- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
This week in Tribal Business News, Native attorneys weigh on the historic lack of Indigenous voices as the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the Brackeen case, three Michigan tribes partner on a construction and real estate joint venture; and a gaming expert reflects on California’s recent vote in favor of sovereignty in tribal gaming.
SOVEREIGNTY IN THE BALANCE: Lack of Native voices, little familiarity with ICWA law on display in Brackeen case
In a federal case that many advocates in Indian Country consider to be the most significant threat to sovereignty in modern times, not a single Native voice presented as part of oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court. At issue is the fate of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), a 43-year-old federal law designed to keep children who are tribal members with Native families. The law came about as a response to hundreds of years of tribes being decimated by the forced separation of children and families, in which children were often placed in residential boarding schools and subject to horrific and sometimes deadly abuse.
Even in defeat, California sports betting proposals reflect power of tribal sovereignty, gaming expert says
California voters rebuffed a pair of ballot proposals in the November election that would have legalized sports betting and defined how it would be offered in the state, but even those losses marked progress on the issue for tribal operators. That’s according to Dr. Steven Light, professor and co-director of the University of North Dakota Institute for the Study of Tribal Gaming Law and Policy, who said the proceedings revealed the strength of tribal sovereignty as well as a nascent and growing appetite for sports betting in the state.
3 Michigan tribes form JV to pursue construction projects across Midwest
Three tribal holding companies have partnered to create a new, jointly-owned real estate, construction, and property management company. The formation of Aki Construction LLC brings together Odawa Economic Affairs Holding Corporation, which manages non-gaming investments for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians; Mno-Bmadsen, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians’ non-gaming company; and Gun Lake Investments, the non-gaming investment arm of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, or Gun Lake Tribe.
As well, the USDA recently announced a wave of partnerships and funding for food sovereignty projects; Native Voices Rising is giving $3.5 million to 114 Native-led advocacy groups; and the United Tribes of Michigan elects a new president.
Want to learn more about the Tribal economy? Get the free Tribal Business News weekly newsletter today.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Rapid City Unveils Indian Boarding School Memorial: A Step Toward Healing
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Navajo Nation Speaker Discusses Federal Budget Impacts During New Mexico Tribal Leaders Summit
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
