February 03, 2025
Opinion. Federal funding for tribal nations faced a disruption this week after the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) ordered all federal agencies to temporarily suspend grant, loan, and financial assistance programs. The Jan. 28 directive mandated that all federal financial aid disbursements cease by 5 p.m. the next day.
Currents
A coalition of tribal leader councils and Native organizations sent a letter Sunday to President Donald Trump, congressional leaders and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum warning against misclassifying tribal programs as diversity or environmental justice initiatives that could face cuts under recent executive orders.
From Our Partners
Exhibition Woven Being: Art for Zhegagoynak / Chicagoland to run through July 13, 2025
For generations, Native peoples have been pioneers in medicine, carefully testing traditional healing practices to benefit our communities. Today, as we face rising cancer rates in Indian Country, we must bring together this ancestral wisdom with modern clinical trials to create solutions for our people.
When it comes to funding Tribal-owned projects, Bay Bank is more than just a lender—it’s a trusted partner.
Opinion
Opinion. Federal funding for tribal nations faced a disruption this week after the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) ordered all federal agencies to temporarily suspend grant, loan, and financial assistance programs. The Jan. 28 directive mandated that all federal financial aid disbursements cease by 5 p.m. the next day.
Guest Opinion. We all know that when disaster strikes, lives are upended. It is a basic duty of government to respond quickly and effectively in these types of emergencies. That’s why Cherokee Nation took a historic step recently by signing a first-of-its-kind agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deploy our Cherokee-led Incident Management Team in disaster response efforts.
Sovereignty
The Trump administration’s intensified deportation efforts have created unexpected challenges for Navajo citizens living in urban areas like Phoenix. As the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began widespread raids in major cities across the country following the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, concerns have surfaced about Native Americans being mistaken for undocumented immigrants.
Cherokee Nation has reached an $80 million settlement with the federal government to resolve claims of trust resource mismanagement during the 20th century.
Education
Arizona State University’s American Indian Studies program will be hosting the annual American Indian Studies Association Conference in Tempe from Feb. 5-7. The conference will feature a graduate student pre-conference networking event and a number of speaking and panel engagements.
Toni Stanger-McLaughlin, CEO of the Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF), is voicing strong support for Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools in response to recent executive orders that threaten essential funding and resources for culturally relevant education. NAAF has actively collaborated with BIE and numerous Tribal schools to advance agricultural education rooted in Indigenous knowledge, values, and practices.
Arts & Entertainment
The Force is coming to Traverse City, Mich., with the screening of Anangong Miigaading: A New Hope , the Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) dub of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, on Monday, Feb. 3 at the State Theatre.
The North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame (NAIAHF) has revealed its 2025 class of inductees, honoring 71 individuals and four teams for their remarkable contributions to athletics. This year’s class features 42 athletes, alongside coaches, trainers, builders, and teams, continuing the Hall of Fame’s mission to spotlight the achievements of Indigenous sports figures across North America.
Health
Environment
On January 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename Denali, North America’s tallest peak, back to its former name, Mount McKinley.
The Tohono O’odham Nation signed a co-stewardship agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for federal lands with deep cultural and religious ties for the tribal nation.