ADA, Okla. — The Chickasaw Nation is set to present Lowak Sho'li, a First American education forum, Monday, Nov. 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Chickasaw Nation Community Center.
The Lowak Sho'li Humanities Forum has been hosted annually since 2012 to encourage First American youth and college students to pursue a career in arts and humanities. It also provides an opportunity for open dialogue with the community about the importance of First American representation in arts and humanities professions.
In the Chickasaw language, lowak sho'li means “to carry the fire.” This program aims to keep the flame and the desire Chickasaw people have for the arts and humanities alive as it passes from one generation to the next.
This year, the central concept is “Teaching What Matters: Education, Cultural Identity and the Future.” There will be three panelists.
Kayla Dawn Robinson
Kayla (Lewis) Robinson is a Chickasaw scholar, educator, and advocate whose work centers on literacy, First American representation and culturally responsive education. After a decade in K-12 classrooms, she earned her Ph.D. in reading and has since served in multiple leadership roles at Missouri State University. Robinson has delivered nearly 70 presentations on First American history and contemporary issues, published widely on First American representation in curriculum and children’s literature, and received numerous honors, including the 2026 Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Award for diversity, equity and inclusion. She continues to champion accurate First American representation and culturally grounded learning for all students.
Jill Brown
Jill Brown is a lifelong educator whose career has been rooted in serving Chickasaw students and families in Tupelo, Oklahoma. With decades of classroom experience, she is known for her commitment to culturally grounded teaching, fostering belonging and integrating Chickasaw values into early education. Her work has shaped generations of learners and strengthened connections between school, community and culture. Brown continues to support educational initiatives that uplift First American students and honor Chickasaw identity.
Joshua D. Hinson (Lokosh)
Lokosh, a Chickasaw citizen, serves as the Chickasaw Nation Executive Officer of Language Preservation and has worked for the tribe since 2004. He holds a BFA from Abilene Christian University, an MA in Native American Art History from the University of New Mexico and a Ph.D. in Native Language Revitalization from the University of Oklahoma. A graduate of the Chickasaw Language Master‑Apprentice Program, he is a fluent second‑language speaker of Chikashshanompa' (the Chickasaw language).
From 2007 to 2021, Hinson directed the Chickasaw Language Revitalization Program, contributing to numerous language publications and serving as an author and editor for Rosetta Stone Chickasaw. He is also an award‑winning tribal visual artist. His Chickasaw name, Lokosh, translates to “Gourd.” He is Imatapo (Their Tent People) house group and Kowishto' (Panther) clan. Hinson and his family live on the Chickasaw Nation Reservation in Ada, Oklahoma.
Lowak Sho'li is open to the public at no charge. To register, visit Chickasaw.net/Lowak. For more information about the annual forum, call (580) 272-9326 or email CulturalEnhancement@Chickasaw.net. The Chickasaw Nation Community Center is located at 700 N. Mississippi Ave. in Ada.