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- By Levi Rickert
Opinion. During the White House Tribal Nations Summit on December 9, 2024, multiple cabinet members praised Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) for her advocacy of tribal issues at cabinet and high-level meetings. As the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary, Haaland has been a powerful advocate for Indian Country, bringing tribal nations’ concerns to the highest levels of government.
Her impact on Indian Country has been significant.
Throughout her time in office, Haaland emphasized a core truth: "Native American history is American history." This principle guided her most significant initiatives, from the Indian boarding school investigation to the protection of sacred sites. Her leadership forced the federal government to confront difficult chapters of its past while creating new pathways for tribal consultation and cooperation.
Her tenure exemplifies the importance of representation. As she prepares to step down, Native representation in federal leadership will inevitably diminish. Hopefully, it will not disappear entirely—because Indian Country needs advocates. Indian Country needs representation.
While Haaland’s voice was heard in some of the most powerful rooms of the Biden-Harris administration, her impact resonated deeply with ordinary Native Americans.
At one of the 12 Road to Healing Tour listening sessions on the Navajo Nation, I witnessed this firsthand. A Diné woman, who looked to be about 60 years old, said she had driven five hours from Utah to see Secretary Haaland. She described herself crying when then-President-elect Joe Biden nominated Haaland as Interior Secretary in December 2020, saying she never thought she would see a Native American in such an important position. The woman added she had prayed to the Creator to meet Secretary Haaland.
She said: “Today is the day I get to meet Deb Haaland!” Don’t tell me representation doesn’t matter. Haaland represented for Native women and girls–and Native males, for that matter–in America, Native Americans can have a seat at the table.
Haaland’s role represented more than individual achievement. She brought forward the history of Native Americans to the highest level of the federal government. She represented those of us who are ordinary Native Americans, who know the history of the struggles of our ancestors and hardships within our tribal families. She represented us—those who seek parity for our tribal communities.
In June 2021, following the discovery of 215 remains of schoolchildren at the Kamloops Industrial Residential School in British Columbia, Canada, Haaland launched the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative during her appearance at the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) 2021 Mid-Year Conference. She recalled how she wept along with the Indigenous Interior staff when they learned of Kamloops.
Under the leadership of Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland (Bay Mills Indian Community), the Interior has published two volumes of findings in the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigation Report, Volume I and Volume II.
This investigation will stand as Haaland’s greatest legacy, as its findings affect every Native American family. Many tribal leaders say the investigation would not have happened without her leadership.
The investigation led to the first presidential apology for the federal government’s role in operating Indian boarding schools, where Native students endured horrific physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. It also resulted in President Biden proclaiming at national monument at the site of the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School.
Haaland also led the Board of Geographic Names in removing the derogatory term “squaw” from nearly 650 geographic sites in September 2023.
“Words matter, particularly in our work to ensure our nation’s public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds,” Haaland said. “I am grateful to the members of the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force and the Board on Geographic Names for their efforts to finalize the removal of this harmful word. Together, we are showing why representation matters and charting a path for an inclusive America.”
Beyond her advocacy for Indian Country, Haaland managed a federal department with an $18.1 billion budget and 70,000 employees across more than 2,400 locations. The Interior manages the country's natural and cultural resources, including national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges, and other public lands. It also oversees energy development on public lands and waters, while managing water resources in 17 western states.
Haaland brought unprecedented perspectives to the Interior Department: Native American insights, women’s leadership, and a deep understanding of Indigenous communities. She led with resolve and, when needed, ferocity.
She readily admits she is not perfect and has had to make decisions that were not always popular, even among tribal nations. Still, credit must be given for her unwavering hard work and dedication to improving Indian Country. There is no way one person can correct the historic ill-treatment of tribal nations within four short years.
In Indian Country, we have a word for individuals like Deb Haaland: Warrior. And she has proven to be a fierce one.
Thayék gde nwéndëmen — We are all related.
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