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Native leaders are reacting to President Joe Biden pulling out of the 2024 race for president.
President Biden announced his decision Sunday, as Vice President Kamala Harris runs for president.
Native leaders say President Biden has had a long history supporting Native issues since his time serving as vice president to President Barack Obama.
Native leaders say President Biden has invested in many Native issues including, earlier this year, Indigenous communities’ access to emerging climate issues and protecting sacred sites.
Native leaders say most noteworthy is his pick of Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) as the Secretary of the Interior.
After news spread of President Biden dropping out, Alaska Native leaders were quick to react.
Rosita Worl (Tlingit) is the president of Sealaska Heritage Institute.
She says that amongst all presidents, President Biden is the most supportive of Indigenous people.
“But I think a lot of people also don’t know that he was also an excellent president for Native Americans. And, you know, he’s appointed more Native Americans than any other President.”
President Joe Biden delivers remarks and signs the Grand Canyon Proclamation Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at the Grand Canyon Airport Historic District in Arizona. (Official White House Photo by Oliver Contreras)
When asked what the future of Indigenous people would be like if Vice President Kamala Harris was to win the presidential election, Worl believes support would continue to be strong, if not stronger.
“I think with President Kamala Harris, that we’re going to see not only continued support, but probably expanded support. I always say, that having a woman in a decision-making position makes a difference. Because I think first of all, we think like mothers, and we care about our communities, we care about our children. I think she has a record already of working with diversity, underprivileged communities. I know I have no doubt in my mind that she would continue that kind of support that we see under President Biden.”
Worl had strong opinions on what would happen if former President Donald Trump were to win this year’s election.
“I guess I have to be very frank, that I don’t think that a man that has such a record with women. Sexual abuser, the crimes he’s committed, I just cannot understand how people support him. I just don’t understand it. I think, it would be very unfortunate to have him in office again. Native leaders will be among those attending the Democratic National Convention in August where the party’s nominee will be picked.”
Eastern Shoshone bison manager Jason Baldes at the tribe’s bison pasture just west of Morton, Wyo. (Photo: Hannah Habermann / Wyoming Public Media)
An Eastern Shoshone tribal member has received a Wayfinder Award from National Geographic for his work to restore bison to Indigenous lands.
Wyoming Public Radio’s Hannah Habermann has more.
The National Geographic Wayfinder Award recognizes people who are pushing the boundaries in science, conservation, education, technology, and storytelling – and Jason Baldes fits the bill.
He’s the buffalo manager for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and has helped bring more than 100 bison back to the Wind River Reservation in the last ten years.
Baldes says pushing boundaries in his work looks like creating a paradigm shift – where bison are recognized as wildlife, not livestock.
“They’re ecosystem engineers, they are keystone species. They store carbon, they increase plant and animal biodiversity. All of those are reasons enough to recognize this animal and its importance on the landscape, but we have a tendency to treat them like cattle.”
For Baldes, that shift means taking down fences and restoring migration corridors and wildlife habitat.
The National Geographic award comes with $50,000 and the opportunity to apply for more funding in the future.
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