![Top row (L-R): Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), the first Native American cabinet secretary; some of the young cast members of the breakout hit show “Reservation Dogs”; Marine Colonel Nicole Aunapu Mann (Round Valley Indian Tribes), the first Indigenous woman in space. Bottom row (L-R): An Indian relay rider in Buffalo, Wyoming; Chief Lynn Malerba (Mohegan Tribe), Treasurer of the United States; Detroit Lions rookie linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (Cherokee).](/images/2022/Native_American_Heritage_Month_multi.jpg)
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- By Levi Rickert
A journalist asked me recently: What’s the one thing that mainstream media often get wrong about your community?
My answer was brief: Unfortunately, the media still speaks about Native Americans in the past tense.
The truth is: We are still here.
That’s part of the reason Native News Online was founded in 2011. Because the media often portrayed Native people in a negative light: high levels of alcoholism, poverty or as all being rich because of Indian casinos.
In our newsroom, we work to present a balanced and accurate portrayal of Native people living in contemporary times. We write about Native people as we are now, and the issues that actually matter to us.
We report on — and occasionally celebrate — Native people who, in 2022, are reaching new heights in art, science, business, and public service.
They’re not just doing great things in Indian Country. They’re doing great things that affect the entire country — and well beyond our borders, as well.
This month, support news coverage that inspires, uplifts, and informs Native Americans.
Throughout the month of November, Native News Online will highlight some of the Native Americans who have made “immeasurable contributions to the country’s progress,” as President Joe Biden noted in his proclamation about National Native American Heritage Month yesterday. We’ll share stories of Native Americans who have helped shape culture in Indian Country, the United States, and around the world.
We are still here, and our presence is growing. In advance of recognizing Native American Heritage Month, the U.S. Census Bureau released the following facts about American Indians and Alaska Natives:
3.7 million
The nation’s American Indian and Alaska Native population alone in 2020. This population group identifies as AI/AN only and does not identify with any other race.
10.1 million
The projected population of American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with other race groups on July 1, 2060, about 2.5% of the projected total U.S. population.
324
The number of distinct, federally recognized American Indian reservations in 2022, including federal reservations and off-reservation trust land.
574
The number of federally recognized Indian tribes in 2022.
120,944
The number of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces in 2021.
We are still here. We have been since time immemorial. And we plan to be for generations to come.
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Join us in observing 100 years of Native American citizenship. On June 2, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act, granting Native Americans US citizenship, a pivotal moment in their quest for equality. This year marks its centennial, inspiring our special project, "Heritage Unbound: Native American Citizenship at 100," observing their journey with stories of resilience, struggle, and triumph. Your donations fuel initiatives like these, ensuring our coverage and projects honoring Native American heritage thrive. Your donations fuel initiatives like these, ensuring our coverage and projects honoring Native American heritage thrive.