Adrienne Keene

Adrienne Keene
US National Archives · CC BY 3.0 · source
Name	Adrienne Keene
Occupation	Academic, writer, activist, blogger
Nationality	American

Adrienne Keene is a scholar, writer, and Native American activist known for her work on Indigenous identity, representation, and Culture. She is the founder of a widely read blog and has held academic positions while engaging with media, museum, and policy communities. Her work connects Indigenous studies, Native American rights, and public discourse.

Early life and education

Keene was born and raised in a Native community and pursued higher education at institutions including Barnard College, Brown University, and other universities where she studied subjects related to Indigenous studies, American Indian history, and cultural anthropology. During her undergraduate and graduate training she engaged with scholars from programs linked to Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, and regional tribal colleges, and she participated in conferences associated with organizations such as the American Studies Association, Native American and Indigenous Studies Association, and the Modern Language Association. Her academic trajectory connected her to archives, museums, and research centers including the Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, and university research libraries.

Career and blogging

Keene founded a blog that became a prominent platform addressing issues of Indigenous representation, cultural appropriation, and Native fashion, engaging audiences across outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vogue, and The Guardian. Her writing and commentary have been cited by media organizations such as NPR, BBC, CNN, and PBS, and she has collaborated with digital projects at institutions like The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, and the National Museum of the American Indian. Keene’s blogging intersected with social media networks tied to communities on platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and scholarly exchanges at conferences hosted by University of California, Berkeley, University of Arizona, and Stanford University.

Advocacy and activism

Keene has advocated on issues affecting Indigenous communities, partnering with tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and advocacy groups such as First Nations Development Institute, Native American Rights Fund, and the National Congress of American Indians. She has engaged in campaigns addressing Native mascots and cultural appropriation alongside activists and scholars affiliated with Color of Change, Amnesty International, and campus movements at institutions like University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, and University of Oklahoma. Her activism included testimony and participation in forums involving policymakers from bodies such as the United States Congress, state legislatures, and local school boards, and collaboration with cultural institutions like the Field Museum, Peabody Museum, and regional art centers.

Scholarly work and teaching

As a scholar and educator, Keene has taught courses that connect Indigenous literatures, Native visual culture, and identity politics at colleges and universities including Brown University, Trinity College, University of Connecticut, and other campuses where Indigenous pedagogy intersects with programs in American Indian Studies, Ethnic Studies, and Comparative Literature. Her research has been published in edited volumes and journals alongside contributions from scholars affiliated with Rutgers University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of New Mexico, and presses such as Routledge, Duke University Press, and Oxford University Press. Keene has participated in symposia and panels convened by institutions including the Social Science Research Council, American Anthropological Association, and the Getty Research Institute, and she has supervised student research connected to tribal archives, community museums, and digital humanities projects.

Awards and recognition

Keene’s work has been recognized by academic and cultural organizations including awards and honors from entities such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, Ford Foundation, and fellowship programs at institutions like Harvard University and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. She has been profiled and cited in lists and features by media outlets including Time (magazine), Forbes, and The Atlantic, and she has received professional recognitions in association with organizations like the Native American Journalists Association and the American Association of University Professors.

Category:Native American academics Category:American bloggers