March 27, 2025
PETOSKEY, Mich.—When Alissa White gave birth at home in May 2020, her newborn son was immediately rushed to the hospital. When the Tlingit mother waited anxiously in the emergency room, separated from her child due to early pandemic protocols, she asked for a breast pump.
Currents
As part of Women’s History Month, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution led by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), Vice Chairman of the SCIA, honoring the significant achievements, cultures, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women throughout U.S. history.
From Our Partners
Are you looking to learn how to bead or interested in mastering a new technique? While watching videos can be very helpful, having a beading book with images of patterns & historical pieces can inspire you and are a great reference while you are working on a project. There are many guidebooks you can use to learn how to do Native American beading techniques. Many offer patterns you can use on your next project! Read on to learn about some of the beading guidebooks that The Wandering Bull, LLC finds the most informational and inspirational.
Opinion
Opinion. Each May in Holland, Michigan — about 30 miles from where I live — one of the largest annual public gatherings in the United States takes place. The Holland Tulip Festival attracts around 500,000 visitors from across the country, generating an economic impact of nearly $50 million annually.
Guest Opinion. On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order that could significantly reshape how the federal government purchases common goods and services. While the stated goal is efficiency, streamlining procurement through the General Services Administration (GSA) and reducing waste, it could have serious unintended consequences for Tribal enterprises across the country, particularly those participating in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program.
Sovereignty
The Cherokee Nation Language Department is offering a series of free Cherokee language courses available both on the Cherokee Nation Reservation and in at-large communities. Classes will require either in-person participation or a blend of virtual and in-person attendance.
Reacting to recent presidential executive orders, the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) released a memorandum addressing the applicability of recent Presidential Executive Orders to HUD programs, tribal sovereignty and the legal obligation to provide housing for tribes and their citizens is affirmed.
Education
The Naabik’íyáti’ Committee of the 25th Navajo Nation Council on Thursday unanimously passed Legislation No. 0028-25, calling on the U.S. government to uphold its trust and treaty obligations by consulting with the Navajo Nation before implementing policies or executive actions that impact tribal education.
On Tuesday, March 25, 2025, Navajo Technical University (NTU) welcomed representatives from the American Indian College Fund (AICF) to explore and promote higher education opportunities. NTU is renowned for its exceptional academic programs, culturally relevant curricula, and comprehensive student support services.
Arts & Entertainment
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian will debut Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe this fall at its Washington, D.C., location. Opening to the public on October 24 and running through January 2027, this exhibition marks the first major retrospective of the acclaimed Ho-Chunk artist Truman Lowe (1944–2019).
NBC has ordered a single-camera comedy pilot centered on a Native American community center in Oakland, California.
Health
Environment
A bill that would guarantee bodies of water legal rights to protect against destruction has been introduced into the New York State Assembly recently.
A proposed bill in Congress aims to remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species List. Introduced by Representatives Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Tom Tiffany (R-WI), the Pet and Livestock Protection Act seeks to transfer gray wolf management to individual states and prevent federal judicial review from reinstating protections.