Wednesday, January 15, 2025

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On Tuesday, President Joe Biden designated the Chuckwalla National Monument in California, located near Joshua Tree National Park.

The area holds spiritual, historic, and cultural significance to tribes.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) joined President Biden for the signing ceremony at the White House, which was streamed online.

In remarks, she talked about the importance of the administration working with tribes.

“When President Biden and I first stepped into these roles we understood fundamentally that tribes must be at the forefront of our efforts to conserve lands and waters we all depend on. Today I’m grateful for President Biden’s leadership, I’m grateful he has listened to tribes and local communities across the country and has committed our administration to conserving the places that are core to our identities and to our shared experiences.”

Biden also designed the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in northern California.

“This area is also sacred to many tribal nations who were violently forced to leave their homes. You know, they held ceremonies here, they found sources of reverence and healing here and they’re preserving lands fundamental to who they are and their way of life. Folks, it’s important.”

Together, the monuments will protect 848,000 acres of lands.

A signing ceremony was planned last week in California, but was postponed due to high winds.

Tribal leaders have also been advocating for a third national monument in California to be designated before the end of Biden’s term on January 20.

Women will hold the majority in the 2025 New Mexico Legislature, with more than 50%, after additional women were elected in November.

Among them is Angel Charley.

“What’s new is that we’re a majority female legislature now and I think what that means is we’re gonna be more responsive to family issues, community-based issues because of the experience that all of us as legislators are bringing. And I’m just looking forward to working on solutions that really impact people and families.”

Charley is Laguna, Zuni, and Navajo.

The Democrat will serve in the Senate for District 30, which includes a handful of tribal nations in the state.

She’s a long-time advocate for women and children, including being the former executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women.

Her role as a state lawmaker will also include issues involving public safety and addressing violence against women.

“We know in our community is what actually is gonna work. And so previously when I worked at the coalition, we were a part of a cohort that passed the Indian Family Protection Act. And in that were solutions straight from our community, from people experiencing barriers directly, and creating law policy that addresses those. So I see that as the same thing, you know, in this new role that I’m gonna have is when we center the people who are most impacted by law, policy, and systems, we are all better, our systems are stronger for it.”

Charley is now the executive director of Illuminative, a national group working to uplift the voices and representation of Native people throughout the country.

The New Mexico legislative session begins next week.

Five Native young people have been chosen to represent their communities on the national stage by the Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute.

The Champions for Change class of 2025 represent Native nations from across the country, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Their areas of focus include improving Indigenous health systems, environmental rights, cultural representation, and art and literacy.

The program was launched in 2013 to highlight positive stories of impact from Indian Country.

Each year, five young people, ages 14-24, are selected.

The new class joins more than 50 active alumni.

2025 Champions for Change:

Joshua Ching (Native Hawaiian), 20, of Hawaii, studying Political Science and Ethnicity, Race, & Migration at Yale University

Maiyuraq Jones (Native Village of Unalakleet), 20 of Alaska, studying Environmental Science at Western Washington University

Katie Lynch (Citizen Potawatomi Nation), 23, of Michigan, PhD student of Health Infrastructures & Learning Systems at the University of Michigan Medical School

Lily Painter (Kiowa/Winnebago), 23, of Oklahoma, artist and storyteller, working towards her bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma

Lourdes Pereira (Hia-Ced O’odham/Tohono O’odham), 24, of Arizona, Arizona State University gradudate, working for her tribe and the Administration for Native Americans

 

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