Author

Mark Trahant, ICT

Mark Trahant, ICT

Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock) is editor-at-large for Indian Country Today. Trahant is based in Phoenix. The Indigenous Economics Project is funded with a major grant from the Bay and Paul Foundations.

COMMENTARY

Memories that start with a pickup truck

By: - March 9, 2023

I am flooded today with memories of Peterson Zah. The first time I met him was when I was covering the 1982 Navajo Nation election between Zah and Peter MacDonald Sr. One of the stories he told – and I used high up in the story – is now legend. If elected, he promised to […]

A woman works on a computer in her home office as her elementary age daughter sits on the floor and colors.

Work from home? Native Americans are left behind

By: - October 28, 2022

Let’s start with an important question: What would the economy look like for tribal nations if every citizen could work at home? The idea of remote work – something that boomed during the pandemic – could be a vehicle to end the “out migration” from rural tribal communities and create new opportunities. Now hold that […]

At the Crossroads: State of the Economy in Indian Country

By: - April 5, 2022

Study after study reaches the same conclusion: Tribes are often the largest drivers of regional and rural economies. In Oklahoma, a new report said tribes and tribal enterprises added $15.6 billion in direct contributions in 2019 to the state’s economy. In addition, many more billions were spent by suppliers and those developing products for the tribes. […]