June 27, 2025
ANCHORAGE — On Feb. 12, 2023, Chante Tran (Yup’ik) awoke in the middle of the night to an unmistakable sensation. She rolled out of bed and grabbed a cloth to stem the flow of amniotic fluid between her legs — her water had broken. It was time to meet her baby.
Currents
The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) is proud to host the 11th Annual Native Youth in Agriculture Leadership Summit. This weeklong event gathers Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian young adults (ages 18–24) from across Indian Country at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. During the summit, participants engage in focused learning tracks, collaborate on capstone projects, and learn directly from professionals in the food and agriculture industries.
From Our Partners
(Green Bay, WI) – Bay Bank is proud to celebrate 30 years of serving Northeast Wisconsin as a trusted financial partner. Since its founding in 1995, Bay Bank has remained dedicated to empowering individuals, small businesses, and Tribal communities, standing firmly for financial inclusion, economic opportunity, and community growth.
Opinion
Guest Opinion. In table top exercises for disaster preparation, local government, state government, churches, federal government, the military and various federal agencies all played roles. Inevitably, as the disaster grew out of control, someone would suggest calling in the military and declaring “martial law.” The answer was always — no, we have the protection of posse comitatus, so the military never has direct interface with civilians (with only a few exceptions). However, there is also a lot that the military can do to support state and local law enforcement, federal law enforcement and federal property. Here is a brief discussion of what this means.
Guest Opinion. The Cherokee Nation has reached a proud new milestone — one that reflects our legacy of adaptability and our tradition of embracing innovation. By becoming the first tribal nation designated as a “Film Ready Reservation,” we are not only making history; we are building a future where Cherokee stories are amplified on a national — and even global — stage. This achievement reinforces our commitment to creating new opportunities for our people while inviting the world to experience our culture through the power of film and storytelling.
Sovereignty
Muscogee Nation Principal Chief David Hill and Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols have announced a settlement agreement between the City of Tulsa and the Muscogee Nation, ending ongoing litigation in favor of forward-looking cooperation.
On June 17, the Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research—partnering with Tana Fitzpatrick, associate vice president for tribal relations at the University of Oklahoma, and the OU Center for Faculty Excellence—hosted the latest session in its Ethical Tribal Engagement Series at the OU Health Sciences Center. The event drew nearly 70 in-person participants and more than 120 virtual attendees.
Education
Native Forward Scholars Fund , the nation’s largest direct provider of scholarships to Native students, has announced the recipients of its prestigious Student of the Year Award at the 2025 Empowering Scholars Summit.
On Tuesday, June 17, Speaker Crystalyne Curley and Council Delegate Dr. Andy Nez met with representatives from the Department of Diné Education (DODE), Diné Bi Oltá School Board Association (DBOSBA), and the BIA Navajo Region to develop a unified response to the Bureau of Indian Education’s recent “Dear Tribal Leader” letter.
Arts & Entertainment
SULPHUR, Okla. – Downtown Sulphur was once again a flurry of activity June 7 as the vibrant sights and sounds of the annual Artesian Arts Festival attracted thousands of art patrons and families.
A new illustrated children’s biography is bringing national attention to the story of Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone, a professional runner and passionate advocate for Indigenous rights.
Health
Environment
A wildfire that erupted over the weekend on the Navajo Nation near the New Mexico border has grown to more than 6,200 acres, according to the latest updates.
Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III, the former director of the National Park Service, has been named by the University of Oregon School of Law as the first Oregon Tribes Scholar-in-Residence and Senior Fellow with the Native Environmental Sovereignty Project. The position is part of Oregon Law’s top-ranked Environmental and Natural Resources Law (ENR) Center. A native of Pendleton, Oregon, Sams is Cayuse and Walla Walla and is an enrolled tribal citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. He brings more than 30 years of leadership in natural resource management, conservation, and sustainable stewardship. Currently, he serves on the Pacific Northwest Power and Conservation Council as Governor Tina Kotek’s appointee and Co-Chairs the Oregon Environmental Restoration Fund. Sams made history under the Biden Administration as the first Indigenous Director of the National Park Service. In that role, he advanced agency-wide priorities focused on climate resilience, Tribal sovereignty, and the future of public lands nationwide. “We are tremendously honored to have Chuck Sams join our community and advance our school’s commitment to the Oregon Tribes,” said Dean Jennifer Reynolds, who collaborated with the ENR Center and campus partners to bring Sams to Oregon Law. In his new role, Sams will contribute across multiple areas: sharing expertise in and out of the classroom, mentoring students, guiding research on Tribal co-management of lands and resources, and building stronger partnerships with Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. “I am thrilled to have such a visionary thinker with national stature contributing to our innovative research,” said Mary C. Wood, Philip H. Knight Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the ENR Center. One of Sams’ first engagements at Oregon Law will be co-presenting in the widely attended Oregon Law Perspectives webinar series. Alongside Professor of Practice Howard Arnett, he will lead a session titled “Treaties, Trust, and Tomorrow: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Native Lands” on August 8, 2025. One of Sams' first endeavors is participating in the popular Oregon Law Perspectives webinar series, where, with Professor of Practice Howard Arnett , he will co-present "Treaties, Trust, and Tomorrow: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Native Lands" on August 8, 2025. Learn more about Oregon Law Perspectives .