- Details
- By Judith LeBlanc
Guest Opinion. While this isn’t the outcome we were hoping for, we know that an election is just one part of our democracy. As we have in the past, we will continue to fight to protect all that is sacred to us as Native peoples and sovereign Tribal nations.
During his last four years in office, Trump worked to dismantle essential protections to Tribal sovereignty and sacred places. In his first few days, he worked to weaken the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Defying the will of Tribal nations, he fast-tracked the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines. His running mate has called Indigenous Peoples Day a “fake holiday” and denigrated our two-spirit ancestors. His Project 2025 plans will centralize power in the executive office, an extreme threat to Tribal-federal relations and our rights as sovereign nations to make decisions about policies that impact our lands, resources, and people.
Trump has proposed seizing federal lands to address the housing crisis. This is another extreme risk to our rights as sovereign nations to make decisions about our ancestral homelands. We have a unique and special relationship to the land and all of the natural world. We see these lands — and the entire planet — not as an empty lot to be developed or exploited, but a sacred landscape to manage and protect for the benefit of all future generations.
As we have before, we are poised to fight to protect all that is sacred to us — our sovereignty, our lands, our waters, our resources, and our ways of life as Native peoples. We are prepared to meet the challenges of a second Trump presidency and won’t back down. We will continue to grow our movement and defend democracy, our lands, and our rights as Native peoples.
Judith LeBlanc (Caddo), executive director of Native Organizers Alliance Action Fund, whixh is a partner to Native Organizers Alliance.
More Stories Like This
Looking Forward to New Tribal Economic Development ParityNDN Statement on Election Results: ‘Remember we are Warriors!’
A Heritage to be Proud Of
Getting the Native Vote Right; The National Media Should Not Rely on Self-Identified “Wannabes”
Progress In Serving At-Large Cherokees
Support Independent Indigenous Journalism That Holds Power to Account
With the election now decided, Native News Online is recommitting to our core mission: rigorous oversight of federal Indian policy and its impact on tribal communities.
The previous Trump administration’s record on Indian Country — from the reduction of sacred sites to aggressive energy development on tribal lands — demands heightened vigilance as we enter this new term. Our Indigenous-centered newsroom will provide unflinching coverage of policies affecting tribal sovereignty, sacred site protection, MMIR issues, water rights, Indian health, and economic sovereignty.
This critical watchdog journalism requires resources. Your support, in any amount, helps maintain our independent, Native-serving news coverage. Every contribution helps keep our news free for all of our relatives. Please donate today to ensure Native News Online can thrive and deliver impactful, independent journalism.