COMPILED By ANN TOINEETA
One Feather Intern
Commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn
The National Park Service will be partnering with Tribal Nations and a variety of Indigenous individuals and organizations to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in southeastern Montana on June 25, 26, and 27. “The Battle of the Little Bighorn, fought on June 25–26, 1876, in what is now southeastern Montana, was a major conflict between the combined forces of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes and the 7th U.S. Cavalry.”
Sources: https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/150th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-the-little-bighorn/
https://southeastmontana.com/battle-little-bighorn-150
Indigenous pride event held in New York City
Nonprofit organizations, INDIGiQUEER and Urban Indigenous Collective collaborated on a pride event for Indigenous LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit people titled Ballroom Pow Wow, which was held in Brooklyn on June 24. The event was “a vibrant celebration of identity, resistance and community care, uniting Indigenous and Ballroom cultures for a one-of-a-kind, unforgettable night.”
Source: https://www.indigiqueer.org/events
Delaware introduces legislation to create the state’s first Commission on Indigenous Affairs
The House of Representatives has passed House Bill 365, a bill introduced by Delaware lawmakers that would create the state’s first ever Commission on Indigenous Affairs. If it is established, “the commission would be tasked with providing state policymakers with Indigenous perspectives and advising them about how policies, laws and administrative rules would impact Delaware’s Indigenous communities.”
$25 million donation to the University of Washington to be used to increase healthcare in Indigenous and rural communities
The University of Washington School of Medicine Student Education Program has received a $25 million donation that will be used to “create a scholarship to increase primary-care physicians that serve Indigenous and rural communities across the school’s five-state service region — Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho, known to the school as the WWAMI region.”
Source: https://ictnews.org/uncategorized/increasing-healthcare-in-rural-and-indigenous-communities/
Rescinding termination of environmental justice grants could impact Nevada tribe
A South Carolina federal judge ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to terminate the $2.8 billion Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program was illegal. For the Walker River Paiute Tribe in Nevada, “the program’s termination eliminated a $20 million EPA grant that would have funded a multi-year climate resiliency plan to deliver water, energy, and food infrastructure to about 1,200 tribal members who live on the Walker River Reservation.” This new ruling could have positive effects for the tribe.
Tohono O’odham Nation files lawsuit against U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The Tohono O’odham Nation in southern Arizona has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “over its plans to construct a border wall on the tribe’s lands.” The nation said that building the wall would be illegal and DHS entering the nation would be considered trespassing.
Lummi Nation asks court to halt construction activities in Point Roberts, Wash.
The Lummi Nation has asked a federal court to halt construction activities in Point Roberts, Wash. due to the continued disturbance of ancestral burial grounds and human remains. “The injunction seeks to stop additional disturbances, protect known archaeological sites, and grant the Lummi Nation access to areas impacted by Whidbey Telecom’s construction work.”
SAMHSA allocates millions to strengthen mental health and recovery care among Native tribes
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will be “allocating millions to strengthen mental health and substance use prevention, treatment, recovery, and crisis response services among Native tribes.” This includes $20 million for Tribal 988 Response Cooperative Agreements and $15.3 million for Tribal Behavioral Health Suicide Prevention programs.
Man who beat an elder Navajo woman released from prison
Preston Tolth has been released from prison five years after beating and robbing Ella Mae Begay, a Navajo elder, weaver of Navajo-style rugs, and grandmother of nine. However, Begay has been missing since that day five years ago.
Lumbee voters reject casino amendment
Citizens of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina have voted to reject a constitutional amendment that would have “cleared the way for tribal gaming and a proposed casino resort development in Robeson County.” 62 percent of voters opposed the amendment and 38 percent were in favor.
Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians brings Takelma language classes to Oregon schools
The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians in Roseburg, Oregon will be partnering with local schools to bring Takelma language classes to students this fall. Takelma, the tribe’s ancestral language, was on the verge of extinction before language revitalization efforts started in 2012.
Source: https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/tribe-partners-with-school-district-for-language-credits/
Climate change and Wabanaki Nation signs to be restored at Acadia National Park
“A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore signs at national parks across the country including signs on climate change and the Wabanaki Nation that were removed at Acadia National Park” in Bar Harbor, Maine. This comes after Trump’s 2025 “executive order for the National Park Service to remove signs that could ‘disparage Americans past or living’ and distract from the ‘grandeur of the American landscape.’”
Caddo Nation to open new childcare facility this fall
The Caddo Nation in Binger, Okla. will be opening a new childcare facility this fall. The nation partnered with MASS Design, “a nonprofit design lab that works with tribal nations to help develop new culturally-informed infrastructure, to create a culturally informed multi-purpose facility.”
Source: https://ictnews.org/news/caddo-nation-prepares-for-opening-of-new-childcare-center/
