GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Today, Feb. 14, 2026, Native News Online celebrates 15 years of reporting on Indian Country, marking a milestone for one of the most widely read Native American-focused digital news platforms in the United States.
Founded in 2011 by journalist Levi Rickert, a tribal citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, the publication launched with a mission to “improve the lives of American Indians and Alaska Natives.”
At a time when mainstream media often overlooked or misrepresented Indigenous communities, Native News Online set out to fill a critical gap in coverage.
Guided by its mantra — “Warrior Journalism: Defending Tribal Sovereignty” — the outlet has built its identity around holding institutions accountable while centering Indigenous voices. The phrase reflects its commitment to rigorous reporting rooted in tribal self-determination and Native nationhood.
Over the past decade and a half, the outlet has grown from a startup into a national news source covering tribal sovereignty, federal Indian policy, health care, education, economic development and culture. Its reporting has examined major issues including land rights disputes, the federal Indian boarding school legacy, voting rights, COVID-19, environmental protection efforts at Standing Rock and the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR).
Last year, with funding from the MacArthur Foundation and the Solutions Journalism Network, Native News Online began a three-year reportting project entitled, Cultivating Culture: Indigenous Food Sovereignty and Native Language Revitalization.
Native News Online has earned recognition from journalism organizations and built partnerships with tribal nations and Native-led institutions. Its readership spans Indian Country and beyond, reaching policymakers, educators and community leaders.
In addition to daily reporting, the publication has expanded into opinion coverage, multimedia storytelling and special projects focused on civic engagement and elections. Throughout its growth, it has maintained a clear editorial focus: amplifying Native perspectives and defending tribal sovereignty.
“As I look back over the past 15 years, I see a dramatically different world than the one we lived in when President Barack Obama was in the White House,” Rickert said. “Native News Online is not just relevant — it is essential. It is needed now more than ever.”
Fifteen years after its founding, Native News Online stands as a testament to the enduring power of independent Native media.