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Long before World War II, the U.S. forced Native Americans onto reservations. After the Pearl Harbor bombing in 1941, the U.S. forced Japanese Americans into camps. In Arizona, the federal government once again looked to Indian reservations. In part two of his series on World War II internment camps in Arizona, KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. None of the eight other internment camps in the U.S. were on tribal lands, so why here in Arizona? UCLA anthropology professor Koji Lau-Ozawa has an answer. “John Collier, who was the commissioner of Indian Affairs at the time, advocated for all of the camps to be put on reservation lands. He thought that the Office of Indian Affairs was well suited to this task of managing these confined racialized populations.” The “Indian New Deal”, as FDR called it, was part of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and tried making amends for past treatment by investing in tribal infrastructure. That was, until the war effort began. “Funds were starting to dry up. This presented an opportunity.” An opportunity to turn Japanese Americans into a source of prison labor to develop tribal resources, as shown by a 1943 propaganda film narrated by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower's brother, Milton, about an internment camp in western Arizona. Brian Niiya says the U.S. embraced a stereotype. “Japanese Americans, with their supposed expertise and farming and agriculture, could help build up the land that would allow for the Native Americans to benefit from – without the consent of the tribes themselves, of course.” Niiya is editor of Densho Encyclopedia, which chronicles the camps' history. Without much legal representation or political clout at that time, the Gila River Indian Community and Colorado River Indian Tribes both tried fighting camp construction, but failed. “Through the Office of Indian Affairs, I think there was just a thought that we could bulldoze our way through.” Once again, today's federal government is butting up against tribal land. The Trump administration's “Alligator Alcatraz” is being built near the Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park. “We're right in the middle of it. We have members that live within 500 feet of the detention center. You know, it's not like this distant thing that it is for a lot of Floridians in Naples or Miami.” Talbert Cypress is chairman of the 600-member Miccosukee Tribe, which brought Alligator Alcatraz to a halt. “We don't go to war anymore with the tomahawk or anything like that. You know, we go to courtrooms now, and we go to meetings with politicians.” (Photo courtesy Maxpixel / Boise City Archives, John Hardy Family Collection, MS084) Children across the country are being raised by relatives or close family friends. The Mountain West News Bureau's Daniel Spaulding has more on a new report highlighting the challenges facing these kinship families, which are more common within Indigenous communities. According to the U.S. Government of Accountability Office (GAO), these households are more likely to experience poverty and mental health issues. Kinship families are common in Mountain West states with high Indigenous populations like New Mexico and Arizona. Kathy Larin at GAO says kin caregiving is an important part of tribal culture, but because many Indigenous caregivers are outside the formal foster care system, they often receive less financial support. “One of the biggest challenges that we heard across the board for grandparents and other relatives that are raising, you know, their relative children is just the financial burden of it.” Larin says states could adopt standards and programs designed to better support kinship families. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling https://www.nativeamericacalling.com/wednesday-december-24-2025-2025-in-native-books/
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California
Stacie Hueter delivers the news on the redacted Epstein Files being released, the United States intercepting a second oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, and the federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe under the Bureau of Indian Affairs on 12/21/2025.
It's official — with the swipe of President Donald Trump's pen, North Carolina’s Lumbee Tribe is now the 575th federally recognized tribe. Correspondent Matt Laslo has the story from Washington. Dozens of members of the Lumbee Tribe traveled from North Carolina to Washington to be a part of history this week. Tears were heard in the gallery after the U.S. Senate approved the measure granting the Lumbee federal recognition Wednesday. And after President Trump signed it into law Thursday, Lumbee Chairman John Lowery could barely contain his joy. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning, and our joy is here. It's here. We finally achieved what our ancestors fought so long and so hard to achieve.” There are roughly 60,000 members of the Lumbee, making it the largest Native American tribe east of the Mississippi River. North Carolina officials recognized the tribe after the Civil War in 1885, but not federal officials. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has helped lead the fight in the Senate in recent years. “Yeah, we’re a little bit excited after 137 years, on their part, about 40 years on Senate members part, it’s good to see it get done.” Tillis is retiring at the end of his term next year, but he says the decade-long battle for federal recognition for the Lumbee shows Washington isn't totally broken — even if the tribe and North Carolina lawmakers fought an uphill battle for years now. “A lot of educating and just, you know, prioritize the way. This is the way this works, right? You come in, you use leverage, you have discussions, you build a case. I think that’s what happened. I really appreciate the delegation. This was a well-coordinated effort.” Back in 1956, Congress partially recognized the Lumbee, but that left the tribe locked out of federal health services. And it meant the tribe couldn't operate casinos or marijuana dispensaries like other tribes. Chairman Lowery says it's a new day for the Lumbee. “The 1956 act, which left us in legal limbo, is now erased. It is no more and we are now fully, fairly recognized.” The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians fought the federal recognition of the Lumbee, which passed as a part of an annual $900 billion defense authorization bill. The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Kansas issued a statement this week to its tribal members about a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contract after the deal was met with public scrutiny. In a video statement, Chairman Joseph Rupnick said the Nation and its subsidiaries have fully divested from the ICE contract. “As a result, Prairie Band, LLC is no longer a direct or indirect owner or participant in, or otherwise affiliated with, any ICE-related projects, contracts, or operations. In our next General Council meeting in January, Tribal Council plans to further address the steps we will take to ensure that our Nation's economic interests do not come into conflict with our values in the future.” Tribal citizens from across the U.S. have raised concerns about ICE and the Trump administration's immigration policies. Native people have also reported being confronted by ICE, including actress Elaine Miles, who has been sharing her story with media outlets about her run-in with ICE agents in November. (Courtesy Elaine Miles) U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, U.S Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and 10 of their Senate colleagues recently sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about reports of ICE encounters with tribal citizens. They are urging her to develop policy and trainings to recognize tribal IDs and requested a response by January 11. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling https://www.nativeamericacalling.com/friday-december-19-2025-native-music-in-2025/
A Tucson, Ariz. resident is facing federal charges for allegedly excavating and trafficking archeological resources from the Gila River Indian Community. The U.S. Attorney's Office says 46-year-old Leo Reynoso stands accused of violating the Archeological Resources Protection Act. Prosecutors said Reynoso allegedly removed several artifacts from the community without authorization. This included jewelry, Indian Trader tokens, crucifixes, and buttons from archeological sites on tribal land. He also stands accused of selling these items without a permit. The archeological value of the items is estimated at $29,000, while the cost of repairing the archeological sites is estimated at $23,000. If convicted, Reynoso faces a $20,000 fine and could get up to two years in prison. U.S. soldiers at a burial for some of those who were killed at Wounded Knee, S.D. on January 1, 1891. December 29 will mark 130 years since the Wounded Knee Massacre. In part two of his story, KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio shares some Native reactions to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's assertion that the soldiers who took part in the violent and tragic incident deserved their Medals of Honor. David Martinez (Akimel O'odham) is founder and director of ASU's Institute for Transborder Indigenous Nations. “Wherever you see America invading, sending troops, trying to intimidate – all that comes from America's original attitude towards the so-called frontier, which was regarded as wild, which was regarded as dangerous, which was regarded as full of savages.” From the Utes across modern-day Utah and Colorado to the Apaches in Arizona and New Mexico, the Army fought over a dozen conflicts predating federal recognition of tribal governments. “There's not a tribe anywhere in North America that did not experience deep, historic trauma.” Even the Bureau of Indian Affairs emerged in 1824 from within the original War Department. Two centuries later, Martinez suggests it's fitting that President Donald Trump has restored the agency's old moniker. “Well, for me, the Department of War is the true name, because, from my point of view as an Indigenous person, the objective in America's conquest of Indian Country was to make Indian Country like America. It did so at the expense of Indian land and people. And so the reservation system that we see around us today, which includes my people, Akimel O'odham, is a product of war.” Lakota attorney Chase Iron Eyes calls the reservations prison camps. “There are those of us who never perceived an end of war. If you look at what the reservation system is, it's not peace, prosperity, and privilege for Native people; it's a little open-air prison camp.” For Iron Eyes, who runs the Lakota People's Law Project, Wounded Knee is deeply personal. “As the great-great grandson of people who were killed at Wounded Knee, nobody in their right mind takes pride in the slaughtering of non-combatants – women and children.” Marlis Afraid of Hawk grew up hearing horror stories from her grandfather, Richard, who was only 13 when he survived Wounded Knee. The 68-year-old Oglala Lakota elder insists Sec. Hegseth is wrong. “He's in denial, look it up. But he's not going to.” Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Friday, December 12, 2025 — Persistence pays off for tribes working to remove disturbing public monuments
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) addresses the National Congress of American Indians on November 21, 2025. Schatz serves as vice chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs for the 119th Congress. He delivered a video message at NCAI's 82nd annual convention in Seattle, Washington.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) addresses the National Congress of American Indians on November 21, 2025. Murkowski serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs for the 119th Congress. She delivered a video message at NCAI's 82nd annual convention in Seattle, Washington.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) addresses the National Congress of American Indians on November 21, 2025. Mullin, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is the only Native American in the U.S. Senate. He serves on the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Mullin delivered a video message at NCAI's 82nd annual convention in Seattle, Washington.
16-year-old White Mountain Apache teen Challistia Colelay was reported missing on October 16, 2025 and later found deceased near Whitewater, Arizona, on November 3. At the time of recording, authorities had not reported any arrests. Since then, the family has stated that a teen suspect is now in custody, though the Bureau of Indian Affairs has not publicly confirmed the arrest. Who is responsible and why are families still left waiting for the truth?Sources:https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/challistia-colelay-arrest-made-white-mountain-apache-girls-death.amphttps://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-breaking/2025/11/14/remains-teen-challistia-tia-colelay-found-whiteriver-arizona/87229219007/https://www.azfamily.com/2025/11/14/feds-offer-5k-reward-after-teen-girl-found-dead-eastern-arizona/?outputType=ampSupport the show
In this episode of Highest Aspirations, Sandra Medrano-Arroyo speaks with Georgina Owen, Indian Education Coordinator at the Colorado Department of Education, about advancing authentic and equitable education for Native American students. Georgina shares how collaboration with tribal nations has shaped Colorado's culturally grounded curriculum, strengthened trust, and ensured that Indigenous voices guide classroom instruction. Listeners will learn about innovative initiatives supporting Indigenous language and culture, efforts to refine identification processes under Title III, and strategies for sustaining meaningful partnerships between schools and tribal communities.Key questions we address:How can state education systems authentically collaborate with tribal nations to create accurate, culturally grounded curriculum?What challenges and opportunities exist in identifying and supporting Indigenous students under federal education policy?What systemic steps can strengthen culturally relevant instruction and ensure Indigenous voices remain central in education?For additional episode and community resources:Download the transcript here.Information on Colorado's American Indian EducationResources from History ColoradoRegister for IMPACT 2025! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Community BriefFor additional free resources geared toward supporting English learners, visit our blog.Georgina Owen has worked at the state level as an English Language Development (ELD) Specialist and Indian Education Coordinator for more than 11 years. Prior to that, she served as a Title III Coordinator and Exceptional Student Services Specialist for the San Juan BOCES, an adjunct professor at Colorado Christian University, a Title I Reading Specialist, and an elementary teacher. She holds a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership with a principal license from the University of Northern Colorado.Currently, Georgina serves as the Indian Education Coordinator at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). In this role, she manages Title VI, a federal program that supports the academic, cultural, and linguistic needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students. She facilitated the first government-to-government agreement between the CDE and Colorado's federally recognized tribes, represents the CDE as an ex-officio member of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs, and has led the development of Nuu-Ciu Strong: Lessons About the Ute People of Colorado, among other educator resources. In addition, Georgina works with educators across Colorado to strengthen programming that supports Native American students.She has also served on the Colorado Commission to Study American Indian Logos in Schools, Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs Education Committee, the Southwest Native American Education Committee, the Urban Indian Education Committee, the Indian Education State Leaders Network, and the Western Educational Equity Assistance Center Indian Education Community of Practice.
WDAY First News anchors Lisa Budeau, Scott Engen and Lydia Blume break down your regional news and weather for Monday, November 3. InForum Minute is produced by Forum Communications and brought to you by reporters from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and WDAY TV. Visit https://www.inforum.com/subscribe to subscribe.
This week on the KPL Podcast, we welcome back author Vanessa Lillie to discuss her latest novel, The Bone Thief. This gripping mystery blends history, fiction, and cultural reckoning. In the pre-dawn hours at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives a disturbing call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. A Native teen girl vanished near the same site—and when law enforcement dismisses her family's fears, Syd is drawn into a chilling investigation that hits close to home. Vanessa Lillie Indigenous book recommendationTo the Moon and Back by Eliana RamageThe Whistler by Nick Medina
THE BONE THIEF brings us archeologist Syd Walker, a Cherokee woman working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs as she is called to investigate the bones of a young indigenous woman from centuries past – as well as investigating a missing teenager from the Narragansett tribe. Along the way, Syd attracts the attention of The Founders Society, a group of people with murky intentions who trace their lineage back to colonial times.
This week, I chat with Vanessa Lillie about her new thriller in her Syd Walker series, The Bone Thief! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the research she did to incorporate historic and contemporary elements, and the social structures that inspired the Founders Society.The Bone Thief SynopsisIn the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and law enforcement dismisses her family's fears.As Syd investigates both crimes, she's drawn into a world of privileged campers and their wealthy parents—most of them members of the Founders Society, an exclusive club whose members trace their lineage to the first colonists and claim ancestral rights to the land, despite fierce objections from the local tribal community. And it's not the first time something—or someone—has gone missing from the camp.The deeper Syd digs, the more she realizes these aren't isolated incidents. A pattern of disappearances stretches back generations, all leading to the Founders Society's doorstep. But exposing the truth means confronting not just the town's most powerful families, but also a legacy of violence that refuses to stay buried. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
This is the story of a three-year-old girl and the highest court in the land. The Supreme Court case Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl is a legal battle that has entangled a biological father, a heart-broken couple, and the tragic history of Native American children taken from their families. We originally released this story back in 2013, when that girl's fate was still in the balance of various legal decisions. We thought now was a good time to bring the story back, because the Act at the center of the story is still being questioned.When then-producer Tim Howard first read about this case, it struck him as a sad but seemingly straightforward custody dispute. But, as he started talking to lawyers and historians and the families involved in the case, it became clear that it was much more than that. Because Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl challenges parts of the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act, this case puts one little girl at the center of a storm of legal intricacies, Native American tribal culture, and heart-wrenching personal stakes.LATERAL CUTS:What Up Holmes?The GatekeeperEPISODE CREDITS:Reported by - Tim HowardProduced by - Tim HowardEPISODE CITATIONS (so many):Background and Reporting from a range of different perspectives"Couple forced to give up daughter"An introductory article by Allyson Bird, for the Charleston, SC Post and Courier"Supreme Court Takes on Indian Child Welfare Act in Baby Veronica Case" A report for Indian Country Today by Suzette Brewer, who has also written a two-part series on the case."Supreme Court hears Indian child custody case"Tulsa World article by Michael Overall which includes Dusten Brown's account of his break-up with Veronica's mother, and his understanding about his custodial rights. Plus photos of Dusten, Veronica, and Dusten's wife Robin in their Oklahoma home_._Randi Kaye's report for CNN on the background of the case, and interviews with Melanie and Matt Capobianco: "Video: Adoption custody battle for Veronica"Nina Totenberg's report for NPR: "Adoption Case Brings Rare Family Law Dispute To High Court"Reporting by NPR's Laura Sullivan and Amy Walters on current ICWA violations in South Dakota.Dr. Phil's coverage: "Adoption Controversy: Battle over Baby Veronica"Analysis and EditorialsOp-ed by Veronica's birth mom, Christy Maldonado, in the Washington Post: "Baby Veronica belongs with her adoptive parents"Colorlines report "The Cherokee Nation's Baby Girl Goes on Trial:"Americans remain dangerously uninformed about the basics of tribal sovereignty, and what it means for the relationship between the United States and Native tribes and nations.The Weekly Standard's Ethan Epstein argues that ICWA is "being used to tear [families] apart]: "Mistreating Native American Children"Andrew Cohen considers the trickier legal aspects of the case for the Atlantic in "Indian Affairs, Adoption, and Race: The Baby Veronica Case Comes to Washington:"A little girl is at the heart of a big case at the Supreme Court next week, a racially-tinged fight over Native American rights and state custody laws.Marcia Zug's breakdown of the case (Marica Zug is an associate professor of law at the University of South Carolina School of Law who she specializes in family and American Indian law) "Doing What's Best for the Tribe" for Slate:Two-year-old “Baby Veronica” was ripped from the only home she's known. The court made the right decision.Marcia Zug for the Michigan Law Review: "Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl: Two-and-a-Half WAys To Destroy Indian Law"From Walter Olson, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Constitutional Studies: "The Constitutional Flaws of the Indian Child Welfare Act"Rapid City Journal columnist David Rooks poses a set of tough questions about ICWA: "ROOKS: Questions unasked, unanswered"Editorial coverage from The New York Times:"A Wrenching Adoption Case""Adoptive Parents vs. Tribal Rights"Contemporary, Historic, and Legal Source MaterialsAdoptive Couple v. Baby Girl on the SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) BlogAudio from the oral arguments in the Supreme CourtOfficial website for ICWA (the federal Indian Child Welfare Act)1974 Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Indian Affairs "on problems that American Indian families face in raising their children and how these problems are affected by federal action or inaction." PDFThe National Indian Child Welfare AssociationThe First Nations Repatriation Institute, which works with and does advocacy for adopteesSignup for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org.Leadership support for Radiolab's science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
The Northern Cheyenne people made history this week. After meeting privately for several hours on Thursday, the Cheyenne Chiefs Council in an unprecedented action drafted a declaration calling for the use of traditional tribal law to remove many of the currently elected members of Tribal Council, along with several Staff, and ban them from ever serving again. Since those members had barricaded themselves inside the Littlewolf Capitol Building, the center of Cheyenne tribal government, along with an illegal Security Force, those Chiefs demanded the offices to be opened back up to the public, and the private Security members removed. The issue came to a head last week after a questionable meeting of the council, where members passed a resolution to urge removal of Cheyenne President Gene Small, in an action that was later disapproved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. President Small was pressured because he wants to see a forensic audit of some $90 million in federal ARPA and Covid funds. To explain exactly what happened, Robert McClean called into Voices of Montana on Friday September to talk with Tom Schultz and Taylor Brown on the statewide radio program. Robert McLean, Jr. is not Cheyenne, but a highly respected local community leader trusted by tribal members. McLean is a former Principal of Lame Deer Elementary School, former Superintendent at Wyola and St. Labre Schools, and more recently the Lay Advocate at Northern Cheyenne Tribal Court.
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Business Meeting to consider the Nomination of Mr. William Kirkland to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior Date: September 10, 2025 Time: 2:30 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Agenda: Nomination of the Mr. William Kirkland to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior Committee Notice: https://www.indian.senate.gov/hearings/oversight-hearing-entitled-unleashing-indian-energy-examining-federal-programs-at-the-u-s-department-of-energy/
Release Date: 09.10.2025 Hoporenkv Native American Podcast: “The Florida Indian Youth Program” Special Guest: Thelma McDermott (Muskogee Nation of Oklahoma) Employment & Training Intake Coordinator Florida Governor's Council on Indian Affairs, Inc. Episode Description: On this episode of the Hoporenkv Native American Podcast, we're joined by Thelma McDermott to discuss the vital role of the Florida Indian Youth Program. We'll delve into the program's mission to provide a free, two-week college preparatory experience for Native American, Native Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian students in Florida and Georgia. Thelma will highlight how the program, operated by the Florida Governor's Council on Indian Affairs, helps students explore educational and employment opportunities after high school. We'll talk about the benefits of career-focused academic enrichment, the exposure to new skills students might not otherwise encounter, and the positive impact on preparing young Native People for a bright future in their communities and beyond. Episode Resource Links: https://fgcia.org/florida-indian-youth-program
Johnson Hall, designed in 1763 by noted colonial architect Peter Harrison, was the grand estate of Sir William Johnson, the influential British Superintendent of Indian Affairs in New York. From this stately home, Johnson shaped alliances that helped keep many Indigenous nations aligned with the Crown during the struggle for American independence. Today, the Johnson Hall is preserved as a New York State Historic Site, offering a window into the complex relationships between empire, Native peoples, and the Revolution.Join Professor Robert Allison in conversation with Ian Mumpton, Interpretive Programs Assistant at Johnson Hall, as they explore Johnson's legacy, the role of diplomacy and cultural exchange on the frontier, and how this landmark continues to tell stories of power, conflict, and negotiation on the eve of the Revolution. https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/johnsonhall/details.aspxTell us what you think! Send us a text message!
In this episode of Fostering Conversations, guest host Liz Rivera guides a powerful dialogue with Native leaders and advocates about the importance of culture, tradition, and belonging for Native children in foster care. You'll hear from: James Toledo (Utah Division of Indian Affairs) on how culture provides a foundation for resilience. Stephanie Benally (Native American Specialist, Utah Foster Care) on supporting Native children's traditions in foster homes. Craig Sandoval (Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake) on creating culturally responsive models for Native youth and families in urban Utah. Together, they reflect on the sacred role of clans, ceremonies, and language, as well as the ongoing significance of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in preserving tribal sovereignty and protecting children's cultural identity. Listeners will learn why everyday practices—from observing ceremonies to speaking Native languages—help children thrive, and how foster parents can honor and support these connections, even outside of tribal communities. Transcript: Liz: [00:00:00] On today’s episode, you’ll hear how cultural traditions give Native children strength and belonging, and why the Indian Child Welfare Act or ICWA is so critical , in protecting those connections for children in foster care. Welcome to Fostering Conversations. I’m your host, Liz Rivera, filling in for Amy Smith. We have a special episode for you today. We’re weaving together conversations with several native leaders and advocates here in Utah. Liz: Let’s begin with introductions in Navajo culture, introductions are not just about your name, they’re about where you come from, your clans, your language, and [00:01:00] lineage. First, we’ll hear from James Toledo from the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, followed by Stephanie Benally, the Native American specialist from Utah Foster Care, and finally, from Craig Sandoval from the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake. James: [Navajo Introduction] James Toledo James: and, and again. Thank you. I, I’m a member of the Navajo Nation and we introduce ourselves, sharing our clans. So as we probably will talk about this later in the program, our clans are a way to identify our family relationships, connections with others within our community. Stephanie: Hello. Thank you. I am a citizen of Navajo Nation. My clans are Red Streak people born for Bitter Water. My maternal grandfather is Mexican People clan, and my paternal grandfather is Red House. Thank you very much for the opportunity to participate on the podcast. Craig: Hello everybody, and wanted [00:02:00] to introduce myself and my native language. First [Navajo introduction]. Craig: So I introduced myself in my native Navajo language. Just wanted to reintroduce myself in English for all the non Navajo speakers. Good day to everybody. My name is Craig Sandoval, and I’m originally from New Mexico in a small community named Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico. So it’s [00:03:00] just west of Albuquerque, made about two hours. Craig: And my clans are Near the Water People. I’m born for the Mexican clan. My maternal grandparents are the Red Paint People, and my paternal grandparents are the Towering House People. And so that’s who I am, and that’s where I come from. And then now I’m here in Salt Lake working to provide a culturally responsive clinical model for our community here to bring the reservation teachings and bring them here into the valley so that there’s still a connection. I came to Utah about two years ago working with the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake. Liz: As Craig shares, , staying connected to traditions and language is essential for native children. Even here in urban areas of Utah where families may live far from their tribal homelands. James adds that culture, gives children a foundation to thrive. While [00:04:00] Stephanie reminds us how important it is for foster parents to support native traditions, sometimes through simple everyday practices. Craig: The Urban Indian center, the goal is to connect our community members and our families to. Our tradition and our heritage back home. And that includes providing dancers, providing teachings, providing a class to where they can feel home, they can feel at home.For me, it’s the language, making sure that I can continually speak my language. So with the Navajo language classes, it does bridge that. When we think about Utah Foster Care and our Native kids that are in foster care here in Utah, how do we continue to bring them to connecting with their tradition and culture? And that’s also our goal. Several months ago, the Navajo Nation did a resource fair and one of the division directors, Mr.Thomas, [00:05:00] Cody. Who worked very well with Utah Foster Care really emphasized that there should always be a connection to our Navajo language, to our Navajo culture, to our Navajo environment, to our Navajo values, even though we live in the urban area. Craig: That is absolutely true., And that’s how we’ll stay strong. And so during Mr. Cody’s speech, he asked those that have our children and Navajo, our children in their custody to reconnect in any way they can . That’s where the strength is there. And so we want to, as the Urban Indian Center, while we provide a lot of these events, demonstration classes on Navajo history, Navajo language, Navajo culture, Navajo dances, we want them to connect with our traditional ways in that way. Craig: And so that’s the goal what providing all [00:06:00] the classes that we do at the Urban Indian Center. Craig: It is very important to keep the culture whether something small as a bracelet, a necklace, that means a lot to a native child. growing up in a native home, there’s so many milestones and so many traditions that are celebrated. I wanna give a little bit of background on myself too, as well. I am Navajo, however, I do have heritage and lineage into the Hopi and San Domingos communities, and each one is very different. And I’m gonna give you a great example on this side. Craig: As Navajo, we are born into our mother’s clan. I believe that’s number one. When it comes to really being, I guess it’s a. Coming to the earth is that you’re given your first clan, you’re you. You hear your first clan and as a baby they tell you that your first clan is this. Your second clan is [00:07:00] this. And that’s the introduction to the land. Craig: That’s the introduction to the air, the waters, the clouds, the beings that are on earth. Your introduction. When I look into our Hopi side, we have a child is born and kept in a dark room until a certain number of days have come. They prepare, and within this preparation they do a hair washing and they wash the hair and say, you’re able to come to this land in this world. Craig: And then they go out early in the morning and they introduce the child to the sun And when this happens, they tell the child that, here’s the sun The sun will be with you throughout from day one to the day of your death. They’ll watch over you. They’ll look over you, and there’s that introduction to the sun. Craig: And those are some of the main milestones. And you have Santo Domingo who also wash your hair and receive into the world the [00:08:00] child. So those are your milestones. And when you look into Navajo specific, you then can go into, for example, everybody knows the first laugh You know when a child laughs it means that there is laughter in the world. Craig: There’s happiness in the world, and you might think about it as a child has no worries in the world, but that one laugh has given the world what we call, or what we would call happiness. That child brings that, and they want that happiness to continue within the family, within the world. Craig: And so those are some of the important milestones. And then you get to puberty, the milestones of the women going through the puberty ceremony cannot the the men going through the Sweat Lodge ceremony on that side. Craig: Those are milestones that you have. And then overall you have the weddings, and then you have other things that happen [00:09:00] and they’re all different. When our children go through these rites of passages, there’s other small ones in between, for example, piercing the ears. Craig: When we pierce our ears, it’s that now that the gods can hear us through that, we can hear them too as well. And so that happens at a young age, washing of the hair with different herbs so that we prevent sickness and illness and so that our bodies are strong. Craig: Being a parent of a native child and a foster care parent, these are questions that you can ask like, how can I support? And I know on the reservations there are families willing to guide. There are connections that say we can help with that because they wanna keep the child aligned. They wanna keep the child connected to the traditional ways of life. James: Culture sets a foundation really for any individual. I think looking at a [00:10:00] broader picture, we all were raised in certain cultures, whether that’s within a religious environment, whether that’s with our traditional teachings as indigenous peoples, or whether that’s just your own family traditions that we have. James: So when a child is raised with that culture intact, it sets them up with a strong foundation. So as they. Get older and they start navigating and, and experiencing life. What helps to give them some guidance as they are learning about how to be an adult and to different situations that you encounter. And because when we encounter difficult situations, you immediately go back to Those core teachings. So I think that’s the importance of culture in the context that I was using it, is trying to broaden that perspective to help listeners try to understand why Indigenous families want to maintain that cultural connection. Stephanie: So a lot of our native kids are being placed in non-native homes, and [00:11:00] providing that education for all foster parents is important. So they are aware of some do’s and don’ts, like for example. We had an eclipse and I shared the protocol what Navajos do for our foster families to ensure that the Navajo children followed what needed to be done during the eclipse. Stephanie: It’s just also providing that information, so if they’re caring for a Navajo infant, that they’re able to do a first laugh ceremony or get more information to be able to do that. I’ve had a foster parent reach out before and wanted to know what needed to get done and. Directed her to a Native Elder in the community who was able to help her with that. Stephanie: And so it’s just making sure that even though the Native kids are not in Native homes, they’re still being provided that cultural connection, even though it’s very limited. my hope is that sharing the cultural information, the foster parents will then share that with the Native children that are in their [00:12:00] home. Because it’s not just taking a child to a powwow or reading a book, but it’s the everyday living. Stephanie: It’s a discussion around the table. It’s going to an event with the family and seeing other people. Stephanie: One family was taking care of siblings from the Hopi tribe, and I was able to connect the family with resources so they would be able to go over the information with the children in their home. So hoping that will bring some connection while they’re placed in that non-native home. Liz: I think even the foster parents recognizing the importance of it. Liz: I mean, cutting over to what James said, I think the culture’s that it’s just like in our bones, it’s just how we live, and it’s so hard to. Apply that if it’s not really a part of you, but a foster parent who isn’t native, if they’re at least reaching out and they’re at least trying, that really does show that they honor where these children come from. Liz: In 1978, the Indian Child Welfare Act, known as ICWA [00:13:00] became law after decades of Native children being removed from their families and tribes at alarming rates. Here’s Stephanie and James explaining the history and purpose of ICWA and why it continues to matter here in Utah. Stephanie: Prior to 1978 and ICWA there was a 25 to 35% removal of Native children from their homes, and 85 to 90% of those children were placed in Non-native and non-relative homes. And so over that 10 year span, Congress studied the removal of Native children. Found that there was a need for the federal law based on the study and the testimonies from the families. Stephanie: The Indian Child Welfare Act is a federal law. It is the core of ICWA to recognize tribal sovereignty. It also recognizes the important roles that the tribes play, protecting the wellbeing of Native children. It also protects the children and parents’ constitutional rights. Stephanie: ICWA applies to children under the age of [00:14:00] 18. The child can either be a member of a federally recognized tribe or eligible for enrollment. Eligible for enrollment means that one of the birth parents is an enrolled member with a federally recognized tribe. Stephanie: Federally recognized tribe is a Native American or an Alaska native tribe entity that recognizes as having a government to government relationship with the United States. If the child is a part of a state tribe, they would not fall under the ICWA law. James: Well, as you know, with history of Native Americans, with our government, hasn’t been the best ’cause. James: You can go back to the boarding school era where children were forced to attend federally managed boarding schools. And the intent at that time was to destroy the culture, destroy the connection to culture, and so as kids were going through these various boarding schools, they were taught a different way of life and removed from their family and and [00:15:00] cultural settings. James: I mean, that’s a really brief summary. This could be an entire podcast series if we really wanted to dive into that history. But to go back to your point when it comes to the foster care system or why ICWA was created, as Stephanie had mentioned, there was a history of state child welfare agencies where Natives children were being forcefully taken from their families. James: In some instances, it was minor infractions. For whatever reason, these children were removed and placed into foster care. Some of them were put in through the adoption system. Hence, this was an ongoing challenge that many Native communities were experiencing and it, it caught the attention of Congress and there was a series of public hearings that Congress put on, and so this was an opportunity for those families to share their experiences and the challenges and obstacles that they were experiencing. James: Those testimonies are what led to the creation of ICWA ICWA [00:16:00] Was created to try to help to preserve that and to ensure that those cultural teachings would be able to be shared with future generations and to ensure that we as Indigenous people are still here. Liz: Almost two years ago, they tried to codify ICWA into state law and tell us a little bit about why they thought that was necessary. James: So Representative Watkins at the time was the lead sponsor of the state bill, and the reason this was being pushed forward by the tribes in Utah was because at the time there was a case that was going before the US Supreme Court. James: That was on ICWA So there was a potential that if the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in this case, then they would have overturned the law. And those protections that are part of that statute would have gone away. And so there was an effort at the state level to codify the spirit of the [00:17:00] law, so to speak, and make sure that is preserved care at the state of Utah. James: There was a lot of support for the bill. We went through several revisions. The tribes were heavily involved throughout that process, but unfortunately it still ran into resistant in the legislature. James: It did not pass. I think the tribes are talking about reintroducing the law again, presently, the Supreme Court has ruled and they basically upheld. James: I think there’s a desire to learn. It’s a complex issue, and as you talk with people, you’re going to have to approach that in unique ways because it is a complex topic and it’s not a one size fits all, or my perspective isn’t the be all perspective out there. And so I think as, um, people are curious, I would encourage people to read up more about the history behind the law, why it became a law. James: Also, if they have further questions, if they [00:18:00] have indigenous friends or connections to that way, then I think it would be appropriate to have those conversations or try to educate themselves as as best as they can, and maybe contacting Stephanie at a public event or. There are ways to continue to learn and try to understand the purpose of the law and why many indigenous communities are fighting to preserve this legislation. Liz: Does the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, do they ever get involved in foster care cases? James: Good question. So my office, we are not involved in the child welfare process at all. We do get phone calls from community members inquiring, but we refer those inquiries to, uh, DCFS. So within DCFS, there is a, ICWA coordinator who works directly on these matters in these cases, and so. James: We would refer them to contact DCFS to speak with that ICWA administrator who can guide them through the process. [00:19:00] We do try to give them as much information as we can. We do share resources, Utah Foster Care and other legal services generally that provide legal assistance or can answer some of those legal questions. Liz: Of course, even with protections in place, the realities aren’t always easy. Many families, even in Salt Lake, may not have the resources to be near or return to their ancestral homes in traditions. And though ICWA cases can be complex, the goal is always to place Native children with family first or in Native homes whenever possible. Stephanie: Any time there is reason to believe that there is a native child when the investigation is happening and someone says, I believe my grandmother is a Native American, even with that reason to believe they need to treat the. Stephanie: Case as an ICWA case, so DCFS notifications will then go out to the tribe and then it will be the tribe who will then to determine if the child is a member [00:20:00] or eligible for enrollment. While that’s taking place, the state will then try to find a native home for the native children. So under ICWA there is a foster placement preference, and it would be family first, and then it would be with, um, foster parent of the same tribe. And then the third one would be from a different tribe. And then the last placement would be to any open foster home that’s available. Craig: there’s Craig: multiple reservations in the United States. And one that is particularly for the Navajo reservation. . So the Navajo people were put on this land, on our homeland, and it goes back to the history of how we have our ancestral homeland. Craig: Where we emerged, we came to our mother earth, and the deities at that time said, this will be where you will live. This will be your homeland. So our ancestral homeland became the boundaries, became the four sacred mountains. So we have to keep that in [00:21:00] mind. Craig: Before lines were made by the US government, there was our ancestral homeland, and the boundaries were created with four sacred mountains and with two mountains in the middle that serve as our central location. ? So that’s our ancestral homeland. However, during the 1860s, we were removed from our land and put onto a different reservation in New Mexico. , We were released due to whatever political reasons that was, and a treaty was formed. And with that treaty, what a struck of a pin, we were given four diagonal lines and said, this is your reservation. And throughout the next couple of years. With new presidents coming in and out of office with executive orders, our reservation grew, but it still stayed inside our ancestral homeland boundaries, and I think we’re grateful for that. Craig: Yeah, other tribe have different experiences. Some [00:22:00] did stay on their ancestral land, some did leave their ancestral land and put onto reservations. However, as the Navajo people we’re very fortunate to have returned and the government really accept that we return to our ancestral lands, we’re very thankful for that, that we return to our ancestral lands. Craig: So when I say reservations, and when I say on our ancestral lands, it’s where we call home. The land that we call home. The land that times the Navajo names. For example, our four sacred mountain. Craig: When we hear that, we hear home. A lot of our urban community members here in Salt Lake don’t have the resources at times, the needs or even the transportation to go home. Because you look at it, the Navajo nation as the almost from eight to 10 hours away, depending on where you live, and maybe even more. Craig: And our community members do want to keep that [00:23:00] connection. And the Urban Indian Center understands that. And I understand it because I was raised on the reservation and I, I moved to an urban area to where I don’t have the connection. Liz: The good news is there are resources right here in Utah for Native children. The Urban Indian Center in Salt Lake City offers language classes, cultural events, and outreach to help children and families stay connected. Utah Foster Care also provides similar opportunities from cultural education to community events like the Indigenous Foster Care Fashion Show and the Moccasin Run-in White Mesa. Stephanie: As I mentioned before, there is a shortage of native foster homes. Stephanie: Being very present in the community is important. Being at the table when it comes to policy making, meeting with the tribes and making those connections with the community is important. Stephanie: So they are aware that there is a need that. If they’re not able to foster, then there’s other ways to support our Native kids through the Cedar Project or provide [00:24:00] support to our foster families. And again, it’s just coming up with unique ideas of recruitment. We collaborated with James’ office in Ute Mountain Ute years ago and have an Annual Moccasin Run that we hold in White Mesa, Utah every year to bring awareness. Stephanie: And just coming up with different types of events who bring the community together to make sure that our Native kids have that cultural connection. And that’s why it’s important to be considered a, a kinship placement or a foster placement. Craig: With families that don’t have that tie. First of all, you have resources in your state, and some of these resources are at the state level. Craig: I know Utah. Does have the eight tribes in Utah. However, there are also the urban areas. For example, one can start from the State Department of Indian Affairs, and then Indian Affairs can guide you to other resources in the areas such as the Urban Indian Center. The Urban Indian [00:25:00] Center can provide many of those resources to as well. Craig: They can provide, this is what this tribe is, what this other tribe is, and how they’re unique from one another. What the Urban Indian Center and how it’s unique too, is also that they have employees that are employed from different tribes, so the navigation there also can span out even more. Sure. But. Craig: Another area is that each of the tribes have their own program. The social services programs, the tribal historic preservation offices, those are areas to where they like to connect the vital records departments. They will connect their, and we ensure that the Native children are connected to their native heritage and their native ways. Craig: At the beginning when a family is navigating these, it might seem like a very scary thing to do, but overall, the community the Urban Indian Center, they’re [00:26:00] open to it. They’re open. Which way do we go? How do we navigate it? Craig: And if we don’t know anybody there, you know, that will help you navigate. There’s always somebody that they will connect you. So I would really let the families. That have native children in their care to always reach out, Stephanie Benally is a great resource and she’ll connect you with any resources that you may have. And they’re always open to whether non-native, whether non Navajo. But they still have a Navajo child in their home. We encourage them to bring the Navajo child, their child, our child, to our home, their Indian center, and learn from us too as well, so they understand the importance of our Navajo culture. Craig: We have our main location, which is on 120 West, 1300 South in Salt Lake City, hours from eight to five. Our phone number is (801) 486-4877. And we do have a [00:27:00] team there. So if you have a question. Reach out and you can ask for me, Craig Sandoval. Craig: Or you can ask for our outreach department, Rhonda Duval heads that department. Everybody knows Rhonda. . We know her as Honey, but she’s a great resource too as well. Feel free to reach out to us so we can make some of those connections for you and support you as a parent, support you as one of our family members too. Liz: These are all ways foster families can support Native youth in care. As we close, our guests reflect on the great work of families that foster Native children, keeping Indigenous people and culture strong, and underscore the urgent need for more native foster homes in Utah. Craig: Thank you for the Utah foster care. Thank you to your team and also thank you to. Foster parents out there taking a new child, a Navajo child can have its challenges. It’s a beautiful thing too, as well. Craig: And we wanna thank you. I personally wanna thank you. We wanna thank you [00:28:00] and always remember that the Urban Indian Center is a resource. You can come see us at any time. James: I just appreciate having this conversation. I think it’s good to help your listeners understand this complex law, and hopefully this conversation today will give some insight and encourage listeners to learn a little bit more about this history and to try to better understand why ICWA was created and why many Indigenous communities around the country are working very hard to preserve this federal legislation. Liz: We hope today’s episode has shed some light on ICWA and the importance of culture and connection for Native children in foster care. To learn more about Native services at Utah foster care, visit Utah foster care.org. You can also connect with the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake, or the Utah Division of Indian Affairs for resources and support. Liz: Thank you for joining us for Fostering Conversations. Together we can ensure every [00:29:00] child in Utah grows up connected to the rich heritage of their roots.
House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs Legislative Hearing on H.R. 681, H.R. 3654, H.R. 3903, H.R. 3925, H.R. 4463 Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | 2:00 PM On Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills: H.R.681, To amend the Act of August 9, 1955 (commonly known as the "Long-Term Leasing Act"), to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and for other purposes H.R.3654, “Tribal Emergency Response Resources Act”or the “TERRA Act” H.R.3903, “Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025” H.R.3925, “Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act” H.R.4463,, To amend the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Land Claims Settlement Act of 1993. Panel I (Members of Congress) The Honorable Nick Begich The Honorable Emily Randall The Honorable Jay Obernolte Panel II (Administration Witnesses) Mr. Bryan Mercier [H.R.681, H.R.3654, H.R.3925, and H.R.4463] Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. Mr. John Crockett [H.R.3903 and H.R.3925] Deputy Chief for State, Private, and Tribal Forestry U.S. Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C Panel III (Outside Experts) The Hon. Brian Harris [H.R.4463] Chief Catawba Nation Rock Hill, South Carolina The Hon. Cheryl Andrews-Maltais [Minority Witness] [H.R.681] Chairwoman Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) Aquinnah, Massachusetts Ms. Sheri Buretta [H.R.3903] Chairman of the Board Chugach Alaska Corporation Anchorage, Alaska The Hon. Quintin Swanson [Minority Witness] [H.R.3654] Chairman Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe Tokeland, Washington Mr. Joe Maarango [H.R.3925] Councilman Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Highland, California More on Indianz.Com: https://indianz.com/News/2025/09/08/witness-list-for-house-subcommittee-on-indian-and-insular-affairs-hearing-on-five-bills/
In this episode, Ma recounts a time when she and some family members hosted an “economic development” presentation at Indian Affairs.Resources used for this episode:Montreal MunicipalitiesHosted by - Kaniehtiio HornYou can follow us on TikTok and Instagram or check us out on our website at www.coffeewithmyma.com. Many nia:wen ko:wen's to our Sponsor, Moccasin Joe Coffee and to Canada Council for the Arts for making season 2 possible. Check out our lovely brand and website designer, Denita Gladeau. Her website is www.lushtre.com, and you can find her on her Instagram at @lushtre. And Many Nia:wen's to our photographer, Daniel Esteban, for our season 2 photoshoot. Check him out at www.danesteban.com.
Alaska Native villages seek to harness power of ocean for energy Kirkland one step closer to becoming head of Indian Affairs
House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Tuesday, July 22, 2025 | 2:00 PM On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 2:30 p.m., in room 1334 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold an oversight hearing titled “Examining the Trump Administration's Work Combatting Transnational Cartels in Indian Country.” Panel I (Administration Witnesses) Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director of Justice Services and Law Enforcement for Indian Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC Mr. Justin Garris Acting Section Chief Violent Crimes Unit Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington, DC Panel II (Outside Experts) Ms. Stacy Zinn Former Resident in Charge, Rocky Mountain Division Drug Enforcement Administration Billings, Montana The Hon. Frank White Clay Chairman Crow Tribe Billings, Montana Mr. Anthony Hillaire [Minority witness] Chairman Lummi Nation Bellingham, Washington Mr. Joshua Roberge Chief of Police Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Fort Belknap, Montana More on Indianz.Com: https://indianz.com/News/2025/07/22/house-subcommittee-on-oversight-and-investigations-holds-hearing-on-cartels-in-indian-country/
Regional Food Business Centers program cut by USDA this week Senate holds Kirkland hearing for Indian Affairs secretary nomination
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (Rescheduled) Nomination Hearing to consider Mr. William Kirkland to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior Date: July 17, 2025 Time: 2:45 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witnesses Panel 1 Mr. William Kirkland Nominee, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC Written Statement: https://indianz.com/News/2025/07/16/statement-william-billy-kirkland-nomination-hearing-as-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs/ Committee Notice: https://www.indian.senate.gov/hearings/nomination-hearing-to-consider-mr-william-kirkland-to-be-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs-within-the-department-of-the-interior/
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (Rescheduled) Nomination Hearing to consider Mr. William Kirkland to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior Date: July 17, 2025 Time: 2:45 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witnesses Panel 1 Mr. William Kirkland Nominee, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC Written Statement: https://indianz.com/News/2025/07/16/statement-william-billy-kirkland-nomination-hearing-as-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs/ Committee Notice: https://www.indian.senate.gov/hearings/nomination-hearing-to-consider-mr-william-kirkland-to-be-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs-within-the-department-of-the-interior/
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (Rescheduled) Nomination Hearing to consider Mr. William Kirkland to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior Date: July 17, 2025 Time: 2:45 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witnesses Panel 1 Mr. William Kirkland Nominee, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC Written Statement: https://indianz.com/News/2025/07/16/statement-william-billy-kirkland-nomination-hearing-as-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs/ Committee Notice: https://www.indian.senate.gov/hearings/nomination-hearing-to-consider-mr-william-kirkland-to-be-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs-within-the-department-of-the-interior/
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (Rescheduled) Nomination Hearing to consider Mr. William Kirkland to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior Date: July 17, 2025 Time: 2:45 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witnesses Panel 1 Mr. William Kirkland Nominee, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC Written Statement: https://indianz.com/News/2025/07/16/statement-william-billy-kirkland-nomination-hearing-as-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs/ Committee Notice: https://www.indian.senate.gov/hearings/nomination-hearing-to-consider-mr-william-kirkland-to-be-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs-within-the-department-of-the-interior/
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (Rescheduled) Nomination Hearing to consider Mr. William Kirkland to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior Date: July 17, 2025 Time: 2:45 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witnesses Panel 1 Mr. William Kirkland Nominee, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC Written Statement: https://indianz.com/News/2025/07/16/statement-william-billy-kirkland-nomination-hearing-as-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs/ Committee Notice: https://www.indian.senate.gov/hearings/nomination-hearing-to-consider-mr-william-kirkland-to-be-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs-within-the-department-of-the-interior/
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (Rescheduled) Nomination Hearing to consider Mr. William Kirkland to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior Date: July 17, 2025 Time: 2:45 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witnesses Panel 1 Mr. William Kirkland Nominee, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC Written Statement: https://indianz.com/News/2025/07/16/statement-william-billy-kirkland-nomination-hearing-as-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs/ Committee Notice: https://www.indian.senate.gov/hearings/nomination-hearing-to-consider-mr-william-kirkland-to-be-assistant-secretary-for-indian-affairs-within-the-department-of-the-interior/
For nearly a decade, state and local officials disacussed how to avoid fatalities, injuries, and property damage in the Guadalupe River valley in Texas. They failed to secure funds for a public warning siren. The flood killed more than 120 people and at least 160 are missing. Earlier this year, after numerous warnings by inspectors, a levee in Oregon gave way, damaging more than 950 homes, including those of the Burns Paiute Tribe. And on the Navajo Nation, notification was key to helping hundreds of residents evacuate as the Oak Ridge fire consumed more than 11,000 acres. We'll hear about those and emergency plans by some other tribes aimed at keeping threats from becoming human tragedies. GUESTS Donovan Quintero (Diné), freelance reporter with the Navajo Times Nelson Andrews Jr. (Mashpee Wampanoag), former tribal councilman, owner of Red Turtle Consulting LLC and CEO of American Indian Relief Bodie Shaw (Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs), former deputy regional director for the Northwest Region of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and former national wildland fire director for BIA Suzanne Settle, emergency services and resiliency director for the Burns Paiute
Deb Haaland's (Laguna Pueblo) political star rose fast, from heading her state party to congresswoman to U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Each step of the way she blazed a trail for Native women. As the head of the agency that oversees Indian Affairs, Haaland championed a first-of-its-kind documentation of the U.S. Government's role in the Indian Boarding School Era, drawing on both public records and first-hand testimony from survivors and their descendants. Now, she aims to become the first female Native American governor in her home state of New Mexico. We'll hear from Haaland about her legacy as Interior Secretary and her hopes for the future. We'll also get perspectives on the historic agreement between the federal government and Northwest tribes to protect endangered salmon, and the equally historic decision by President Donald Trump to rescind that agreement. We'll discuss what it means for salmon and the trust in the federal government.
House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills: H.R. 1451 (Rep. Brecheen), “Quapaw Tribal Settlement Act of 2025” H.R. 2302 (Rep. McClintock), “Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025” H.R. 2389 (Rep. Randall), “Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act” H.R. 2400 (Rep. LaMalfa), “Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025.” Committee Notice: https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=417061 Committee Repository: https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=118152
When 14-year-old Emily Pike ran away from a Mesa group home, no one could have predicted her story would end in tragedy or that her death would become a symbol of a broken, underfunded, and overlooked system. Her shocking murder brought national attention to the epidemic of the hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous people whose cases are ignored or not investigated. Justin Yentes is joined by Chief Hilario Tanakeyowma, a veteran of Tribal law enforcement, and investigator Mike Lancaster in this eye-opening episode. They share insights into the systemic barriers that hinder justice on Tribal lands: jurisdictional confusion, a lack of mental health resources, and the generational trauma that silences communities.Key Topics:The facts and timeline of Emily Pike's caseThe challenges in Tribal law enforcement and jurisdictionUnderreporting and stigma around missing Indigenous childrenHow federal and tribal governments fail to fund investigationsWhat justice and reform could look like for Indigenous communitiesIf you care about justice, accountability, and amplifying the voices of those too often silenced, this episode is for you. Emily's story and the stories of countless others can no longer be ignored.Connect with Truth Be Found on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthbefoundpodcast/Connect with Truth Be Found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A4b7PjhaG/?mibextid=wwXIfrConnect with Truth Be Found on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@truthbefoundpodcastConnect with Truth Be Found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3gAFoH_AQSvPYhsQ6Lw7rr0tYrg0wIiWJustin's Website: https://azprivateinvestigator.com/DOJ Office for Victims of Crime: https://ovc.ojp.gov/topics/missing-murdered-indigenous-persons/related-linksDept. of the Interior, Indian Affairs: https://www.bia.gov/service/mmuNational Indigenous Women's Resource Center: https://www.niwrc.org/Native Hope Outreach: https://www.nativehope.org/
We were truly blessed to have Jim Brown join us in the studio to share his story! Jim and his family have been a cherished part of our church community for nearly 20 years. You may recognize his son, Sam, who regularly volunteers on the worship team (we've linked his story below!). In this episode, Jim and Sarah spend a few minutes catching up before diving into his story; a journey marked by faith, challenges, and the grace of God. Jim introduces a concept called The Circle of Obedience, something that shaped his own walk with the Lord and became a guiding principle he later passed on to his sons. Jim came to know Jesus at the age of six. His father worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, so the family moved often, but they always stayed connected to a church wherever they landed. It was after hearing some hellfire and brimstone preaching that Jim made the decision to follow Christ, longing to spend eternity with Him. But like many of us, his path wasn't without detours. In middle school, Jim began stepping outside that circle of obedience, not rejecting God but leaning on his own wisdom and chasing his own ambitions. His journey took him through multiple colleges and even across the Atlantic to play American football in England. Yet despite the adventure, nothing brought lasting fulfillment. Then came a turning point when his mother introduced him to Trisha, a young woman who would become his wife. Jim was returning to the faith while Trisha was beginning her own faith journey. Together, they desired to build a Christ-centered family. But the road ahead wasn't easy. Marriage proved more difficult than expected. Two years in, they welcomed their first son, Hunter, who was born with severe special needs—a reality they still navigate today. As life picked up speed with the births of their other sons, Sam and Henry, the challenges mounted. But so did God's faithfulness. What stands out most in Jim's story is his honesty. He doesn't shy away from the hard parts—but through it all, he stayed rooted: committed to God, to Trisha, and to his sons. And in that commitment, he rediscovered the fullness of life within the circle of obedience. His testimony is a beautiful reminder that life with Jesus, even in the struggle, is far richer than anything the world offers.Sam Brown's testimony (Jim's son!), Episode 86Want to share your story on The Stories Collective podcast in 2025? Email sarah@dscchurch.comWould you please subscribe and leave us a review? This will help our podcast reach more people! We'd love it if you'd share this podcast with your friends on social media and beyond. Join us next Wednesday to hear another story of God's faithfulness!
Farmers are now dealing with the impacts of the climate crisis on a daily basis. Experts predict weather events including droughts and flooding will only get worse. Young and beginning farmers, especially BIPOC farmers, are feeling those impacts the most. Are there opportunities to advance water and climate action and justice through the Farm Bill? We interview Abi Fain, Chief Legal and Policy Officer at the Intertribal Ag Council. And we'll talk to young farmers building solutions to address water access and climate issues. Abi Fain, Chief Legal & Policy Officer, Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC)Abi works with her colleagues at IAC to develop and implement education and advocacy strategies that support the policy priorities identified by IAC's member Tribes and advance IAC's overall mission of pursuing and promoting the conservation, development and use of Tribal agriculture resources for the betterment of Tribal people. To this, Abi and IAC's policy team focus their efforts on ensuring Tribal producers have opportunities to meaningfully participate in programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs through administrative or legislative solutions. Prior to joining IAC in May 2022, Abi practiced law for seven years at Pipestem Law and specialized in the representation of tribal governments, tribal enterprises, and Native organizations. Abi is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Susan Mitchell, Owner and Operator, Cloverleigh Farms + Young Farmers Land FellowSusan Mitchell is the owner/operator of Cloverleigh Farm in Columbia, CT. As a first-generation farmer, she grows certified organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers for a robust CSA program alongside her partner Josh Carnes, who raises pastured-livestock. They landed on their “forever farm” a few years ago after leasing land for many years while searching for long-term tenure and security. Susan is one of the co-founders of the New Connecticut Farmer Alliance, the Connecticut Chapter of Young Farmers. facebookinstagram Matt Hollenbeck, Hollenbeck's Cider Mill + Young Farmers Land FellowMatt Hollenbeck lives and farms in Virgil, NY and is the 4th generation steward of Hollenbeck's Cider Mill. He has been a factory worker, cubicle jockey, geologist, outdoor adventure guide, worked on a small organic csa farm, a butcher shop, and many other varied jobs before settling into continuing his family's 90+ year old ag processing business. He's a first generation orchardist with impostor syndrome, a staunch and vocal advocate for rural issues, smallholder agriculture, and appropriate technology. Matt is also a firm believer that family is the most important part of a family business. And a luddite to boot! LeVar Eady, CEO and Founder, BluRok Farms + Young Farmers Water FellowBluRok Farm was born out of LeVar's determination to grow the best hemp/cannabis possible while building a business that helps people become business owners and heal the planet. His path started in the garden where I learned to grow roses with his grandmother. Visit BluRok Farms at https://blurokfarm.com/. Shannon Maes, Rancher, San Juan Ranch + Young Farmers Water FellowWhat's a ground-level view from a cattle ranch in southern Colorado as fall turns to winter amidst prolonged drought and as legislative work on Farm Bill 2024 wraps up? Shannon Maes shares some of her experiences of drought, working with water and grazing for soil health and climate resilience as well as a few thoughts on agricultural and food policy from her perspective of working on ranches and ditchriding in her home region of Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico. Shannon has worked in agriculture since 2017 and completed a Water Advocacy Fellowship through the National Young Farmer's Coalition during 2023. Currently she works with cows, dogs, horses, people, soil, grass, and weather at San Juan Ranch in the San Luis Valley. Check out the Intertribal Agriculture Council hereLearn more about the USDA's EQIP program here and the crop insurance agent training program Abi mentions hereMore information about the Small Farms Conservation Act and the Farmer to Farmer Education Act can be found here and hereConnect with the farmers featured in this episode. Visit Cloverleigh Farm, Hollenbeck's Cider Mill, San Juan Ranch, and BluRok FarmThe Farm Report is hosted by Leigh Ollman and Alita Kelly, produced by Leigh Ollman, Evan Flom and H Conley, and edited by Hannah Beal and H Conley. Audio engineering is by Armen Spendjian and H Conley. Music is by Breakmaster Cylinder and JangwaLearn more about the National Young Farmers Coalition here and consider becoming a member. Click here to take action on the farm bill and other important policy issues.The Farm Report is Powered by Simplecast.
Jody Fern Howard disappeared on October 7, 1991, from a gas station in Wolf Point, Montana, located on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. She was 28 years old at the time and a member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux tribes. Her case remains unsolved, and she was not reported missing until November 10, 1991, over a month later. Jody's disappearance is one of many unresolved missing person cases in Montana, highlighting the broader issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women in the United States. Something has to change…. If you have any information about Jody's whereabouts, please contact the Roosevelt County Sheriff's Office 406-653-6216 Emily Pike was a 14-year-old girl and a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. She went missing on January 27, 2025, from a group home in Mesa, Arizona. Her dismembered remains were discovered on February 14, 2025, near Highway 60 in the Tonto National Forest, northeast of Globe, Arizona. Emily's case has drawn some attention to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), highlighting the systemic issues that disproportionately affect Indigenous communities. If you have any information about Emily's death, you can call the Gila County Sheriff's Office at 928-200-2352, Bureau of Indian Affairs at 505-917-7830, or San Carlos Apache Tribal Police at 928-475-1755. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A Bureau of Indian Affairs office in Ashland is one of more than a dozen leases canceled by Elon Musk's Department of Government of Efficiency. Wisconsin struggles to keep teachers in the profession. And Dane County Airport wants to go international.
While working for the Treasury Department, Ely S. Parker met someone who would become a big part of much of the rest of his life – Ulysses S. Grant. It was through this connection that Parker gained a good deal of power, and cemented a controversial legacy. Research: · Adams, James Ring. “The Many Careers of Ely Parker.” National Museum of the American Indian. Fall 2011. · Babcock, Barry. “The Story of Donehogawa, First Indian Commissioner of Indian Affairs.” ICT. 9/13/2018. https://ictnews.org/archive/the-story-of-donehogawa-first-indian-commissioner-of-indian-affairs · Contrera, Jessica. “The interracial love story that stunned Washington — twice! — in 1867.” Washington Post. 2/13/2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/02/13/interracial-love-story-that-stunned-washington-twice/ · DeJong, David H. “Ely S. Parker Commissioner of Indian Affairs (April 26, 1869–July 24,1871).” From Paternalism to Partnership: The Administration of Indian Affairs, 1786–2021. University of Nebraska Press. (2021). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv2cw0sp9.29 · Eves, Megan. “Repatriation and Reconciliation: The Seneca Nation, The Buffalo History Museum and the Repatriation of the Red Jacket Peace Medal.” Museum Association of New York. 5/26/2021. https://nysmuseums.org/MANYnews/10559296 · Genetin-Pilawa, C. Joseph. “Ely Parker and the Contentious Peace Policy.” Western Historical Quarterly , Vol. 41, No. 2 (Summer 2010). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/westhistquar.41.2.0196 · Genetin-Pilawa, C. Joseph. “Ely S. Parker and the Paradox of Reconstruction Politics in Indian Country.” From “The World the Civil War Made. Gregory P. Downs and Kate Masur, editors. University of North Carolina Press. July 2015. · Ginder, Jordan and Caitlin Healey. “Biographies: Ely S. Parker.” United States Army National Museum. https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/ely-s-parker/ · Hauptman, Laurence M. “On Our Terms: The Tonawanda Seneca Indians, Lewis Henry Morgan, and Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, 1844–1851.” New York History , FALL 2010, Vol. 91, No. 4 (FALL 2010). https://www.jstor.org/stable/23185816 · Henderson, Roger C. “The Piikuni and the U.S. Army’s Piegan Expedition.” Montana: The Magazine of Western History. Spring 2018. https://mhs.mt.gov/education/IEFA/HendersonMMWHSpr2018.pdf · Hewitt, J.N.B. “The Life of General Ely S. Parker, Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant's Military Secretary.” Review. The American Historical Review, Vol. 25, No. 4 (Jul., 1920). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1834953 · Historical Society of the New York Courts. “Blacksmith v. Fellows, 1852.” https://history.nycourts.gov/case/blacksmith-v-fellows/ Historical Society of the New York Courts. “Ely S. Parker.” https://history.nycourts.gov/figure/ely-parker/ · Historical Society of the New York Courts. “New York ex rel. Cutler v. Dibble, 1858.” https://history.nycourts.gov/case/cutler-v-dibble/ · Hopkins, John Christian. “Ely S. Parker: Determined to Make a Difference.” Native Peoples Magazine, Vol. 17 Issue 6, p78, Sep/Oct2004. · Justia. “Fellows v. Blacksmith, 60 U.S. 366 (1856).” https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/60/366/ · Michaelsen, Scott. “Ely S. Parker and Amerindian Voices in Ethnography.” American Literary History , Winter, 1996, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Winter, 1996). https://www.jstor.org/stable/490115 · Mohawk, John. “Historian Interviews: John Mohawk, PhD.” PBS. Warrior in Two Worlds. https://www.pbs.org/warrior/content/historian/mohawk.html · National Parks Service. “Ely Parker.” Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. https://www.nps.gov/people/ely-parker.htm · Parker, Arthur C. “The Life of General Ely S. Parker: Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant’s Military Secretary.” Buffalo Historical Society. 1919. · Parker, Ely S. “Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.” December 23, 1869. Parker, Ely. Letter to Harriet Converse, 1885. https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/letter-to-harriet-converse/ PBS. “A Warrior in Two Worlds: The Life of Ely Parker.” https://www.pbs.org/warrior/noflash/ · Spurling, Ann, producer and writer and Richard Young, director. “Warrior in Two Worlds.” Wes Studi, Narrator. WXXI. 1999. https://www.pbs.org/video/wxxi-documentaries-warrior-two-worlds/ · Vergun, David. “Engineer Became Highest Ranking Native American in Union Army.” U.S. Department of Defense. 11/2/2021. https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2781759/engineer-became-highest-ranking-native-american-in-union-army/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ely S. Parker was instrumental in both the creation of President President Ulysses S. Grant's “peace policy." Parker was Seneca, and he was the first Indigenous person to be placed in a cabinet-level position in the U.S. and the first Indigenous person to serve as Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Research: · Adams, James Ring. “The Many Careers of Ely Parker.” National Museum of the American Indian. Fall 2011. · Babcock, Barry. “The Story of Donehogawa, First Indian Commissioner of Indian Affairs.” ICT. 9/13/2018. https://ictnews.org/archive/the-story-of-donehogawa-first-indian-commissioner-of-indian-affairs · Contrera, Jessica. “The interracial love story that stunned Washington — twice! — in 1867.” Washington Post. 2/13/2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/02/13/interracial-love-story-that-stunned-washington-twice/ · DeJong, David H. “Ely S. Parker Commissioner of Indian Affairs (April 26, 1869–July 24,1871).” From Paternalism to Partnership: The Administration of Indian Affairs, 1786–2021. University of Nebraska Press. (2021). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv2cw0sp9.29 · Eves, Megan. “Repatriation and Reconciliation: The Seneca Nation, The Buffalo History Museum and the Repatriation of the Red Jacket Peace Medal.” Museum Association of New York. 5/26/2021. https://nysmuseums.org/MANYnews/10559296 · Genetin-Pilawa, C. Joseph. “Ely Parker and the Contentious Peace Policy.” Western Historical Quarterly , Vol. 41, No. 2 (Summer 2010). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/westhistquar.41.2.0196 · Genetin-Pilawa, C. Joseph. “Ely S. Parker and the Paradox of Reconstruction Politics in Indian Country.” From “The World the Civil War Made. Gregory P. Downs and Kate Masur, editors. University of North Carolina Press. July 2015. · Ginder, Jordan and Caitlin Healey. “Biographies: Ely S. Parker.” United States Army National Museum. https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/ely-s-parker/ · Hauptman, Laurence M. “On Our Terms: The Tonawanda Seneca Indians, Lewis Henry Morgan, and Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, 1844–1851.” New York History , FALL 2010, Vol. 91, No. 4 (FALL 2010). https://www.jstor.org/stable/23185816 · Henderson, Roger C. “The Piikuni and the U.S. Army's Piegan Expedition.” Montana: The Magazine of Western History. Spring 2018. https://mhs.mt.gov/education/IEFA/HendersonMMWHSpr2018.pdf · Hewitt, J.N.B. “The Life of General Ely S. Parker, Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant's Military Secretary.” Review. The American Historical Review, Vol. 25, No. 4 (Jul., 1920). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1834953 · Historical Society of the New York Courts. “Blacksmith v. Fellows, 1852.” https://history.nycourts.gov/case/blacksmith-v-fellows/ Historical Society of the New York Courts. “Ely S. Parker.” https://history.nycourts.gov/figure/ely-parker/ · Historical Society of the New York Courts. “New York ex rel. Cutler v. Dibble, 1858.” https://history.nycourts.gov/case/cutler-v-dibble/ · Hopkins, John Christian. “Ely S. Parker: Determined to Make a Difference.” Native Peoples Magazine, Vol. 17 Issue 6, p78, Sep/Oct2004. · Justia. “Fellows v. Blacksmith, 60 U.S. 366 (1856).” https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/60/366/ · Michaelsen, Scott. “Ely S. Parker and Amerindian Voices in Ethnography.” American Literary History , Winter, 1996, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Winter, 1996). https://www.jstor.org/stable/490115 · Mohawk, John. “Historian Interviews: John Mohawk, PhD.” PBS. Warrior in Two Worlds. https://www.pbs.org/warrior/content/historian/mohawk.html · National Parks Service. “Ely Parker.” Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. https://www.nps.gov/people/ely-parker.htm · Parker, Arthur C. “The Life of General Ely S. Parker: Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant's Military Secretary.” Buffalo Historical Society. 1919. · Parker, Ely S. “Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.” December 23, 1869. Parker, Ely. Letter to Harriet Converse, 1885. https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/letter-to-harriet-converse/ PBS. “A Warrior in Two Worlds: The Life of Ely Parker.” https://www.pbs.org/warrior/noflash/ · Spurling, Ann, producer and writer and Richard Young, director. “Warrior in Two Worlds.” Wes Studi, Narrator. WXXI. 1999. https://www.pbs.org/video/wxxi-documentaries-warrior-two-worlds/ · Vergun, David. “Engineer Became Highest Ranking Native American in Union Army.” U.S. Department of Defense. 11/2/2021. https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2781759/engineer-became-highest-ranking-native-american-in-union-army/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's Thanksgiving and National Native American Heritage Month here in the United States so, this week, we continue our tradition of sharing this episode from 2017. Pocahontas' real story is much different than the romanticized versions of her life! At this time of year, here, when American History is told and retold over turkey and Ubiquitous Green Bean Casserole, we want to do our part to contribute to that conversation (even if we aren't involved in the "Is It Dressing or Stuffing" debate with you all.) US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs- for information and links about Native American Heritage Month and more. Looking to help support the show? Click the tasteful DONATE button on the right-hand side of our website, under the search bar! Thank you for all that you do for us! TheHistoryChicks.com Holiday shopping? We have a merch shop! Visit us at TeePublic! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us a textThis episode highlights the incredible Native women at the forefront of the efforts to bring about President Biden's recent apology for the harm caused by the federal Indian boarding school system.We sit down with Deb Parker (Tulalip) to uncover the behind-the-scenes journey of this apology, break down its significance, and dive into the Truth and Healing Bill [HR.7227/S.1723]. This bipartisan bill, unanimously approved by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on June 7, 2023, strengthens Tribal sovereignty and centers survivor voices, offering a path toward truth and reconciliation.✨ Special guest Freddie Lane (Lummi) reflects on his time at Chemawa Indian Boarding School and his reaction to Biden's historic speech. His heartfelt story reminds us of the countless children who never made it home and the resilience of those who carry their legacy forward.
Well, we're in the final stretch of the election. And as we consider so much that is at stake, it's a great treat to have one of Chris' favorite people to talk politics. There's a lot to discuss, including the Senate battlefield for Democrats and why it can be so hard to get things done in the political world. Our guest this week represents one of the most unique states in the union. Senator Brian Schatz is a U.S. Senator from Hawaii and serves the chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. He joins WITHpod to discuss Vice President Harris, affordable housing concerns in the Aloha state, effects of climate change in his home state, his favorite part of the job, why he says Trump could be vanquished and more.
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