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- By Native News Online Staff
Conference Theme: Sovereignty = Tribal Public Health
WASHINGTON —The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) announced Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills (Oglala Sioux Tribe) will be the keynote speaker at the 11th Annual National Tribal Public Health Summit. The summit is expected to attract more than 500 leaders at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb. on March 17-19, 2020.
Billy Mills
The theme of the summit is “Sovereignty = Tribal Public Health.”
Mills will present his keynote address on Wednesday, March 18. He has been an inspiration for Native Americans and non-Natives alike for decades. A track star while attending the University of Kansas, Mills enlisted as a Marine officer and joined the U.S. Marine Corps track and field team. In 1964, Mills qualified for the Olympics in Tokyo. As an unknown competitor, he made history as the first—and only—American runner to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000-meter run.
A pre-conference listening session will provide an overview of the potential impact of the coronavirus on Indian Country. Worldwide, over 80,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.
“We’re gathering in Omaha at a critical time in public health to hear from Tribes and federal agencies on how they are addressing pressing issues like the Coronavirus outbreak and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women epidemic,” said NIHB CEO Stacy A. Bohlen. “Tribal governments have come a long way in providing public health for their people, but we have much to do. During the NIHB Tribal Public Health Summit, we’ll move forward as we celebrate Tribal sovereignty and its effect on Tribal health systems, including public health.”
Plenary sessions and special events are at the Hilton Omaha.
CLICK here for the list of speakers and topics.
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