Good Morning, NUNAverse,
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which develops and executes the President’s budget, announced it has appointed Elizabeth Carr (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) to the new permanent Tribal Policy Advisor position. The position was created to advocate for the needs of Indian Country and ensure the office meets priorities for Indigenous communities.
Last week, Mohegan Chief Marilynn “Lynn” Malerba was sworn in as the Treasurer of the United States, the first Native person to hold that office. Her signature will now appear along with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on U.S. currency. Secretary Yellen hailed the appointment at the Treasury Department ceremony as a sign of the Biden administration’s “respect for, and commitment toward, our nation-to-nation relationship, trust and treaty responsibilities, and Tribal sovereignty and self-determination.”
Life expectancy for Native and Alaska Native individuals declined more than any other race between 2020 and 2021, according to new data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The data shows the decline in Native communities was due primarily to increases in mortality due to COVID-19 — which impacted Indigenous peoples more than any other race — as well as unintentional injuries, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, suicide, and heart disease.
The National Congress of American Indians announced last week that it has elevated Larry Wright, Jr. (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) to the post of executive director for the national advocacy group. Wright, a former tribal chairman of 11 years, has been serving as NCAI’s acting executive director in addition to his role as the director of leadership engagement for the organization.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Politics:
Office Of Management And Budget Names Elizabeth Carr First Ever Tribal Policy Advisor
Native News Online, September 13
Malerba Sworn In As 1st Native American In US Treasurer Post
AP News, Fatima Hussein, September 12
Remarks By Secretary Of The Treasury Janet L. Yellen At Chief Lynn Malerba’s Swearing In Ceremony As The United States Treasurer
US Department of the Treasury, September 12
Interior Leaders To Testify On Department’s Commitment To Strengthening Indian Country
Native News Online, September 12
Law:
Coquille Finally Get Hunting Rights
Indian Country Today, Mark Freeman, September 16
South Dakota Settles With Tribal Nations In Voting Rights Lawsuit
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, September 13
Boarding Schools:
First National Gathering On Unmarked Burials At Residential Schools Concludes
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, September 14
Health:
Native American And Alaska Native Life Expectancy Declines, CDC Reports
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, September 12
Native Mascots:
2 Illinois Sites Get New Names, Eliminating Derogatory Term
AP News, September 17
Maine’s 1st Ski Mountain Restores Historic Name
AP News, September 14
Other:
State Of Unease: Colorado Basin Tribes Without Water Rights
AP News, Felicia Fonseca, September 17
Detroit Lions Rookie Malcolm Rodriguez Joins The Community Of Indigenous Nfl Players
Native News Online, September 16
Alaska Native Corporation Pursues Denali-Area Airport To Bring Tourists
Anchorage Daily News, Alex DeMarban, September 16
1700-Mile Run Will Have Tribal Members Striding For Sovereignty
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, September 15
Sacheen Littlefeather Reflects On Her Protest Against Hollywood’s Depiction Of Native Americans
CNN, Harmeet Kaur, September 14
Native American Church Of North America Advocates At Capitol Hill For Protections Of Peyote
Native News Online, Darren Thompson, September 14
Congress Told Colleges To Return Native Remains. What’s Taking So Long?
The New York Times, September 14
US Withdraws Polluted Montana Site From New Mining
AP News, September 14
NCAI Announces Larry Wright Jr. As New Executive Director
Native News Online, September 12
The University Of North Dakota Will Return Native American Remains To Tribal Homes
NPR, September 12