New Jersey Center for Indigenous Justice
photo of indigenous woman standing infont of blue sky

About Us

The New Jersey Center for Indigenous Justice (NJCIJ) at Montclair State University is dedicated to advancing justice, visibility, and sovereignty for New Jersey’s state-recognized tribes through trust-based, community-engaged partnerships. As a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration, the NJCIJ supports projects, programs, and public initiatives that elevate Indigenous voices, preserve cultural heritage, and confront narratives of erasure alongside the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program. Guided by the priorities of the Ramapough Lunaape, Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape, and Powhatan Renape nations, the Center promotes transformative teaching, research, and advocacy that honor Indigenous knowledge systems and empower Native students, scholars, and communities across the region.
Indigenous people speaking to a crowd

Mission Statement

Walking in partnership with Tribal communities to re-Indigenize New Jersey by immersing students in holistic educational experiences and transforming how the University lives up to its responsibility to society.

Vision Statement

To be a statewide leader upholding Tribal sovereignty, challenging Indigenous erasure, and centering Indigenous voices. Our work is driven by nurturing lasting relationships with our Tribal partners while empowering students, faculty, and staff to collaborate with humility, creativity, and reciprocity.

Program Values

Working in joyful community to build a more just society is at the core of what we do. The New Jersey Center for Indigenous Justice plants seeds of recognition, equity, and justice by:

  • respecting the right for Indigenous communities to exist on their terms;
  • raising awareness about Indigenous sovereignty and actively addressing the erasure of Indigenous peoples;
  • designing transformative, immersive, and decolonized educational experiences;
  • engaging in ethical research informed by Indigenous research methods;
  • leveraging University resources (people, scholarship, facilities, funding) in support of Tribal initiatives;
  • respecting data sovereignty and the right of access to reliable data;
  • developing a centralized digital space housing knowledge created by and for Indigenous communities; and
  • continuing to build institutional capacity for supporting Tribal priorities into the future.