First Indigenous Astronaut John B. Herrington Speaks at Toronto Conference Featuring Social Media Leaders

Toronto, ON July 22, 2009: A very special evening program with our First Indigenous Astronaut, Commander John Herrington takes place on Friday, July 31st at 7:00 PM at the Hilton Toronto without charge. John, an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, was chosen by NASA as an astronaut candidate in 1996 and flew his first space mission in 2002.

To honor his Indigenous heritage John carried an Eagle Feather and a Chickasaw Nation flag on his eleven-day journey in space. These items are now on display at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.

John is a life member of the Association of Naval Aviation, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a Sequoyah Fellow of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. John has dedicated his life to encouraging Indigenous young people in achieving greatness in science, mathematics, and their cultural richness.


This special evening program is part of the global PATHWAYS conference that focuses on “Uniting and Empowering Indigenous Peoples through Digital Technologies.” This special evening program is being shared by the Four Worlds International Institute with the Aboriginal Community. No reservation is required and admission to this event is free.

The conference will take place at the Hilton Toronto (145 Richmond Street West at University Avenue) Friday, July 31st and Saturday, August 1st. To register for the event visit http://www.fwii.net/ or call1 866 505-1456 or email events@fwii.net

Register now as space is limited to 120 participants. The two-day program costs $115.00 Canadian or $100.00 US.