History Colorado in partnership with several Tribal and Native American organizations are hosting Community Listening Sessions across Colorado in support of the American Indian Boarding School Research Project. Survivors, descendants and families connected to the Federal Indian Boarding Schools are invited to learn about the project’s progress, share their stories, and contribute input for healing and remembrance.
Each location will hold at least three facilitated Community Listening Sessions over the next several months, with each session to cover different aspects of the Federal Indian Boarding Schools’ connection to families, in partnerships with local community organizations and traditional leaders:
Session 1: Legislation Information Presentation with Community Project Input – A presentation on HB24-1444 and context to previous work with small table discussions to listen to process or concerns from the community members to further the research of Federal Indian Boarding Schools.
Session 2: Family Relationship to Boarding School – Intergenerational Trauma presentation with small table discussions to explore community relationships to Federal Indian Boarding Schools and ongoing family effects.
Session 3: Community Recommendations – Return in the late spring of 2026 for a presentation on findings from throughout the state Community Listening Sessions and small table discussions to determine and prioritize recommendations.
The Community Listening Sessions are part of a statewide effort to document and address the history and legacy of Federal Indian Boarding Schools in Colorado. Input from American Indian families with direct connections to Federal Indian Boarding Schools will inform recommendations for remembrance, mitigating and healing the effects of the Federal Indian boarding schools, that will then be shared with the Colorado State Legislature and Colorado Departments of Education and Higher Education in May of 2027. By highlighting community voices, the project aims to honor survivors, support their descendants, and ensure that this history is acknowledged as part of Colorado’s collective history.
The American Indian Boarding School Listening Sessions are open to survivors, descendants, and those who have direct family connection to Federal Indian Boarding Schools. Interested participants are encouraged, but is not necessary, to RSVP for a Community Listening Session at h-co.org/listening-sessions to help with planning for space and food.
The following Community Listening Sessions are currently scheduled for Denver and Durango. Additional sessions are being scheduled in Ignacio, Towaoc, Cortez, Grand Junction, Pueblo, Boulder and Fort Collins. The most current information can be found on the website:
Denver Community Listening Session 2 – Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025
5:30 – 8:30 p.m
History Colorado Center,1200 Broadway, Denver, Colo.
Durango Community Listening Session 1 – Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025
5:30 – 8:30 p.m
Fort Lewis College Student Union, Vallecito Room, 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, Colo.
Durango Community Listening Session 2 – Monday, Nov. 17, 2025
5:30 – 8:30 p.m
La Plata County Fairgrounds, Main Exhibition Hall & Kitchen, 2500 Main Ave, Durango, Colo.
The third session for each region will be scheduled for Spring 2026. Visit the research web page to stay up to date on the latest schedule.