About
Wiháŋble S’a Center for Indigenous AI at Bard College conducts interdisciplinary research that merges Indigenous Knowledge with artificial intelligence technologies and is led by Dr. Suzanne Kite, PhD.
The Center is both a National Endowment for the Humanities artificial intelligence research center and a pod with the Abundant Intelligences research program. Abundant Intelligences operates through locally rooted pods that bring diverse Indigenous Knowledge systems through knowledge holders, cultural practitioners, language keepers, educational institutions, and community vitalization organizations together with physical scientists, engineers, artists, designers, social scientists, and humanists. Wíhaŋble S’a Center collaborates with community partners Racing Magpie in Rapid City, South Dakota, and Forge Project in Taghkanic, New York.
Our Mission
Our mission is to 1. establish a hub where Indigenous protocols significantly inform and shape the ethical development of AI systems, 2. explore and craft ethical, legal, and societal frameworks for AI, deeply anchored in Indigenous knowledge and practices, 3. create Indigenous-based guidelines for AI technology, offering a new model for AI development rooted in ethical consideration, and 4. foster continuous interaction and collaboration between Indigenous scholars and AI researchers, diversifying future AI research.
Learn more about the Center’s research network:
Learn more about the Center’s research network:
Team
Core Team
Suzanne Kite, PhD
Director
Rebecca Cosenza
Center and Studio Manager
Mahmoud El Safadi
Coordinator
Alea Kahelelani Mahone
Community Liaison
Olivia Ines Ragazzi
Studio Assistant
João Ferreira
Research Assistant, Technical
Past Members
Corey Stover
Mauro Tosarelli
Steering Committee
Jason Edward Lewis
Adviser
Karim Jerbi
Adviser
Adam Haar Horowitz
Researcher
Clementine Bordeaux
Researcher
Corey Stover
Researcher
Antoine Bellamare
Abundant Intelligences Post Doctoral Fellow
Community Partners
Forge Project
Racing Magpie Gallery
Collaborators
Laura Harjo
Olivia Camfield
Sadie Red Wing
Scott Benesiinaabandan
Sean Hellfritsch
What we do
- Artmaking and Research Creation
- Public Communications of the Research Through Artworks
- Develop AI Tools Collaborating with Humans
- Publishing on Indigenous Research and Creation Methodologies
Events
Wíhanble S’a Center’s Spring Open House
March 2, 2026, from 4–7 PM, at the Massena Campus on Monday
Wíhanble S’a Center’s Spring Open House at the Massena Campus is a bi-yearly event for all of our Bard community that brings together collaborations with nonhuman beings through hide work, shared meals, and conversation on the land. We are an American Indian-led research center grounded in Lakota knowledge systems, where learning happens through practice, relation, and responsibility. These practices form the root of our approach to developing ethical AI tools, grounding technological research in land-based knowledge, reciprocity, and care. Our Open House supports our college community by providing structured student training and a site for faculty engagement with Wíhanble S’a Center’s ongoing research initiatives.
During the Open House, guests are welcome to join us for:
Add to Calendar
We hope you will join us on the land for an afternoon of shared practice, learning, and exchange.
March 2, 2026, from 4–7 PM, at the Massena Campus on Monday
Wíhanble S’a Center’s Spring Open House at the Massena Campus is a bi-yearly event for all of our Bard community that brings together collaborations with nonhuman beings through hide work, shared meals, and conversation on the land. We are an American Indian-led research center grounded in Lakota knowledge systems, where learning happens through practice, relation, and responsibility. These practices form the root of our approach to developing ethical AI tools, grounding technological research in land-based knowledge, reciprocity, and care. Our Open House supports our college community by providing structured student training and a site for faculty engagement with Wíhanble S’a Center’s ongoing research initiatives.
During the Open House, guests are welcome to join us for:
- A seasonal shared meal
- Hide tanning and land-based practices
- A presentation on Wíhanble S’a Center’s latest research projects
- Conversation around Indigenous ethics and technology
- Lakota hand games!
Add to Calendar
We hope you will join us on the land for an afternoon of shared practice, learning, and exchange.
Counterpublic
Acknowledgment + Resources
Land Acknowledgment + Resources
Wíhaŋble S’a Center occupies the ancestral homelands of the Munsee and Muhheaconneok people, and our staff uphold ourselves to the values expressed in Bard’s Land Acknowledgment. Use the resources linked below to learn more.
Slavery Acknowledgment + Resources
Bard College acknowledges that its origins are intertwined with slavery, which has shaped the United States and American institutions from the beginning. Use the resources linked below to learn more.
Wíhaŋble S’a Center occupies the ancestral homelands of the Munsee and Muhheaconneok people, and our staff uphold ourselves to the values expressed in Bard’s Land Acknowledgment. Use the resources linked below to learn more.
Slavery Acknowledgment + Resources
Bard College acknowledges that its origins are intertwined with slavery, which has shaped the United States and American institutions from the beginning. Use the resources linked below to learn more.
Location
The Wíhaŋble S’a Center is based at Bard College's Massena Campus in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.
Upcoming Event
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10/15ThursdayVarious Campus Locations