- Details
- By Levi Rickert
WASHINGTON — The White House Tribal Nations Summit began last Wednesday morning. During the afternoon the attendees heard from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in separate appearances.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) was diagnosed with Covid-19 on Monday was not able to attend in-person. In a press release on Monday, the Interior Department said Secretary Haaland would abide by CDC guidelines to isolate. However, she participated at the summit virtually. President Biden was introduced by Assistant Secretary Bryan Newland (Bay Mills Indian Community) due to Secretary Haaland's in-person absence.
Some 400 tribal leaders and leaders of national Native American organizations were in attendance.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, who was inaugurated on January 10, 2023, attended his first White House tribal summit. On Thursday, the Department of Energy announced two new MOUs signed by several federal deapartments and agenices to create structured support for the Hopi Tribe and amends the existing Navajo Nation MOU with federal agencies to help both tribes and their communities transition to clean energy.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren
Photos by Levi Rickert for Native News Online
https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/photos-from-the-2023-white-house-tribal-nations-summit#sigProId9ca7d3b49b
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
NTU Men’s Skyhawks Host Competitive Basketball Tryouts
AIANTA Seeks International Travelers to Visit Indian Country at Conference
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
