- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.
Reminder - HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation - April 9-10 in Washington, DC
- To register for the March 20 planning session:
- https://www.zoomgov.com/
meeting/register/vJIsd- 6hrz8qG4XJdaa7LRNn3t0dXsa0U2k
- https://www.zoomgov.com/
USDA Announces Applications are Open for NDSU Indigenous Food Sovereignty Summer Program for Students
The application period is now open for the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Emerging Leaders Program. Developed through North Dakota State University’s (NDSU) Institute for Indigenous Food Sovereignty and Public Health (IIFSPH), this program is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Tribal Relations (OTR). The IIFSPH is part of NDSU’s American Indian Public Health Resource Center (AIPHRC).
This program stems from a cooperative agreement between USDA and NDSU to engage and partner with Tribes and Tribal colleges to improve the delivery of culturally appropriate public health services and functions in American Indian communities, focusing on Indigenous food sovereignty.
Through the three-week Indigenous Food Sovereignty Emerging Leaders Program, selected students will:
- Engage with diverse stakeholders;
- Broaden their knowledge in areas such as public health, nutrition, food, and agriculture;
- Build the skills for presenting on health and food sovereignty topics to their community; and
- Learn how to build and strengthen sustainable food and public health programs within Native communities.
The program will take place from June 9 – 29, 2024 at NDSU’s campus in Fargo, North Dakota. In addition to the benefits described above, selected students will receive housing on campus, payment of travel expenses, meals, and more.
Up to 25 students will be selected for this year’s program. High school and college undergraduate students who are 18 years of age by May 1, 2024 are invited to apply. An informational webinar will take place March 28 at 3 p.m. ET. Register today.
The deadline to apply is Monday, April 15. Those selected will be notified Wednesday, May 1. Learn more and apply today.
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Chairman to Deliver Remarks on Senate Floor to Highlight Record $1.34 Billion for Native Housing
On Tuesday, March 19, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, deliver remarks on the Senate floor. Schatz will highlight the record $1.34 billion – a more than $300 million increase from last year – in federal funding for Native housing programs as part of a six-bill Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations package that was passed by Congress and signed into law last week. In addition to housing, Schatz secured $175.5 million in new federal funding for tribal transportation activities.
WHEN:
***Tuesday, March 19, 2024***
Approximately 4:10 p.m. ET/10:10 a.m. HT
LIVESTREAM:
Livestream available here
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Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
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The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
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Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
