Good morning, NUNAverse:
Earlier this month, as part of Minnesota’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget, a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives office was confirmed to be established. The office will be located within the Department of Public Safety in St. Paul, Minnesota. Five other states – Arizona, Indiana, South Dakota, Montana, and New Mexico – have offices for MMIW cold cases established under the Operation Lady Justice Task Force, an executive order signed by President Trump in 2019. Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan said the goal of the new office is to look at underlying causes of the issue and create policy solutions for the Governor’s office and state Legislature.
The Biden administration said Thursday that it is ending large-scale, old-growth timber sales in the country’s largest national forest— the Tongass National Forest in Alaska — and will focus on forest restoration, recreation, and other noncommercial uses. The U.S. Agriculture Department, which includes the Forest Service, also said it will take steps to reverse a Trump administration decision last year to lift restrictions on logging and road-building in the southeast Alaska rainforest, which provides habitat for wolves, bears, and salmon. A 2001 rule prohibits road construction and timber harvests with limited exceptions on nearly one-third of national forest land. The Trump administration moved to exempt the Tongass from those prohibitions.
At the request of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the state of Washington, the Federal Emergency Management Agency Tuesday issued a disaster declaration for a wildfire in north central Washington. The declaration authorizes the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs. The Chuweah Creek Fire was sparked by lightning Monday evening. The first reports of fire came at 7:15 p.m. local time southeast of Nespelem, a town of 200 on the reservation. Driven by wind and fueled with tall grass, sagebrush, and timber, the fire spread quickly. Nespelem was evacuated Monday night. It remains under evacuation notice, said Colville Tribal Chairman Andrew “Badger” Joseph.
A Kansas racial justice panel appointed by Governor Laura Kelly has recommended banning Native mascots and team names in public schools. The 15-member Commission on Racial Justice and Equity created a list of recommendations after meeting with Kansas Department of Commerce officials, Kansas Department of Health and Environment staff and others, according to the report. The panel recommends against mascots with Native imagery and team names — unless used by tribal educational institutions, such as tribal schools. The report recommends for lawmakers in Kansas to model legislation after a bill Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signed into law last month directing local school boards to ban “racially discriminatory” mascots, logos, and names.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Law:
Legislation To Legalize Cannabis Nationwide Introduced
Native News Online, July 15
U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have introduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act that will legalize cannabis nationwide and present opportunities for people of color to participate in the industry. Several tribes and Native-owned business enterprises are entering the cannabis industry. The cannabis industry, which employs over 320,000 workers and generated over $17.5 billion in sales in 2020, also presents a significant opportunity for economic empowerment. The industry saw 32 percent growth in 2020 as well. By 2025, it is estimated that the cannabis industry could have nearly $45.9 billion in annual sales. The legislation also addresses the disproportionate rates of marijuana arrests among people of color arrested annually. For example, the U.S. Dept. of Justice’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program revealed Native Americans in South Dakota accounted for 8.9 percent of population in 2016, but comprised 29.3 percent of all marijuana possession arrests that year.
MMIW:
Minnesota’s First MMIW Office To Open
Indian Country Today, Kalle Benallie, July 15
On July 1, as part of Minnesota’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget, a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives office was confirmed to be established. The budget is $1 million biennium and will hire four full-time staff. It will be located within the Department of Public Safety in St. Paul, Minnesota. The name change from MMIW to “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office” is to include the two spirit community. Five other states –Arizona, Indiana, South Dakota, Montana and New Mexico–have offices for MMIW cold cases established under the Operation Lady Justice Task Force, an executive order signed by President Trump in 2019. As part of the Operation Lady Justice initiative, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced the Missing and Murdered Unit this year.
Native Mascots:
Racial Justice Panel In Kansas Issues Recommendations
AP News, Andy Tsubasa Field, July 15
A Kansas racial justice panel appointed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has recommended banning Native American mascots and team names in public schools. The 15-member Commission on Racial Justice and Equity created a list of recommendations after meeting with Kansas Department of Commerce officials, Kansas Department of Health and Environment staff and others, according to the report. The panel recommends against mascots with Native American imagery and team names — unless used by tribal educational institutions, such as tribal schools. The report recommends for lawmakers in Kansas to model legislation after a bill Democratic Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed into law last month directing local school boards to ban “racially discriminatory” mascots, logos and names.
Other:
US To End Large, Old-Growth Timber Sales In Alaska Forest
AP News, Matthew Daly, July 15
The Biden administration said Thursday that it is ending large-scale, old-growth timber sales in the country’s largest national forest — the Tongass National Forest in Alaska — and will focus on forest restoration, recreation and other noncommercial uses. The U.S. Agriculture Department, which includes the Forest Service, also said it will take steps to reverse a Trump administration decision last year to lift restrictions on logging and road-building in the southeast Alaska rainforest, which provides habitat for wolves, bears and salmon. A 2001 rule prohibits road construction and timber harvests with limited exceptions on nearly one-third of national forest land. The Trump administration moved to exempt the Tongass from those prohibitions, something Alaska political leaders had sought for years.
Colville Reservation Fire Consumes 34 Square Miles, With 20 Percent Containment
Indian Country Today, Joaqlin Estus, July 15
At the request of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the state of Washington, the Federal Emergency Management Agency Tuesday issued a disaster declaration for a wildfire in north central Washington. The declaration authorizes the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs. The Chuweah Creek Fire was sparked by lightning Monday evening. The first reports of fire came at 7:15 p.m. local time southeast of Nespelem, a town of 200 on the reservation. Driven by wind and fueled with tall grass, sagebrush and timber, the fire spread quickly. Nespelem was evacuated Monday night. It remains under evacuation notice, said Colville Tribal Chairman Andrew “Badger” Joseph.
Native Coalition Partners With Israeli Company To Bring Clean Water To Rural Navajo Community
Native News Online, Andrew Kennard, July 15
The Rocky Ridge Gas and Market is the only store in a rural Navajo community in northeastern Arizona. It offers a variety of basic needs, including food, toilet paper and, most recently, clean drinking water. From a concrete pad next to the store, a pilot project from Watergen Inc. is providing a new water source to a community where access to water has been limited by drought, lack of infrastructure, and coal mining. Watergen is an Israeli company that produces generators that capture and filter moisture from the air to provide drinkable water. The company donated one of its Gen-M generators to a community in the Hard Rock Chapter of the Navajo Nation as part of its mission to increase access to water around the world.
Native In The Arts Spotlight: Visual Artist Andrea Carlson Talks About Her Chicago “You Are On Potawatomi Land” Mural
Native News Online, Monica Whitepigeon, July 15
The “Windy City” is undergoing a cultural reckoning, especially within the public art scene, and Native people are making their presence known. Just below the city’s ever-changing skyline is its RiverWalk that caters to tourists by offering architectural boat tours and restaurants/bars along the southside of the Chicago River. Above the ticket stands is a mural with an eloquent reminder, “Bodéwadmikik ėthë yéyék/You are on Potawatomi Land.” The multilingual mural was created by local Ojibwe artist Andrea Carlson. It was installed this past June and will be on display for at least the next two years. The project was designated before Chicago’s recently established monuments committee, which was created in response to last year’s protests against the Columbus statues and aims to rectify monuments throughout the city.