Turning Points Magazine

Starting out as an idea that has blossomed into a thriving college magazine publication, Turning Points: A Guide to Native Student Success is a tangible guide for Arizona State University’s Indigenous college students that helps to ensure their success in higher education.

The inception of Turning Points originated from the ideas of Drs Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy (Lumbee) and Amanda R. Tachine (Diné) who connected with more than 1,100 Native American students at ASU in 2016 to discuss their college experiences. A common narrative that was heard among students were feelings of loneliness, invisibility, disconnection from other Indigenous students, and not knowing how to navigate ASU’s sprawling campus or how to access resources available to them.

Turning Points strives to reinforce within Indigenous students that they belong in this institution. The magazine not only highlights campus resources and student stories-- the words within its 28 pages also aims to reaffirm to students that they are not alone in their unique journeys. “Written by and for Native college students” defines the aspirations of this first-of-its-kind college publication in the United States. From the graphic design to the writing, Indigenous students are leading this unique publication and reclaiming the narratives about the Indigenous experience.

Turning Points Magazine publishes once per semester and is distributed to Arizona State University’s self-identified Native students and faculty, as well as tribal leadership across the country.