Our 10th Anniversary of NativeRISE!
A Celebration of Community & Culture
Friday, November 13, 2026
5:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Nicollet Island Pavilion 40 Power Street | Minneapolis, MN
Join us for #NativeRISE 2026: Tomorrow Today! – an evening celebrating Native American Heritage Month and American Indian OIC’s powerful impact.
Each year, this vibrant gala brings together several hundred community leaders, partners, patrons, and elected officials to honor the strength, resilience, and success of the individuals and families we serve.
The evening features a dynamic program, inspiring speakers, a silent auction, and music. All proceeds support our vital education and workforce programs that create pathways to meaningful careers and economic self-sufficiency for our community.
Marcos Aguilar (Masewalli Mexicano) is the Executive Director and Co-Head of School at Anawakalmekak International University Preparatory of North America in Los Angeles.
Originally from Mexicali, Baja California, Marcos has dedicated his career to Indigenous education and community work. He is a co-founder of Tzicatl CDC and has worked to support Indigenous education, youth, teachers, and language revitalization in California and Mexico.
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Marcos Aguilar grew up in Mexicali, Baja California, along the U.S.-Mexico border. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chicana and Chicano Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1994. He also holds a single-subject teaching credential in Social Science and a Master’s degree in Education Administration from California State University, Los Angeles. He is also a trained consultant for the International Baccalaureate.
In 2019, Marcos was community-nominated as a commissioner to the National Forum of Mexico on Constitutional Reform for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Afromexicans.
Marcos is a co-founder of Tzicatl CDC and its American Indian Resurgence Initiative, created to address the high school push-out of American Indian students in Los Angeles County. He has also helped develop programs supporting Indigenous teachers, youth, and language revitalization, including the Anahuacalmecac American Indian Teacher Fellowship and the Intergenerational Gabrielino Language Project.
His work also extends to Indigenous education in Mexico, including promoting Nahuatl education in Morelos and Guerrero.
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