: American Studies & German Studies

Native Nation: Shawnee

My studies as an undergraduate at Yale concentrate on international cooperation and inequities within global markets through a trans-Atlantic double major of American & German Studies. As a MacMillan Center Language Fellow and Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar, I have had the privilege of studying abroad in Germany and Tanzania to improve foreign language skills, cultivate cross-cultural fluency, and conduct community service. I am additionally passionate about disability advocacy in the academic sphere as a Disability Peer Mentor for Student Accessibility Services and previously as an Exceptional Child Instructional Assistant in my hometown’s public school district while on leave of absence. In my downtime, I enjoy playing sports with friends, composing music, and long walks with my puppy.

Catherine Webb

Benjamin Franklin ‘22

Hometown: Newport Beach, California

Major: Environmental Science and Art

Native Nation: Cherokee

Catherine Webb is a senior in Benjamin Franklin and is double majoring in Environmental Science and Art. She is the liaison between the NACC and the Yale Sustainable Food Project, and is very passionate about indigenous agriculture. Outside of her work with the NACC and YSFP, she competes on the Yale sailing team and is apart the Diversity and Inclusion division of the Student Athlete Advisory Council.

Evan Roberts
Benjamin Franklin ‘23
Hometown: Longmont, Colorado
Major: Political Science and Ethnicity, Race, and Migration
Tribal Affiliation: Tlingit

Hi!! I’m Evan and I’m a sophomore in Franklin college studying Political Science and Ethnicity, Race, and Migration. I’m Tlingit, but I live in Colorado. At Yale, I’m involved in the Association of Native Americans at Yale, Red Territory, and Yale Democrats. Most of the time you can find me procrastinating studying in the NACC or in the Ben Franklin buttery with my friends.

Nyche´ Andrew

Branford ‘25

Hometown: Traditional lands of the Dena’ina Elena Athabascan, now known as Anchorage, Alaska

Major: Political Science

Native Nation: Yup’ik and Inupiaq

Hello! My Native names are Skavaq Sivulluiqti, my English name is Nyche Tyme Andrew. I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. I got to Yale through a mix of passion, starry-eyed dreaming, and the endless help and prayers from my loved ones. Since being here, I have found community as a general member in the Native and Indigenous Student Association at Yale (NISAY, which is closely pronounced as my name “Nish-ay”). I get to build on my interests through my past membership of the Yale Undergraduate Legal Aid Association, and currently as a research assistant for the Yale School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. I am excited to be with the amazing, beautiful, spectacular community members of the Native American Cultural Center as house staff this year!

Saybrook ‘24

Hometown: North Georgia

Major: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Native Nation: Tsalagi

Hi! I’m Lex, a junior in Saybrook College (say what?) from North Georgia majoring in Earth and Planetary Sciences. I’m a huge fan of shirley temples, terrible disaster movies, rollerskating, icy ocean planets, and the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Outside of ANAAY, I am a staff writer at Broad Recognition and a member of Gaybrook. A fun fact about me is that I don’t know how to ride a bike and I am perfectly content with that. I also (debatably) know how to play guitar and I like to write my own music!

Silliman ‘25

Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Major: American Studies

Native Nation: Chickasaw

Megan (she/her) is a sophomore in Silliman studying American Studies and Political Science. Outside of the NACC, she also works with the Yale Undergraduate Legal Aid Association, the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, and Yale’s radio station, WYBC. In her free time you can find her playing bass guitar, facetiming her sister, and collecting earrings. She is very excited to spend time with and get to know more members of the NACC community this year!

Juliette Palacios 

Trumbull ‘26

Hometown: Berkeley, California

Major: Film & Media Studies

Native Nation: Rarámuri

Hi! I’m a first year from California wanting to double major in Film & Media Studies and also something else but I don’t know what yet. In my free time, I love to go on walks with my dogs and family and spend time with friends. San Diego is where I am originally from and it’s my favorite place in California because of the location, the weather, and the carne asada fries! I’ve been living in Berkeley most recently and it’s fun too, but San Diego is my true love. Something that I really care about is educational equity, specifically for overcoming power structures that oppress minority gender and racial/ethnic groups, and at Yale I hope to get more involved in programs that address this topic. I also love meeting new people and finding a community together so please reach out to me to find out about our first year events!

Saybrook ‘26

Hometown: Honolulu, Hawai‘i

Major: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Native Nation: Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian)

Brandon Haruki (he/him) is a freshman from Hawai’i in Saybrook college currently interested in studying MCDB on the pre-med track. Through his community service, Brandon is passionate about environmental sustainability, indigenous agriculture, and action to address homelessness. In his spare time, he can be found strumming an ukulele, exploring the outdoors, and facetiming his sister. At home, Brandon enjoys going to the beach, surfing, hiking, driving around the island with his dog, and spending time with family.

Benjamin Franklin ‘26

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Major: Chemical Engineering

Native Nation: Ohkay Owingeh

Hi! My name is Reid Hightower and I’m a first-year in Benjamin Franklin studying Chemical Engineering. My family is from the Ohkay Owingeh pueblo in New Mexico but I was born and raised in Las Vegas. Outside of class, I’m involved with the YSO, STARS, and the NACC through AISES and NISAY. In my free time I enjoy practicing the tuba, exercising with my friends, and hanging out at the NACC.