Native America
The New Mexico Voting Rights Act: What’s in and what’s out
A sprawling proposal to expand and return the right to vote to more New Mexicans could finally become a reality this session after years of legislative and community effort, according to Democratic leaders, pro-democracy organizers and the state’s top election official. In the short 30-day session in 2022, opponents argued they were not given enough […]
Navajo Nation Council sets historic leadership
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Evolution is happening within the Navajo Nation government. Historically, many leadership positions, including Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council have been held by men. Crystalyne Curley is changing that path. On Monday, the Navajo Nation 25th Council voted to make Curley the first woman to hold the speaker position in the […]
The Navajo Nation has lifted its mask mandate, fully reopening to the public
Almost three years after it was instituted to curb the spread of COVID-19, the Navajo Nation has lifted its mask mandate, making mask use optional in public spaces and businesses for the general public. By removing the mask mandate, the Navajo Nation is now considered fully reopened to the general public. “It’s time for the […]
Survivors and descendants of federal Indian boarding schools share experiences
Sitting on a chair in the middle of a crowded gym, Hopi woman Pershlie Ami talked softly into the microphone to share her experience about going to Phoenix Indian School when she was a kid. “I don’t speak my language, I don’t know my culture as well as I would like to, and that was […]
Native American education advocates in NM seek long-term funding for reform
Rep. Derrick Lente (D-Sandia Pueblo) received endorsements Monday for two bills intended to directly address the legacy of racism and disparity for Indigenous students in New Mexico’s schools. The bills would allocate millions in funding toward equitable education in the state, prioritizing tribal leadership and funding for tribal efforts to build culturally and linguistically relevant […]
Natives incarcerated at alarming rates, report shows
A new report released Tuesday shows that Native American people are incarcerated at rates up to seven times higher than White people in the United States. The report, “Over-incarceration of Native Americans: Roots, Inequities, and Solutions” was released through the MacArthur Foundation and highlights the alarming incarceration disparities can be based on race and ethnicity. […]
Public Regulation Commission stumbles into the new year
The state is accepting applications for a newly created council designed to advise the Public Regulation Commission on issues relevant to Native American communities in New Mexico. Applicants have until Jan. 23 to apply, and tribal enrollment is a requirement. The Tribal Advisory Council will consist of one representative from the eight northern Pueblos, one […]
Resolution calls on Congress to fully fund law enforcement on Montana reservations
A joint resolution heard in committee Tuesday seeks to press Congress and the federal government to fully fund public safety and law enforcement agencies, and services on tribal reservations in Montana as one tribe says its funding has barely increased in 25 years. In addition to pushing Congress for full funding, the resolution, SJ 5, […]
Tribal leaders stress education, water issues in first-of-its-kind address to Colorado lawmakers
Leaders of the two federally-recognized Native American tribes within Colorado’s borders used part of their first annual address to the state’s General Assembly to brief lawmakers on the long history of their relations with other governments — beginning with a treaty with the Spanish more than a century before the United States existed. “The Ute […]
Hobbs highlights Arizona’s Indigenous people, history during inauguration
Seeing Arizona Tribes spotlighted during Governor Katie Hobbs’s inauguration ceremony was refreshing for local tribal advocates, and it affirms Hobbs’s commitment to upholding relationships with tribal nations. “This is exactly the moment that we have been waiting for,” said Indivisible Tohono Co-Founder April Ignacio of Hobbs becoming governor. “It’s not overwhelming. It’s a fresh breath […]
Montana state senator calls for federal investigation into reservation alternatives
A draft joint resolution from Montana state senator Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, aims to push Congress to investigate “alternatives” to American Indian reservations, arguing they have “failed to positively enhance the lives and well-being of most of the Indians or the other citizens of the State of Montana.” “Is there a better way of supplying for […]
Nevada college tuition waiver program for Native Americans is off to a promising start
Brian Melendez can trace his family history back to an encampment on the land where the Reynolds School of Journalism now stands, before they were forcibly removed to make room for the old Mackey Stadium. “Not too long ago, my great-great-grandmother gave birth where the University of Nevada, Reno football statue is currently located. That […]