Good morning, NUNAverse:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it’s now okay to store the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at normal refrigerator temperatures for up to a month. This is much longer than was previously allowed under the FDA’s emergency authorization and will make storage and distribution of the vaccine easier. Based on a review of recent data submitted by Pfizer Inc, the FDA is authorizing undiluted, thawed Pfizer-BionTech COVID-19 vaccine vials to be stored in the refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C (35°F to 46°F) for up to 1 month. The FDA says the change should make the vaccine more widely available by making it easier for doctors’ offices to receive, store, and administer the vaccine.
Kansas Congresswoman Sharice Davids issued a statement yesterday calling on President Biden to be clear in calling for the end of violence in Israel and Gaza. “I am glad President Biden expressed support for a ceasefire and I urge him to be clear in calling for an end to the violence immediately. I believe a solution that preserves the dignity of every life and respects the rights of both peoples is possible. This horrific cycle of conflict only takes us further from that goal,” the Congresswoman said.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will take a closer look at two rare plants found only in northwestern New Mexico to see if they warrant protection under the federal Endangered Species Act as environmentalists push to stop oil and gas development in the region. The agency’s decision to review the Aztec gilia and Clover’s cactus came Tuesday, after being petitioned by environmentalists nearly a year ago. Environmental groups began by raising concerns about the potential for increased pollution across the region and some tribes joined the fight, calling for a permanent moratorium that would prohibit development in more areas beyond the boundaries of Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
The state of Oregon will recognize the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in a new bill passed this week by the Oregon Legislature. Beginning this year, Oregon will recognize that Christopher Columbus’s “discovery” of the Americas is historically inaccurate and unworthy of celebration due to his voyage opening the door to “heinous crimes against humanity.” The bill which was brought forth by the legislature’s only Indigenous lawmakers, Representatives Tawna Sanchez and Teresa Alonso-Leon, aims to set the record straight on the historical representation of Columbus and join 10 other states in recognizing the significant contributions that Native people have made to the U.S., and more specifically the contributions of Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes to the culture of the state.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Politics:
Rep. Sharice Davids Calls For Biden To Be Clear On Calling For End Of The Violence In Middle East
Native News Online, May 19
Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS), a tribal citizen of the Ho-Chunk Nation, is calling on President Joe Biden to be clear in calling for the end of violence in Israel and Gaza.
The second-term congresswoman issued the following statement on Wednesday: “I am glad President Biden expressed support for a ceasefire and I urge him to be clear in calling for an end to the violence immediately. I believe a solution that preserves the dignity of every life and respects the rights of both peoples is possible.”
COVID-19:
Pfizer Vaccine Can Stay Longer At Lower Temperatures Before Being Discarded
NPR, Jane Greenhalgh, May 19
The Food and Drug Administration says it’s now OK to store the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at normal refrigerator temperatures for up to a month. This is much longer than was previously allowed under the FDA’s emergency authorization and will make storage and distribution of the vaccine easier.
The Pandemic’s Native American Mental-Health Toll: ‘Everybody knew Somebody Who Had Died”
Yahoo! News, Beth Freenfield, May 19
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month 2021, Yahoo Life is profiling some of the many professionals who are focused on serving some of the country’s most marginalized populations — and on changing the field of mental health while they’re at it.
Cherokee Nation Offering Incentives For Vaccinated Tribal Government Employees
Native News Online, May 18
Seeking to increase the number of vaccinated tribal government employees, the Cherokee Nation is offering a $300 incentive to those who get vaccinated. An executive order signed by Cherokee Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin goes into effect May 25 that provides a vaccine reward and incentive program for the 4,300 Cherokee Nation government employees. Herd immunity can be reached when enough people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 and have developed protective antibodies against future infection.
Tuesday Navajo Nation COVID-19 Update: 18 News Cases – 2 More Deaths
Native News Online, May 18
On Tuesday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 18 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and two more deaths. The total number of deaths is now 1,295 as previously reported. Reports indicate that 29,353 individuals have recovered from COVID-19. 270,706 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 30,740.
Law:
Oregon To Recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day
OPB, Sam Stites, May 18
The state of Oregon will recognize the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in a new bill passed this week by the Oregon Legislature. Beginning with Monday, Oct. 11, Oregon will recognize that Christopher Columbus’s “discovery” of the Americas is historically inaccurate and unworthy of celebration due to his voyage opening the door to “heinous crimes against humanity.” The bill which was brought forth by the legislature’s only Indigenous lawmakers, Rep. Tawna Sanchez, D-Portland, and Rep. Teresa Alonso-Leon, D-Woodburn, aims to set the record straight on the historical representation of Columbus and join 10 other states in recognizing the significant contributions that Native Americans have made to the U.S., and more specifically the contributions of Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes to the culture of this state.
Other:
Bachelorette Brook Blurton Makes Television History As The Show’s First Indigenous, Bisexual Star
ABC News, Michael Doyle, May 19
A familiar face will return to Australian television screens, making history on one of the country’s most successful programs. Network 10 announced on Thursday that Brooke Blurton, 26, will be Australia’s next Bachelorette.
More Native Graduates Means More Quilts
Indian Country Today, Mary Annette Pember, May 19
The pandemic has changed the venue but high school graduates from the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Wisconsin will still know they are loved and honored by their community. Since 2011, volunteer seamstresses from the tribe have been making star quilts for graduates. Normally, students would be wrapped in the handmade quilts and presented with eagle feathers during an honoring ceremony inside the tribe’s community center. In 2020, however, due to COVID-19 restrictions, tribal leaders convened the ceremony outdoors and included a car parade of graduates throughout the community.
Revitalizing Seed Knowledge
Indian Country Today, Dan Bigbee, May 19
When the Pawnee lived in present day Nebraska, they grew corn to sustain the people. The tribe had developed a great knowledge on how to care for and grow Pawnee corn. Much of the knowledge and the seeds were lost in the move to Oklahoma. The Pawnee Seed Preservation Project works to revitalize the knowledge and the seed bank so that Pawnee corn can once again be a part of their lives.
Plants To Be Reviewed Amid Oil And Gas Fight
Indian Country Today, Susan Montoya Bryan, May 19
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will take a closer look at two rare plants found only in northwestern New Mexico to see if they warrant protection under the federal Endangered Species Act as environmentalists push to stop oil and gas development in the region. The agency’s decision to review the Aztec gilia and Clover’s cactus came Tuesday, after being petitioned by environmentalists nearly a year ago. The fight over drilling in the San Juan Basin has spanned multiple presidential administrations and both sides of the political aisle. Environmental groups began by raising concerns about the potential for increased pollution across the region and some Native American tribes joined the fight, calling for a permanent moratorium that would prohibit development in more areas beyond the boundaries of Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Legislation that would establish a buffer on federal land surrounding the park is pending in Congress. Groups also have been pressuring Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a former New Mexico congresswoman and the first Native American to head a cabinet department, to take executive action.