When the College of Southern Nevada formally recognized the Native Heritage Alliance in February 2025, no one inside the young organization expected what would happen next.

Within months, the group’s membership surged, workshops filled beyond capacity, and community partnerships multiplied across the valley.

What began as a modest student coalition has rapidly evolved into one of the region’s most active and culturally restorative Indigenous student organizations.

“We hit the ground running,” said Angelica “Angel” Martinez, president of the Native Heritage Alliance. “Every month we’re doing two to four events.

Students show up, they stay, and they want to learn—not just crafts but the history behind them. The unity has been amazing.”

A Semester That Became a Movement

The group must re-apply for recognition each semester, but this spring marked a breakthrough: enough students signed on to officially activate the club for the first time. It didn’t take long for the momentum to snowball.

Workshops on sewing, Atomi embroidery, beading, and traditional Indigenous arts began drawing more students than the organizers could accommodate.

Collaborations with local artisans and cultural institutions—many from the Las Vegas Indian Center—turned each session into a communal space of education, identity, and intergenerational exchange. At one recent library workshop, Martinez expected a modest crowd.

“Libraries usually get maybe 15 people for events,” she said. “We got at least 50, and they stayed the entire time. People weren’t just curious—they were invested.”

Bridging Campuses, Cultures, and Generations

The Native Heritage Alliance has also become a magnet for younger students in the CSN High School Program, who are seeking early engagement with Indigenous cultural spaces.

“The sooner they get involved, the sooner they build leadership skills,” Martinez explained. One high-school member has become so active that she now brings in others.

The club also maintains ties with alumni—most notably Ingrid Amalfi Guandique Gonzalez, a former member who has recently moved to Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. Who, in Martinez’s words, “is getting popular out there.” Ingrid continues to contribute by sending presentations and even leading workshops remotely.

“She did our Yaqui flower workshop,” Martinez said. “People loved it. We’re already planning to bring her back in the spring.”

A Network of Collaboration Across Identities

In keeping with the realities of Indigenous identity in the 21st century, Martinez approaches her work through multiplicity rather than boundaries.

“I’m not just one Indigenous ethnicity—I’m many,” she said. “I want to learn all of that, and I want to share what I learn.”

This philosophy shapes the organization’s programming. Their events highlight Indigenous diversity, from Aztec traditions to the teachings of local tribes, creating spaces for students of mixed ancestry to rediscover and reclaim what colonization fragmented.

“It’s reclaiming, remembering, honoring,” Martinez said. “If I only know one part of myself, what else is there? You start learning, and you can’t stop.”

The cross-cultural collaboration goes even deeper. Martinez herself is also a member of the Latino Student Alliance, Women in Business, Creative Writing Club, and Animal Connections Club. She encourages students to see their identities as expansive—and their communities as interconnected.

“I make up so many things,” she said. “And I want to hold space for people to do the same.”

Building a Cultural Infrastructure for Las Vegas

The Alliance works closely with local Indigenous artists such as Xochitl—who led the club’s Tonalli calendar workshop—and organizations like Nuwu Art Collective, which recently invited the students to participate in a community event.

These partnerships not only connect students to Native traditions but also help strengthen the city’s cultural landscape, which for decades has operated without a centralized Indigenous student presence.

Martinez sees the Alliance as part of a broader movement: a rebuilding of communal knowledge that has long been displaced.

“We’re not just teaching crafts,” she emphasized. “We’re reconnecting people with history, lineage, and pride. And students are showing up because they’re hungry for that.”

As the club continues to grow, Martinez is focused on sustainability—creating a structure that will support future students, future collaborations, and future cultural revival.