Good morning, NUNAverse:
The CDC said yesterday that it has reports of approximately 5,800 “breakthrough infections” where individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19 contracted the disease. With nearly 77 million individuals in the United States fully vaccinated, 5,800 infections show that more than 99% of those vaccinated have not been infected, meaning the vaccines might protect against COVID at a higher rate than in clinical trials.
As reported yesterday, an expert advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention met and declined to vote on whether to continue vaccinations with the Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine and will instead reconsider a recommendation within the next 10 days. While the FDA and CDC could move forward with resuming use of the J&J vaccine in some capacity before a vote takes place, they are unlikely to do so without the recommendation of the advisory committee.
Jade Begay (Dinè) from South Dakota, Carletta Tilousi (Havasupai) from Arizona, and Vi Waghiyi (Native Village of Savoonga on Sivuqaq) out of Alaska will serve on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council to provide recommendations to the Council on Environmental Quality and the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council on how to fight the climate crisis. The three women will sit on the 26-member committee that will also follow through on President Joe Biden’s executive order on the climate crisis.
A bill that would make Native American Day a paid judicial holiday and remove Columbus Day as a paid holiday in California passed 16-0 in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, sending the bill to a full Assembly Hearing. The bill would specifically remove Native American Day, which is celebrated on the fourth Friday of September, from the list of holidays that are excluded from designation as a judicial holiday. This would mean that Native American Day would result in a paid holiday for state and local court employees. In return, Columbus Day, celebrated on the second Monday in October, would be placed on the excluded list of holidays.
New research by anthropologist Dr. Jessica Metcalfe at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario and other researchers provides direct evidence of long-distance connections among precolonial Dene peoples from northern Canada to the southern United States. About 800 years ago a group of highly successful hunter-gatherers spent several decades living on the north shore of Great Salt Lake, Utah. Archaeological evidence suggests that these “Promontory people” were Dene ancestors whose moccasin styles indicate an origin in the Canadian Subarctic, more than 932 miles to the north.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Politics:
Native Women Appointed To White House’s Climate Justice Table
Indian Country Today, Kaitlin Onawa Boysel, April 15
For the next four years, three Native women will be volunteering their time to be part of the climate justice fight alongside the White House. Native women from Arizona, Alaska and South Dakota, who have all devoted their lives to protecting the environment, will serve on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council to provide recommendations to the Council on Environmental Quality and the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council on how to fight the climate crisis. Jade Begay represents South Dakota, Carletta Tilousi from Arizona, and Vi Waghiyi out of Alaska sit on the 26-member committee that will also follow through on President Joe Biden’s executive order on the climate crisis.
COVID-19:
CDC: About 5,800 ‘Breakthrough Infections’ Reported In Fully Vaccinated People
NBC News, Erika Edwards, April 15
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is “keeping a close eye” on Covid-19 cases in fully vaccinated people, agency Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Thursday during a hearing before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis.
No COVID-19 Deaths Reported On Navajo Nation For Fifth Consecutive Day
Native News Online, April 15
For the fifth consecutive day, the Navajo Nation reported no deaths related to COVID-19. The total number of deaths remains at 1,262. On Thursday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 20 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation. Reports indicate that 16,431 individuals have recovered from COVID-19, and 259,672 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 30,338.
Nonprofit Provides Hand Washing Stations On Navajo Nation To Combat COVID-19
Native News Online, April 15
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, some Indian Country leaders knew it would be difficult, perhaps even impossible, to comply with the CDC’s 20-second hand washing guidance. Why? Because some reservation residents don’t have running water in their homes. To help combat the problem, the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund created the Clean Hands Project to distribute hand washing stations to families on the Navajo and Hopi Nations that don’t have access to indoor plumbing or running water. The hand washing stations consist of a stand that is approximately three-feet in height with a foot pump for hands-free water disbursement, a hand-washing basin, a container that holds fresh water and a liquid soap dispenser.
How New Mexico Became The State With The Highest Rate Of Full Vaccinations
The New York Times, Simon Romero, April 15
Despite having one of the highest poverty rates in the country, New Mexico is surging past states with far more resources in the race to achieve herd immunity against the coronavirus. After New Mexico put into motion one of the most efficient vaccine rollouts in the United States, more than 57 percent of its adult population has now received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The feat is providing some relief in a state where Hispanic and Native American residents — groups that have been among the hardest hit by the coronavirus — together account for 60 percent of the population.
Law:
Governor Signs Tribal Gaming Compact, Legalizes Sports Gambling In Arizona
Croknite News, Jake Santo, April 15
After years of resistance from tribes around the state, Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill legalizing daily sports fantasy and sports betting in Arizona. The development comes on the heels of ratification of a revised Tribal-State Gaming Compact. The bill was ratified by a bipartisan majority earlier this week by the state Senate. These amendments to the existing compact grant specific organizations and groups sports betting permits to create sportsbooks in their particular venue. Ten licenses will be granted to sports organizations to open these books in or near their sporting facilities. An additional 10 licenses will be given to tribal nations to open sportsbooks at their respective casinos.
Bill To Make Native American Day A Paid State Judicial Holiday Passed In Assembly Committee
California Globe, Evan Symon, April 15
A bill that would make Native American Day a paid judicial holiday and remove Columbus Day as a paid holiday was passed 16-0 in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, sending the bill to a full Assembly Hearing. Assembly Bill 855, authored by Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland), would specifically remove Native American Day, which is celebrated on the fourth Friday of September, from the list of holidays that are excluded from designation as a judicial holiday. This would mean that Native American Day would result in a paid holiday for state and local court employees. In return, Columbus Day, celebrated on the second Monday in October, would be placed on the excluded list of holidays.
California Bill Advances To Protect Native Students’ Rights To Wear Cultural Items
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, April 15
California State Assembly’s Education Committee earlier this month unanimously approved a bill that will protect Native American students’ rights to wear cultural items at graduation. The bill, proposed by Assemblymember James Ramos (Serrano/Cahuilla Tribe) in February, will establish a 10-person task force of tribal representatives from across the state to develop best practices for protecting students’ rights to wear traditional tribal regalia to school graduation ceremonies. Wearing traditional tribal regalia or recognized items of religious or cultural significance as an adornment at graduation ceremonies is a protected civil right under the United States Constitution and the California Constitution. Ramos, who is a resident of the San Manuel Indian Reservation and the first Native American to serve in the California State Assembly, said in a statement that, despite existing law, Native students’ rights are not being protected.
Lawsuit: College Grant Program Not Open To All Minorities
AP News, April 15
A lawsuit filed Thursday by a Madison couple and others alleges that a college grant program for minorities violates the Wisconsin Constitution. The complaint said grants offered by the state’s Higher Educational Aids Board are available to some minorities but not to others. Konkanok Rabiebna and Richard Freihoefer, of Madison, say their biracial teenage son is not eligible for the grant program. The Minority Undergraduate Retention Grant program is open to those who are Black, Native American or Hispanic or who came to the United States from Vietnam, Laos or Thailand after December 1975, soon after the Vietnam War ended.
Other:
Moccasin Fragment Reveals Precolonial Connection Between Subarctic and Southwest
Native News Online, April 15
New research by anthropologist Dr. Jessica Metcalfe at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario and other researchers provides direct evidence of long-distance connections among precolonial Dene peoples from northern Canada to the southern United States. About 800 years ago a group of highly successful hunter-gatherers spent several decades living on the north shore of Great Salt Lake, Utah. Archaeological evidence suggests that these “Promontory people” were Dene ancestors whose moccasin styles indicate an origin in the Canadian Subarctic, more than 932 miles to the north.
Native Americans Reburied At Angel Mounds
14 News, Jill Lyman, April 15
Hundreds of Native Americans were successfully returned to their burial place at Angel Mounds over the last few weeks. Officials with Indiana University say they worked with several tribal nations to complete repatriation at the site. They say the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which was passed in 1990, mandates the return of Native American human remains and cultural items to tribal nations. This repatriation includes the remains of over 700 individuals unearthed from the Angel Mounds National Historic Landmark and State Historic Site, starting in the 1930s.