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Environmental injustice, Indian health projects and the late Jack Forbes, a founding leader of Native American studies at UC Davis, are among the topics of upcoming programs in the .

The schedule also includes a film, Two Spirits, and a panel discussion, "The Absolutely True Diary of a College Indian," playing off the title of this year's book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.

According to the , the film "interweaves the tragic story of a mother’s loss of her son with a revealing look at a time when the world wasn’t simply divided into male and female, and many Native American cultures held places of honor for people of integrated genders. The screening is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday (Nov. 14) in the Shields Library Instruction Lab (Room 165).

Other programs:

• Tuesday, Nov. 15 — "Nine Legged Frogs and National Sacrifice: Tracking Environmental Injustice in Native America," with Traci Brynne Voyles, postdoctoral fellow, Department of History. 12:10-1 p.m., 126 Voorhies Hall.

• Wednesday, Nov. 16 — "Jack Forbes: Native Voices," a panel discussion on Forbes' influence and contributions to Indian education. Forbes, who died last February, joined the ΢²ªÊÓƵ faculty in 1969, and became a founding leader of the Native American studies program, which began that year. Thanks in large part to his leadership and collaboration with other faculty members, Native American studies became a department in 1993, a year before Forbes retired. The panel: Jack's wife, Carolyn; and Chris Peters, alumnus of the Department of Native American Studies; with moderator Melissa Johnson, program coordinator, Cross Cultural Center. 12:10-1 p.m., Art Lounge, Memorial Union.

• Thursday, Nov. 17 — "The Absolutely True Diary of a College Indian: Student Perspectives," a panel discussion with UC Davis students. 12:10-1 p.m., 126 Voorhies Hall.

• Tuesday, Nov. 29 — "Community-Based Northern California Indian Health Projects," with Felicia Espina Miller-Yakama, outreach officer, School of Medicine; and Professor Dennis Styne, who holds the Yocha Dehe Chair in Pediatric Endocrinology. 12:10-1 p.m., 1222 Education Building, 4610 X St., Sacramento.

More book project programs

Shields Library is hosting a and the C.N. Gorman Museum is hosting an exhibition titled .

Other programs are scheduled throughout the 2011-12 academic year, which is a change from years past when most book project activities took place in the fall quarter, leading up to the author’s talk in December. The author's talk in 2011-12 is scheduled in April, book project activities are spread throughout the entire academic year, coinciding with ΢²ªÊÓƵ’ annual Powwow and Native American Culture Days.

All programs are open to the public, and all are free except the author's talk.

Author's visit

Alexie's talk is scheduled for 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, in Jackson Hall at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available , or by visiting or calling the Mondavi Center box office, (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787. Box office hours: noon-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and one hour before ticketed events.

The book

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is available at ΢²ªÊÓƵ Stores (formerly ΢²ªÊÓƵ Bookstores) for $9.99.