News For All Americans
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A tribal COVID-19 checkpoint on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 (Photo: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe).
A new report finds the true number of Indigenous deaths from COVID-19 may never be known
There’s growing pressure in Canada for the Catholic Church to take responsibility for abuses and deaths in former residential schools
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The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde are using an $800-thousand EPA grant to begin restoring the Willamette Falls (Photo: M.O. Stevens via Wikimedia C/C)
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Washington State’s governor signed a bill to create a statue to honor Billy Frank, Jr. (Photo: Ecotrust via Flickr/CC)
The governor of Washington signs a bill to place a statue of activist Billy Frank Jr. in the U.S. Capitol
A museum in Germany dedicated to author Karl May agrees to return Native American human remains to the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa
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The Octagon Mounds on the golf course in Newark, Ohio. A legal battle over control of the mounds is heading to the Ohio Supreme Court (Photo: s c via Flickr/CC)
A bill to reverse a land swap in Arizona to develop a copper mine gets a hearing in Congress
The battle over control over mounds is headed to the Ohio Supreme Court
Indigenous activists are criticizing Boston Marathon organizers for scheduling the event on Indigenous People’s Day
By Antonia Gonzales
On her first day on the job, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland promised to specifically reach out to tribes.
“I think speaking to tribes and fully involving them in decisions that we make will be one way to ensure that we’re getting everyone’s voice and everyone’s perspective at that table,” said Haaland. “So, I look forward to having a full list of issues that I know need to be worked on and I will look forward to that.”
Her comments came during an online video briefing with news outlets, including National Native News, that lasted a little more than 30 minutes. It was among her first acts after being sworn in as the first Native American presidential cabinet member. Haaland opened with remarks touching on a number of issues ranging from the environment and sacred sites to the COVID-19 pandemic. She talked about the disproportionate impacts COVID-19 has had on tribes, and President Biden’s American Rescue Plan investing $900 million in the Bureau of Indian Affairs and $850 million in the Bureau of Indian Education. As the new leader of the agency that manages public lands and tasked with upholding treaty and trust responsibilities, Haaland said she will take tribal consultation seriously, including when it comes to complicated issues such as federal acknowledgement re-petitioning and land into trust.
Haaland’s decision to hold her first press briefing with Indigenous reporters drew praise.
Graham Lee Brewer (Photo: by Antonia Gonzales)
“The nature of her reaching out to tribal media first and recognizing the Indigenous reporters are on the ground and know these issues better than any other journalists working in the country speaks to one of (the Native American Journalists Association’s) main goals ,” said Graham Lee Brewer, associate editor for Indigenous affairs at High Country News. Brewer is also secretary of the NAJA board.
“Sec. Haaland proved today by giving us access before any other reporters is that, that kind of diversity in the newsroom adds value. It gives you greater lived experiences and greater access to Indian Country,” Brewer said.
Brewer said he hopes Haaland will continue to give access to tribal media.
10 members of the Native American Journalists Association were presented the opportunity to have a“pen and pad” briefing with Sec. Haaland. In attendance-National Native News, Indianz.com, Indian Country Today, Navajo Times, Mvskoke Media, FNX-First Nations Experience, High Country News, Arizona Republic, Tulsa World, CBC Indigenous
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Eugene School District NATIVES program master carver Vic Hansen (left) and assistant master carver Lawrence Headly install a totem at a Eugene high school. (Photo: by Brian Bull)
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The statue of Junipero Serra in Sacremento before it was toppled by protesters. Legislation by a Native California legislator proposes erecting a monument to the state’s tribes at the same location (Photo: Nathan Hughes Hamilton via Flickr/CC)
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Events all over the U.S. and Canada honored missing and murdered Indigenous women on February 14 (Photo: a previous MMIW memorial march in Vancouver, CA, courtesy February 14 Women’s Memorial March DTES Vancouver Facebook page).
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Federal funds are helping Oregon tribes establish broadband systems (Photo: by High Contrast via Wikimedia Commons)
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Construction of the Keystone XL pipeline in Canada. President Joe Biden revoked the pipeline permit on his first day in office (Photo: the Government of Alberta).
