— The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) met today during the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) to advance work on their renewed Declaration of Kinship and Cooperation (“the Declaration”), which was renewed and signed in a ceremony on March 24 of this year. The Declaration is a shared commitment to advancing the rights, well-being, and self-determination of First Peoples across the Canada–United States border.


Building on the momentum of the renewed Declaration, NCAI and AFN leaders met to advance collaboration and Indigenous-led solutions across key commitments. The meeting today focused on Indigenous free trade and border mobility, including the removal of tariffs on Indigenous trade, and the international trade of medicines, cultural, and traditional items related to Indigenous health. Today’s meeting reflects a continued focus on practical actions and collective leadership during a time of evolving political landscapes in both countries.

“Today’s meeting reflects the strength of our renewed kinship and our shared responsibility to act together on behalf of our Nations,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “Our Peoples have always maintained connections across these borders, and through this work with the Assembly of First Nations, we are advancing practical, Indigenous-led solutions that protect our rights, support our well-being, and strengthen the future for generations to come.”


“The First Peoples have always maintained relationships that exist and extend well beyond imposed borders,” said AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak. “We are joining together to make tangible progress that supports our economies, ensures our people can move freely, and ensures our rights are upheld and respected. Our unity and momentum send a clear message to all governments and Nations: we can work together in partnership to advance solutions that benefit everyone.”

The theme of the 25th session of the UNPFII is 

“Ensuring Indigenous Peoples’ health, including in the context of conflict.”

 The AFN and NCAI recognize the importance of youth in all their work and were actively involved in today’s meeting, leading a session on Indigenous mental wellness, addictions and health.

“As young First Peoples of Canada, we are carrying both the impacts of intergenerational trauma and the strength of our Nations,” said Hanna Sewell, citizen of Batchewana First Nation and member of the AFN National Youth Council. “Our Nations are tackling mental wellness by grounding preventative solutions in our languages, revitalization of traditions, and connections to our sovereign territories. While the world is trying to adapt to the constantly changing geopolitics, young people across the globe are looking for a positive path forward that can benefit us all. We know the solutions that work. Cooperation across colonial borders allows us to share knowledge and build stronger, healthier futures for youth on both sides of the Medicine Line for seven generations to come.”

During the meeting, NCAI and AFN reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation, strengthening advocacy at the international level, and advancing shared priorities through coordinated action. The NCAI and AFN will continue to meet regularly as affirmed in the Declaration. This work reflects a renewed and focused leadership approach rooted in unity, respect, and the enduring kinship among First Peoples.

###

About the National Congress of American Indians:

Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of Tribal governments and communities, promoting strong Tribal-federal government-to-government policies and a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people, and rights. For more information, visit www.ncai.org.

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a national advocacy organization that works to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations individuals and communities across Canada on matters of national or international nature and concern.

First Nations Leaders from Canada and the United States Demonstrate Unity and Joint Action at UNPFII

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) honors former National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland (Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe) for her longstanding service to Tribal Nations and her broad contributions across Indian Country as she ends her federal service. Hovland has built a career grounded in public service, Tribal leadership, and a deep commitment to strengthening Native communities. At the NIGC — where she served in multiple leadership roles and as Vice Chair since January 17, 2021 — she has helped regulate and protect the integrity of more than 500 Tribal gaming facilities operated by over 245 Tribal Nations across 29 states.

Throughout her time in leadership, Hovland championed Tribal sovereignty, supported the long-term strength of Tribal gaming, and helped ensure that the industry continues to serve as an economic engine for Tribal Nations and their citizens. In recent years, her work has also included elevating awareness around urgent community safety issues, including efforts to combat human trafficking and other threats facing Tribal communities. The NIGC has specifically highlighted her advocacy for protecting Tribal sovereignty, developing the next generation of gaming leaders, and securing federal resources to address these issues.

“Jeannie has been a long-time friend and someone I have respected for many years,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “Her work has never been limited to one lane. She has shown up for Indian Country across many areas — always with professionalism, heart, and a sincere commitment to Indian Country. She understands the responsibility that comes with leadership, and she has carried that responsibility with grace, strength, and consistency. Beyond her diligence and advocacy, I have always appreciated the way she has remained grounded and active in service to Native communities. Her contributions have made a real difference, and we are grateful for all she has done.”

NCAI recognizes that Hovland’s service reflects the kind of leadership that matters deeply in Indian Country: leadership rooted in relationships, accountability, and a clear understanding that the work must always center on supporting Tribal Nations and future generations.

NCAI extends its appreciation to Vice Chair Hovland for her years of service and wishes her continued success in all that lies ahead.

NCAI Honors Former National Indian Gaming Commission Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland

June 14–17, 2026 | Renasant Convention Center

Join us for NCAI's 2026 Mid Year Convention & Marketplace! Work collaboratively with federal partners and Tribal organizations to defend and enhance Tribal sovereignty. 

Tribal leaders, NCAI members, Native youth, and partners from across Indian Country will gather for daily thematic programming featuring plenary panels and breakout sessions highlighting Tribal civic engagement, pertinent legislation and advocacy updates, and Tribal governance best practices.

Register Now for Mid Year 2026

Tribal Leaders Media Training & Communications Fellowship

Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University

Open to Tribal Leaders and Tribal communications professionals, the fellowship provides targeted learning and hands-on practice to increase communication skills and expand media presence to meet their community needs.

Build the skills to amplify your Tribal Nation’s priorities in today’s media landscape.

By the end of this training, participants will know how to:

Create strong narratives, tell compelling stories, and deliver effective messages.

Use their voices and digital tools to advocate for policy change at all levels.

Build and maintain relationships with news outlets and media professionals.


I have never been in a room full of people who look like my cousins, studying communications. I was moved. I felt like I was part of something important and I am a vital piece moving forward.

 Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Arizona State University

 includes lunch and snacks for all program days

Transportation to and from the program site, lodging, and additional meals are not included. A room block is available at the U.S. government rate.

 who understand the unique media landscape of Indian Country

 and storytelling techniques to mobilize your communities & advance policy

 reporters, Tribal leaders, and political strategists on the importance of communications.

 and pitch stories that matter while navigating diverse interview environments.

fellows will receive 50% off their registration fee for NCAI's 83rd Annual Convention & Marketplace

 in October 2026 after successful completion of the program.

Register Now for the 2026 Tribal Leaders Media Training & Communications Fellowship

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) celebrates the achievements of Native women leaders of NCAI and across Indian Country. NCAI was established in response to federal termination and assimilation policies with a mission grounded in protecting treaty rights, defending Tribal sovereignty, and uniting Tribal Nations around shared priorities. In 1944, six women attended NCAI’s first convention, contributing to the organization’s formation and representing their Tribal Nations as they adopted resolutions that reflected this purpose.


“NCAI is strong because Native women continue to lead at every level of this organization,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “Every day, the Native women of NCAI demonstrate what leadership looks like in service to Indian Country. We proudly recognize the women whose voices are guiding critical conversations on sovereignty, governance, community well-being, and the future of our Nations. Their service reflects the strength, wisdom, and responsibility that Native women have always carried in Tribal leadership.”


From the very beginning of NCAI’s history, women have served critical roles in advancing that work. NCAI’s earliest leadership included Ruth Muskrat Bronson (Cherokee), who served as the organization’s first Executive Director, followed by other influential leaders including: Helen Peterson (Oglala Sioux), Suzan Shown Harjo (Cheyenne/Muscogee), A. Gay Kingman (Cheyenne River Sioux), Rachel Joseph (Lone Pine Paiute), JoAnn K. Chase (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara), and Jacqueline Johnson Pata (Tlingit). Women have also served across NCAI’s Executive Committee, including in NCAI’s highest elected office: Presidents Veronica L. Homer (Mohave), Susan Masten (Yurok), and Fawn Sharp (Quinault Indian Nation). These women, along with the countless others who have served in leadership positions with NCAI, have helped shape policy advocacy, elevate Tribal priorities on a national stage, strengthen organizational capacity, and move Indian Country forward across generations.


When asked about her experience, former NCAI President Susan Masten said, “It was an honor to be one of only three women to serve as President of NCAI, alongside Veronica Homer and Fawn Sharp. Native women bring strength, wisdom, and compassion to our Nations. Our leadership is rooted in culture and guided by our ancestors. During Women’s History Month, I honor the women who came before us and the young women who will carry our Nations forward.”


Today, the women serving on NCAI’s Executive Committee include Recording Secretary Christie Modlin (Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma), Treasurer Ashley Cornforth (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community), Midwest Regional Vice President Wendy Merrill (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe), Pacific Regional Vice President Geneva Mojado (Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians), Southeast Regional Vice President Lora Ann Chaisson (United Houma Nation), and Eastern Oklahoma Alternate Vice President Pamela Shaw (Osage Nation). Their service reflects the enduring strength, vision, and commitment that Native women bring to governance, advocacy, and nation-building.


“When we look across Indian Country, we see the lasting impact of women leaders who have built strong institutions, defended Tribal interests, and created pathways for future generations,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “From the women who helped shape NCAI’s own history to the many women leading Native-serving organizations and Tribal Nations today, their work has advanced policy, protected families, strengthened communities, and helped ensure that our Native voices are heard and represented in every space where decisions are made.”


As NCAI continues its work to protect Tribal sovereignty and uphold nation-to-nation relationships, we honor the women whose leadership has helped define NCAI’s work for more than eight decades. Their contributions are woven into the history of NCAI, the progress of Tribal Nations, and the future of Indian Country.


Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of Tribal governments and communities, promoting strong Tribal-federal government-to-government policies and a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people, and rights. For more information, visit 

NCAI Honors the Women Who Have Helped Shape Indian Country and Strengthen Tribal Sovereignty

— The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) today renewed their shared commitment to unity, cooperation, and mutual support through a Declaration of Kinship and Cooperation among the Indigenous Peoples and Nations of North America. The declaration was signed during the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s Reservation Economic Summit (RES).

The declaration formalizes collaboration between NCAI and AFN to advance the well-being, rights, and priorities of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and First Nations on issues of shared international concern.

“Though borders were imposed upon our homelands, the relationships among our peoples never ceased,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “Trade did not end. Traditions endured. Our kinship has remained strong across generations. By renewing this declaration with the Assembly of First Nations, we reaffirm that our voices are strongest when we stand together in mutual respect, solidarity, and collective purpose.”

The renewed declaration reflects the enduring ties among Indigenous Nations across North America and strengthens collaboration on shared priorities, including international advocacy, sovereignty, and engagement with future generations of Indigenous leaders.

“With this agreement, we look forward to working alongside President Macarro today and the NCAI in unity, solidarity and friendship to realize the full potential our First Nations economy in North America,” said AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak. “Despite the risks we face with Canada-US trade and the growth of extremism around the world, I am optimistic because First Nations on both sides of the Medicine Line are already making so much positive change. Unlike colonial governments, our leaders are showing it is still possible to tackle difficult cross-border discussions and shine a light on solutions. United, we can do anything we put our minds to.”

Leaders noted that RES provided an important space to publicly advance this renewed commitment. International convenings like RES create opportunities for Indigenous leaders to strengthen relationships, align priorities, and build momentum for cooperative action across Nations and across borders.

NCAI and AFN emphasized a shared belief that Indigenous youth must remain central to this work, ensuring that future generations inherit strong relationships, strong institutions, and strong pathways for collaboration.

“We are grateful to NCAIED and RES for creating the space for this important moment,” said Macarro. “This renewed declaration is a sacred affirmation that we are, and have always been, relatives — yesterday, today, and forever.”

NCAI and Assembly of First Nations Renew Declaration of Kinship and Cooperation at Reservation Economic Summit

 | As tensions rise across the United States, especially in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the number of incidents where Tribal citizens are being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is increasing.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is deeply troubled by these and other incidents and encourages Tribal citizens to ensure they are familiar with their rights both as citizens of their Tribal Nations and as citizens of the United States.

The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) has compiled 

Resources for Individuals and Nonprofits Approached by ICE

. This document includes information about Tribal citizen rights if approached at home, work, or in public.

NCAI encourages all Tribal citizens to carry at least one form of legal identification (e.g., non-expired Tribal or state ID, passport, or birth certificate). It is particularly important to note that federal law enforcement may not be familiar with Tribal IDs. If an ICE agent does not accept your Tribal ID as identification, NARF recommends that you request to speak to their supervisor. Native Americans who believe their rights have been violated can call NARF at 303-447-8760.

NCAI stands with Tribal Nations and their citizens across the United States impacted by recent ICE actions and enforcement activity. We will remain unified in supporting Tribes with accurate information, rights-based education, and coordinating resources to protect our communities and Native people.

About the National Congress of American Indians: 

Knowing Your Rights as Citizens of Tribal Nations and the United States

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 

 in Yellen v. Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, et al., holding that Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) are included in the definition of “Indian tribes” under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDA) and thus eligible for funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Court stated that the ruling “does not ‘vest ANCs with new and untold tribal powers,’” but rather “confirms the powers Congress expressly afforded ANCs and that the Executive Branch has long understood ANCs to possess.”

“The relationship between Tribal Nations and the federal government was born out of conflict and it has fallen upon every generation to carry forward our inherent tribal sovereignty to serve our tribal citizens. We must continue to all work together with the United States to actively support strong Nation-to-Nation relationships,” said NCAI President Fawn Sharp. “NCAI looks forward to continuing our work representing tribal governments and working with Alaska Native Corporations, tribal partners, and other allies to ensure that the United States meets its treaty obligations and its trust responsibilities to moving forward.”



Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments and communities, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. For more information, visit

NCAI on U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Yellen v. Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, et al.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is encouraged by the Biden Administration’s support for the $1.2 trillion 

, in what would be a historic, long-term investment in clean solutions for transportation, water, broadband, and power infrastructure. For decades, the federal government has recognized that Indian Country has substandard and 

 infrastructure in every sector.

“We are encouraged to hear of the Biden-Harris Administration’s support for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, which has the potential to bring transformational change to the crumbling infrastructure which plagues Indian Country and many other communities,” said NCAI President Fawn Sharp. “The Administration’s recent investment in tribal broadband is a positive step forward, and the American Jobs Plan and the funding it would provide to fix and build roads, water systems, schools, hospitals, and all the other things we need to foster thriving tribal communities, is significant and long-overdue.”

On April 13, 2021, NCAI and 30 American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) organizations, which collectively serve more than 574 federally recognized tribal governments, sent a letter to Congress and the White House requesting resources to urgently address neglected and dilapidated infrastructure that requires improvements to meet the health, safety, welfare, and development needs of AI/AN communities. On May 28, 2021, the President released his 

 to Congress. This budget proposal included substantial investments in tribal infrastructure, which Tribal Nations are urging Congress to include in any upcoming budget negotiations. 

Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments and communities, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. For more information, visit 

NCAI Encouraged by President Biden’s Support for Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework

NCAI President Sharp’s Statement of Support for Juneteenth:

“Today, we honor and celebrate 

 as a national holiday. On June 19th, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news the Civil War ended and slaves were now free. 

A Civil War continues to this day and it never really ended. Truth be told, we remain sharply divided as a country and, along with our Black brothers and sisters, we have yet to break free from the shackles of centuries of systemic and institutional racism, oppression, and marginalization.

Our day of freedom and emancipation will no doubt come. Until then, we will continue to speak our painful truths, demand justice and equality for all, and rise toward God’s perfect glory for each of us, individually, and this great nation, collectively.”



Statement: NCAI President Sharp’s Statement of Support for Juneteenth

After many hours of negotiation with leaders of the Washington State Legislature and Governor Inslee’s office and consultation with Tribal Nations in the state of Washington, advocacy groups, businesses, and many others, two historic measures to address the climate crisis recently become law. These measures are consistent with standing National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) policy on Climate Change, especially with respect to our position on the United Nation’s Declaration of Indigenous Peoples Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (UNDRIP-FPIC).

Washington Tribal Nations endorsed and worked hard for the adoption of this measure based on the assurance that they would be fully consulted on new projects related to this measure, especially those that might impact cultural, archeological, or sacred sites. Moreover, as the original people of the lands and waters that comprise Washington state, they won a clear acknowledgement that they should be at the table when these critical conversations take place as the bill passed the legislature.

The good faith negotiations leading to the adoption of this and other provisions took place with legislative leaders and directly with the Governor’s office. It was, therefore, disappointing to learn of the Governor’s surprise and last-minute veto of the tribal consent and consultation provisions.

We were further displeased to learn of the Governor’s recent response to a reporter’s question in which he implied the nationally elected president of NCAI, Fawn Sharp, is not a real leader. Those remarks suggest a division of leadership rank and legitimacy in Washington.

Tribal leaders are not divided. We support all leaders we elect at the national level, and we expect that they will be treated with respect.

We extend our support for the work of all Washington state tribal leaders who seek to resolve the issues raised by the Governor’s veto. NCAI’s policy as voted upon by the NCAI General Assembly of Tribal Nations (

), is congruent with the action of the Washington State legislature including the section that was vetoed.

Thus, we fully support a robust consultation process leading to the statewide adoption of a Free, Prior, and Informed Consent policy that protects the inherent civil and human rights of Tribal Nations, including their cultural, archeological, or sacred sites, and that recognizes the role Tribal Nations have held since time immemorial as stewards of the land, and that they continue to hold as they uphold the rights of future generations.

Statement: NCAI Supports Development of Robust Tribal Consultation Process in Washington State

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) joined Indian Country this week in celebrating the termination of the Keystone XL Pipeline project. TC Energy, the Canadian company behind the project, confirmed news of the pipeline’s closure on June 9, 2021, about five months after the Biden Administration revoked the Keystone XL Pipeline permit in January.

NCAI has long 

 the construction of pipelines that could endanger the lands, waters, communities, and sacred sites of sovereign Tribal Nations.

”We have a very clear vision for our collective future, it’s a vision for a clean, healthy, sustainable and prosperous future for the next seven generations,” said NCAI President Fawn Sharp. “The Keystone XL Pipeline was a direct and imminent threat to that future and, today, we honor every voice who stood in solidarity to ensure our collective vision becomes a bright reality.”

The closure of the pipeline signifies a step forward in combatting climate change and in ending the imposition upon the lands and ways of life within Indian Country. NCAI recognizes the continued need to strengthen Nation-to-Nation relationships and will continue to push for 

 between the federal government and Tribal Nations in all matters where the environmental, cultural, and spiritual wellbeing of tribal citizens are concerned.



NCAI Celebrates the Keystone XL Pipeline’s Termination

WASHINGTON D.C. -- Shannon Holsey, Treasurer of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and President of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, delivered opening remarks today as the White House 

 Broadband deployment as a key component of President’s Biden infrastructure plan, also known as the American Jobs Plan. Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo also delivered remarks from the White House complex and discussed how this investment would be aimed toward tribal communities. Secretary Raimondo announced that the Department of Commerce would make $1 billion in funding available to tribal governments, tribal colleges and universities, and tribal organizations for broadband infrastructure.

“Thanks to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris - my community and others like mine are finally being heard, and our longstanding infrastructure issues are addressed. Indian Country is 100 percent behind the Administration and looks forward to working through a strong partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration,” Holsey said. “Expanding broadband to our communities is not just a game changer - it is a life changer to tribal communities like mine and all Tribal Nations across the country.”

There are 574 federally recognized Tribal Nations within the United States that are rich in their geographic, political, and cultural diversity. For decades, the federal government has recognized that Indian Country has substandard infrastructure in every sector. According to a 2019 Federal Communications Commission report, individuals residing on tribal lands are nearly 4.5 times less likely to have Broadband internet access as compared to those on non-tribal lands. This chronic underfunding of infrastructure exacerbated the vulnerability of American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulted in tribal communities having at times the highest rate of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths per capita in the United States.

On April 13, 2021, NCAI and 30 AI/AN organizations, which collectively serve over 580 federally recognized tribal governments, sent a letter to Congress and the White House requesting resources to urgently address neglected and dilapidated infrastructure that requires improvements to meet the health, safety, welfare, and development needs of AI/AN communities. On May 28, 2021, the President released his 

 to Congress. This budget proposal includes substantial investments in tribal infrastructure, which Tribal Nations are urging Congress to include in any upcoming budget negotiations. In an effort to address immediate broadband needs today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration released its 

 for tribal governments, tribal colleges and universities, tribal organizations, and Alaska Native Corporations to access approximately $1 billion in funding for broadband infrastructure. The deadline to apply for this funding is September 1, 2021.



NCAI Participates in White House Announcement of Historic Investment in Broadband for Indian Country

The discovery of the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in Canada is a sorrowful reminder that the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has repeatedly called for transparency and accountability for the historical and generational trauma caused by Native American boarding schools in the United States. In 2016 and 2017, NCAI called upon the United States government and organizations that operated residential boarding schools to fully account for their treatment of Native children and be fully transparent in providing records related to enrollment and living conditions.

“The discovery of unmarked graves of Native children at Kamloops, dating back possibly a century or more, is beyond horrific. By law, our ancestors were systematically forced into boarding schools where they were beaten, starved, sexually abused and, as we see now, died from neglect or even worse. Their families were never told the truth about what happened, and the perpetrators, individually or institutionally, were never held responsible,” said Fawn Sharp, president of NCAI. “These were lawful actions for nearly 100 years by both the United States and Canada. A new era of accountability starts with a genuine commitment to truth and reconciliation with tribal nations, and with the formation of a formal Commission to study the impacts of the Indian Boarding School Policy. We call on the federal government to finally answer for these transgressions against Native children and families.”

Historically, the Boarding School Policy of 1869 required American Indian and Alaska Native children to attend boarding schools to assimilate the children into a Westernized identity and way of life. Federal boarding school policies required AI/AN children to be taken from their families and stripped of their culture, language, and tribal identity and placed in the ‘care’ of federally run schools. Children could face severe punishment in the form of physical, mental, and emotional trauma, in addition to neglect, inadequate nutrition, disease, and succumbing to illness either as a result of either non-compliance to the assimilationist rules or as a byproduct of attending such an institution. Some students forced into these institutions between 1869 and 1972 are unaccounted for, and their fates and whereabouts remain unknown.

 to address our lost relatives and formally call upon the United States government to provide a full accounting of the total number of students removed to the custody of boarding schools or churches operating with federal funding and to account for the fate and final resting place of each child who did not survive.

 to call upon our membership to gather testimony and share information about our loved ones who attended boarding schools but who remain unaccounted for. NCAI will continue to work to ensure that none of our American Indian and Alaska Native children are ever forgotten and to right the wrongs imposed upon both past and present generations.

NCAI Calls for Transparency and Accountability for Historical and Generational Trauma Caused by Native American Boarding Schools

 – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) applaud this morning’s decision in the United States Supreme Court case 

 (19-1414). Rightfully, the Court held that tribal law enforcement have the authority to temporarily detain and search non-Indians traveling on public rights-of-way running through a reservation for suspected violations of state or federal law.

“Protecting our tribal citizens is one of the most basic services we can provide, and today every member of the Supreme Court agreed,” said Fawn Sharp, President of the National Congress of American Indians. “This 9-0 decision is one of the strongest affirmations of tribal sovereignty in a generation and helps secure Native communities. For too long, non-Native criminals escaped justice from crimes committed on tribal lands, but today’s unanimous decision in 

 is monumental in changing that. We applaud this decision and look forward to advocating for our member tribes as they improve safety and security in tribal communities as a result of this new precedent.”

This case involves the temporary detention and search of Mr. Cooley, a non-Indian, by a Crow Tribe police officer. After conducting a safety check of the vehicle parked on the side of a state roadway crossing the reservation, the tribal police officer formed the opinion that the motorist was non-Indian, observed firearms in the vehicle, and suspected possible violations of state or federal law. He detained the motorist while local and federal police were being dispatched. A subsequent search of the vehicle by the tribal police officer uncovered 50 grams of methamphetamine and additional firearms. The district court granted the driver’s motion to suppress evidence obtained by the tribal police officer, and the Ninth Circuit affirmed.

The 

, which is jointly staffed by NARF and NCAI attorneys, coordinated the preparation and filing of eight amicus briefs supporting the tribal interests in this case. NCAI joined tribal nations and inter-tribal organizations in urging the Court to reject the Ninth Circuit’s decision. NCAI’s 

 brief can be found on the Tribal Supreme Court Project’s 

, 450 U.S. 644, 566 (1981), the Court affirmed tribal inherent sovereign authority to address “conduct [that] threatens or has some direct effect on . . . the health or welfare of the tribe.” It also reasoned that not recognizing authority to detain suspected non-Indian offenders could pose serious threats to public safety in Indian country. The Court noted that several state and lower federal courts have recognized this authority and several Supreme Court opinions assumed such authority existed. Moreover, the Court pointed out, such detentions of non-Indians do not subject them to tribal law, but only to applicable state or federal law.

The Court vacated the Ninth Circuit’s decision and remanded the case for further proceedings. Read today’s opinion 

Founded in 1970, NARF is the oldest and largest non-profit dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and individual Indians nationwide. For the past 48 years, NARF has represented over 275 Tribes in 31 states in such areas as tribal jurisdiction, federal recognition, land claims, hunting and fishing rights, religious liberties, and voting rights. For more information, visit

NCAI and NARF Applaud Unanimous Supreme Court Decision to Uphold Tribal Law Enforcement Authority in United States v. Cooley

WASHINGTON D.C. -- National Congress of American Indians President Fawn Sharp applauds CNN's termination of its contract with senior political commentator Rick Santorum after his racist remarks at a conservative youth conference. CNN's decision upholds the network's profound responsibility to cover racial discourse equitably and responsibly.

"I am thrilled that CNN is ensuring that justice is served," President Sharp said. "This was never a matter of if a decision would be made; it was only a matter of when. I look forward to continuing to be a resource for CNN as the network works to combat racist and inaccurate narratives."

President Sharp emphasized the importance of partnerships with American Indian tribes, journalists, and media to develop creative solutions that address inaccurate portrayals of Indigenous peoples and Native erasure in the media.

The National Congress of American Indians joined tribal leaders, advocacy groups, and allies in calling for the network to cut ties with Santorum following the former Republican senator and failed GOP presidential candidate's assertion there was "nothing" in America before colonization.

Santorum's remarks propagated systematic expunction of American Indian peoples' culture and contributions to the United States. The incident highlights the critical role of media platforms like CNN in fighting the systematic eradication of Native Americans from the mainstream narrative of the United States.

Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments and communities, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. For more information, visit www.ncai.org.


NCAI President Fawn Sharp Commends CNN's Actions To Address Political Commentator Rick Santorum's Racist Remarks

WASHINGTON, DC | This morning, President Biden announced his intent to nominate Lauren J. King (Muscogee Nation) as a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. If confirmed, Ms. King would be the third active Native American federal district court judge in the United States, the fifth in the history of the federal judiciary, and the first Native American federal judge in the Western District of Washington. 

“NCAI strongly supports the nomination of Lauren J. King, a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, as the first ever Native American judge to serve on a federal bench in Washington state,” said President Fawn Sharp of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). “Washington state is home to 29 federally recognized Indian tribes, making it critical that its federal judges better reflect the communities they serve and understand the unique histories of Native peoples and the legal principles that protect and preserve our standing under federal law.”

For decades, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) and NCAI have advocated for more Native American nominees for federal judgeships. Given the unique relationship between the United States and Indian tribes under federal law, federal court decisions impact the daily lives of Native Americans more so than other American citizens. Despite this, Native Americans have been historically under-represented in the federal judiciary. In the 231-year history of federal courts, only four Native Americans have been appointed as federal judges. Currently, of the 890 authorized federal judgeships, only two Native Americans serve as active federal district court judges. If the federal judiciary reflected nationwide demographics, there would be at least 14 Native Americans serving as federal judges. 

John Echohawk, Executive Director of the Native American Rights Fund said, “Ms. King is a highly respected Native American attorney whose background and experience has prepared her well for the federal bench. We congratulate Ms. King and encourage the United States Senate to act swiftly on her confirmation.” 

Founded in 1970, NARF is the oldest and largest non-profit dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and individual Indians nationwide. For the past 48 years, NARF has represented over 275 Tribes in 31 states in such areas as tribal jurisdiction, federal recognition, land claims, hunting and fishing rights, religious liberties, and voting rights. For more information, visit 

NCAI and NARF on President Biden's Nomination of Washington State's First Ever Native American Federal Judge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2021

CONTACT: Elana Needle
Email: eneedle@unidosus.org



Civil Rights and Racial Justice Organizations Demand Accountability from CNN in Wake of Rick Santorum's Racist Remarks



Rick Santorum, a former GOP Senator from Pennsylvania, Republican presidential candidate and senior CNN political commentator, recently made racist remarks at a conservative youth conference that perpetuate the systemic erasure against the influences of indigenous peoples in the United States from their contributions – past, present and future. Mr. Santorum asserted that “We birthed a nation from nothing. . . . I mean, yes we have Native Americans, but candidly there isn’t much Native American culture in American culture.” To the contrary, Native American culture is quintessentially American culture.

These remarks are a gross attempt to play revisionist historian using classic white supremacist rhetoric, and is the exact type of dangerous manipulation we have come to expect from extremists and fringe outlets. But even worse are the great lengths to which CNN, a mainstream media platform tasked with the pursuit of truth and reporting on the facts, has gone to cover for this kind of blatant racist propaganda. It is these kinds of lies, fueled by outright racism, that continue to empower hate groups and white nationalists to commit acts of terror, including storming the Capitol on January 6th of this year.

It is bad enough that a one-time presidential candidate and former Senator is willing to promote false narratives for political gain. But to essentially justify the murder of millions of American Indians and Alaska Natives and the taking of their lands, and in the process erase their legacies and co-opt their countless and enduring contributions and influence, in the name of “Judeo-Christian” values is nothing short of repulsive.
Mr. Santorum’s remarks are not only factually incorrect but they continue the erasure of Native Americans contributions to this country. Today, there are 574 federally-recognized tribes and many more state-recognized tribes with a population of over 8 million. Santorum’s inflammatory remarks dismiss each of the Tribal Nations who previously occupied the very state he represented as a member of Congress: Susquehannock, Erie, Lenape, Iroquois, Munsee, and Shawnee of Pennsylvania. In fact, it is because of our government’s aggressive and genocidal American Indian and Alaska Native removal campaigns that there are currently no federally recognized Tribal Nations in Pennsylvania.

After these remarks, CNN, a major media outlet which utilizes Mr. Santorum as a contributor made no comment, and its silence is deafening. By failing to denounce these comments, CNN intrinsically ties itself to a blatantly racist commentator. And, this is not the first time that CNN has outright refused to recognize and be inclusive of American Indians and Alaska Natives. In its live Election Night coverage in November, CNN, while listing white, black, Latino and Asian voters, labeled American Indian and Alaska Native voters as “something else.” When asked to issue an apology for that discriminatory coverage, CNN refused.

It is the denial of our government’s violent history by influential voices like Santorum, combined with the silence and complicity of media outlets like CNN, that continues to provide fodder for racists and extremists alike.

Particularly because of its continuing erasure and racism against Native Americans, we call on CNN to take immediate and swift action, including immediately denouncing these remarks, issuing a written apology to American Indian and Alaska Native communities, cutting ties with Rick Santorum, training and educating reporters and pundits on American Indian and Alaska Native culture, white supremacy and anti-racism, and encouraging reporting on race in a responsible and equitable way. The media holds enormous power and responsibility in the creation of American discourse on race; our very democracy relies on CNN rooting this discourse in racial justice values that promote the safety and wellbeing of everyone.





The Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative includes the following leading national racial equity anchor organizations (the Anchors): Advancement Project National Office, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Demos, Faith in Action, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Congress of American Indians, National Urban League, Race Forward, and UnidosUS. Supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we work together to promote racial equity, advance racial healing, and ensure that all children, families, and communities have opportunities to reach their full potential.

Joint Statement: Civil Rights and Racial Justice Organizations Demand Accountability from CNN in Wake of Rick Santorum's Racist Remarks

"I am heartened by yesterday’s Presidential Proclamation of May 5, 2021 as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day. For tribal communities, this all-too-real epidemic has devastated families across our nations. Victims’ families and Native advocates have marked this day to remember those we have lost but have never forgotten, and my prayers are with all of the families in Indian Country who are awaiting answers or grieving their missing relatives.

Today as we remember them, our commitment to combating the crisis on behalf of our missing and murdered Indigenous relatives does not stop at awareness. We must continue to take action. Thousands of cases of those who are missing or murdered across Indian Country still remain unsolved. We welcome the creation of the Missing and Murdered Unit at Interior to help bring closure to these families. Tribal Nations have long worked to develop innovative solutions for their communities, and we are committed to continuing to work as partners with the federal government. I also call on Congress to move swiftly to enact life-saving legislation, beginning with the 2021 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act with stronger tribal provisions.

Today and every day, those who go missing or whose murders remain unsolved stay in the forefront of our hearts and minds, and motivate us to continue to strive for policy changes that will advance our goal of protecting our citizens and creating safe and vibrant tribal communities."

Statement of President Fawn Sharp on Presidential Proclamation on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, May 5, 2021

"On behalf of the Executive Board, our Regional Vice Presidents and the entire staff, NCAI sends our deepest, most heartfelt condolences to our friends and colleagues at the Oneida Nation following the tragic shooting at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center over the weekend. We keep the victims and their loved ones especially close to our hearts.

Although Indian Country is a vast cross-section of hundreds of separate and distinct tribal reservations and communities, each with its own unique culture, language, heritage, and history, our Native ties will always bind us. Often, it feels as though we are simply a close circle of friends, so when a senseless tragedy harms one tribal community, we cannot help but feel their pain.

Today, tomorrow, and as long as NCAI is needed, we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters at the Oneida Nation. Our prayers and healing thoughts are on the way, and we stand ready to assist however we are needed."

NCAI President Fawn Sharp's Statement on the Tragic Shooting at the Oneida Casino in Wisconsin

Yesterday, on April 27, 2021, Secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI) Deb Haaland took several actions related to the fee-to-trust process at the DOI, all of which NCAI had called for in the NCAI Presidential Transition Plan. 

 reversed a 2017 Trump-era policy that removed the authority for off-reservation land acquisitions from Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Regional Offices and delegated that responsibility to the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs for non-gaming acquisitions and to the Deputy Secretary of Interior for gaming acquisitions.

In 2017, NCAI opposed the previous Administration’s decision via 

 because it occurred without tribal consultation and effectively froze off-reservation trust acquisitions. Secretarial Order 3400 now re-delegates the authority to review and approve applications to place land into trust to BIA Regional Directors, excluding decisions related to gaming applications.

Additionally, the Solicitor’s Office withdrew M-37053 and M-37055. Solicitor Opinions M-37053 and M-37055 created an unnecessarily burdensome process for Tribal Nations seeking to place land into trust under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (IRA). In their place, the Solicitor issued 

, and reinstated a previous opinion (M-37029), which has been upheld by multiple federal courts and outlines a reasonable process for tribal applications for land into trust.

The Solicitor also withdrew M-37064. This Solicitor Opinion wrongly concluded that the Secretary of Interior did not have the discretionary authority to take land into trust for Tribes in Alaska. In its place, the Solicitor issued 

, which clearly establishes the Secretary of Interior’s continuing authority under the IRA to take land in Alaska into trust for the benefit of Alaska Tribes. Interior, within the next 90 days, will schedule virtual consultation sessions with Tribal Nations to engage in meaningful and robust consultation on the Secretary’s land into trust authority in Alaska.

Tribal land restoration is vital for all Tribal Nations, but historical context creates different hurdles. Fee-to-trust efforts should assist tribal governments to overcome the geographic challenges associated with previous federal policies, such as delayed federal acknowledgment, forced relocation, and termination. Simplifying the process of reacquiring lands within or near tribal communities will hasten economic development, help some tribes reestablish a land base, and clarify jurisdiction over some tribal lands for the first time in generations.

NCAI is proud to have worked tirelessly on this issue the last several years and has strongly advocated for the restoration of tribal homelands since 1944. We are encouraged by the policy shift undertaken by the Biden Administration and the progress made in the first 100 days under the leadership of DOI Secretary Deb Haaland. We look forward to continuing to push policies forward that make Indian Country stronger, more vibrant and more united than ever.

NCAI Welcomes Movement on Land Into Trust Process at DOI

"Before I correct the record, let me address Rick Santorum directly without mincing words: Rick Santorum is an unhinged and embarrassing racist who disgraces CNN and any other media company that provides him a platform. Televising someone with his views on Native American genocide is fundamentally no different than putting an outright Nazi on television to justify the Holocaust. Any mainstream media organization should fire him or face a boycott from more than 500 Tribal Nations and our allies from across the country and worldwide.

Make your choice. Do you stand with White Supremacists justifying Native American genocide, or do you stand with Native Americans?

To correct the record, what European colonizers found in the Americas were thousands of complex, sophisticated, and sovereign Tribal Nations, each with millennia of distinct cultural, spiritual and technological development. Over millennia, they bred, cultivated and showed the world how to utilize such plants as cotton, rubber, chocolate, corn, potatoes, tomatoes and tobacco. Imagine the history of the United States without the economic contributions of cotton and tobacco alone. It's inconceivable.

As far as contributions to American culture, it is impossible to capture the significant influences from individuals with Native ancestry. How do you quantify the impact of Will Rogers in film and popular culture? Maria Tallchief, the country’s first major prima ballerina? How do you ignore Olympic gold medalists like Jim Thorpe and Billy Mills, who changed sports forever? How ignorant do you have to be not to realize the impact of Native American art on every imaginable facet of American culture, from architecture to furniture making to painting, sculpture, and writing?

But most importantly, how can anyone ignore what is arguably the single most important philosophical development of human history: environmentalism. The very concept of man as but one animal within a complex ecosystem, needing to live in harmony with nature and sustainably use natural resources. No idea is more fundamentally Native American and more explicitly spread by Native American peoples. There would be no National Park system without Native American influence.

Suppose we have a prayer of confronting climate change and centuries of selfish destruction of our planet. In that case, it is due to the wisdom of leaders like Tecumseh, Chief Seattle, Chief Joseph, Sitting Bull and so many others burning into the minds and hearts of generations of American citizens until it finally changes the way people look at the entire world.

Hopefully, sophisticated and humane Native American philosophy will win out over the caveman mentality of people like Rick Santorum. Then the survival of the human race itself will be one more contribution that Native Americans made to the world."

NCAI President Fawn Sharp’s Statement re: Rick Santorum Comments to Young American Foundation

. -- National Congress of American Indians President Fawn Sharp joined world leaders at the White House Leaders Summit on Climate yesterday to highlight the dramatic effects of climate change on Tribal Nations and the importance of tribal sovereignty and traditional knowledge in combating those effects.

President Sharp, Indigenous leaders from Brazil and Chad, and local government leaders from Mexico, France, Japan, and the U.S. discussed holistic responses to the climate crisis while at the same time creating opportunities for economic growth and respecting tribal sovereignty in a breakout session titled “Climate Action at All Levels.” The session was moderated by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan.

President Sharp emphasized the grave impacts of climate change on Tribal Nations, and the specific climate challenges she has navigated as a leader of the Quinault Indian Nation since taking office 15 years ago.

“In 2006, I faced a harsh reality. While millions of sockeye salmon returned to the mighty Quinault River each year for millennia, only 4,000 returned that year. I had to declare multiple states of emergency, witnessing sea level rise inundate our main village, flood our courthouse, community center, jail facility and our only store in town. I stood on our shores along the beautiful Pacific Ocean and witnessed miles of coastline littered with dead marine life due to oxygen depletion on the ocean floor,” President Sharp said. “Every one of these front-line impacts has taken a significant toll and traumatized our entire nation. Sadly, my Tribal Nation is not alone. All across the country and around the world, Indigenous communities share our tragic, true, and very harsh reality, story, and narrative.”

Her remarks further stressed the importance of traditional knowledge and multi-lateral partnerships to develop creative solutions to address climate change.

“Tribal Nations and communities are truly a brain trust of millennia-old ideas and practices. We share centuries of timeless and ancient wisdom and knowledge on how to best confront the impacts of climate change,” Sharp said. “I look forward to a robust discussion leading to full, creative, holistic, and inclusive actions that respect our communities, respect and honor tribal sovereignty and propel our economies into a bright, prosperous, and sustainable future, a future that our ancestors dreamed of and a future that generations to be born to deserve.”

President Sharp highlighted four key principles to move the discussion forward. First, all federal and international climate-based planning must continue to include Tribal Nations. Second, Tribal Nations’ involvement must meet the standards of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Third, tribal co-management of lands and resources can support intergovernmental approaches to climate responses. Lastly, there must be parity for Tribal Nations in climate action funding provided at the state, national, and international levels.

“All across Indian Country, with our vast and precious natural resources, we are unlocking new and emerging opportunities for economic growth and justice,” Sharp said. “We stand poised and ready to engage in bilateral and multilateral conversations to partner with a global community in an aggressive, inclusive, strategic, and global climate action agenda.”

NCAI President Fawn Sharp Joined World Leaders to Address Climate Change at the White House Leaders Summit on Climate

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Congress of American Indians today applauded the White House nomination of Bryan Newland as Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior. His nomination now goes before the U.S. Senate. NCAI urged swift confirmation of Newland’s appointment.

“Today, on Earth Day, I’m heartened by President Biden’s nomination of Bryan Newland for Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. As the former President of the Bay Mills Indian Community and a former employee of Interior, his record and experience in Indian Country are well-known and respected,” NCAI President Fawn Sharp said. “Indian Country is poised for investment and new opportunities for economic growth and the time is right for new leadership. We are ready to engage in initiatives that create a sustainable, inclusive, and strategic agenda for Indian Country. With Bryan Newland as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, along with the first Native American Secretary of Interior, we will have that critical voice for our traditional cultures, our tribal economies, and the healing of our broken relationship with the federal government. NCAI stands ready to help make this confirmation swift so the Department of Indian Affairs can have in place the vital leadership infrastructure it needs at this important time.”

Mr. Newland is a citizen of the Bay Mills Indian Community (Ojibwe), where he recently completed his tenure as Tribal Chairman. Before that, Newland served as Chief Judge of the Bay Mills Tribal Court. From 2009 to 2012, Newland served as a Counselor and Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Interior-Indian Affairs. In that capacity, he helped develop the Obama Administration’s policies on Indian gaming and Indian lands, reforming the Department of the Interior’s policy on reviewing tribal-state gaming compacts. He also led a team that improved the BIA’s Indian leasing regulations and worked with key officials to help enact the HEARTH Act of 2012.

Prior to his federal service, Newland worked as an attorney with Fletcher Law in Lansing, Michigan. He represented tribal clients on issues including the regulation of gaming facilities, negotiation of tribal-state gaming compacts, the fee-to-trust process, and leasing of Indian lands. He graduated magna cum laude from Michigan State University College of Law and received his undergraduate degree from James Madison College at Michigan State University.

NCAI Applauds President Biden’s Nomination of Bryan Newland as Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs

WASHINGTON D.C. -- National Congress of American Indians President Fawn Sharp has been invited to join 40 world leaders at the White House Leaders Summit on Climate April 22-23. The virtual summit is a key milestone on the road to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November and is intended to increase the chances for meaningful outcomes on global climate action at COP26.

One of the White House’s major themes for the summit is to showcase actors at all levels, including Indigenous nations, that are committed to green recovery, share an equitable vision of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius this decade, and are working closely with global partners to advance ambition and resilience.

“As place-based peoples, Tribal Nations have long understood our sacred and timeless values, teachings, and responsibility to care for all things living and steward our lands in a way that honors those traditions. Across this country, we are taking bold, strategic action, implementing climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience solutions and we look forward to this important dialogue with leaders from around the globe,” said NCAI President Fawn Sharp.

President Sharp will speak alongside Indigenous leaders from Brazil and Chad and local government leaders from Mexico, France, Japan, and the U.S. starting at 12:45 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 22. Her session will highlight the critical efforts of tribes and other Indigenous peoples contributing to the green recovery.

The White House Leaders Summit on Climate reconvenes the Major Economies Forum (MEF) on Energy and Climate, a U.S.-led initiative that played a vital role in delivering the Paris Agreement. The Summit aims to galvanize the world’s economies to reduce emissions by recognizing this decade is critical to the climate fight, and remind countries that the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is within reach.

By adding Indigenous voices to the Summit alongside major economies, President Biden ensures key stakeholders have a seat at the table.

"We applaud President Biden for making sure Tribal Nations are not only included in the climate crisis conversations but also looked at as notable allies working for climate solutions. Tribal Nations are at the front lines of the climate crisis and are a brain-trust of millennia-old ideas and practices that are critical to have at the table,” said NCAI President Sharp.

Climate action has been a lifelong passion and guiding mission for President Sharp, and has been a top priority for her Presidency of NCAI as well. As a former four term President for the Quinault Indian Nation, President Sharp has seen the ocean risings and the seasonal changes adversely impact her community. In the last couple of decades she has worked tirelessly to advance climate action for all of our communities.

The White House and NCAI hope the Summit and upcoming COP 26 will mobilize public and private sector investment in Native communities to advance the transition to net-zero emissions, as Native communities are among the most impacted by climate change.

The summit is also an opportunity to show the economic benefits of climate action, emphasizing job creation and ensuring all communities and workers benefit from transitioning to a new clean energy economy. Including Indian Country in the climate conversation helps ensure an equitable green economy as climate action creates new jobs and opportunities.

Follow along with President Sharp and other world leaders as NCAI streams President Sharp’s session live on 

 starting at 12:45 p.m. EDT. On Twitter, follow @NCAI1944 and @PresFawnSharp for updates. Across all social media platforms, look for the hashtag #LeadersClimateSummit to follow all news and updates.



NCAI President Fawn Sharp Joins 40 World Leaders at White House Leaders Summit on Climate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is pleased to announce that Dante Desiderio has been selected as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and will be joining NCAI on May 11, 2021. In his new position, Desiderio will oversee the day-to-day management and operations of the organization for an improved path to success for NCAI and the NCAI Fund. He will report directly to the NCAI Executive Committee.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dante Desiderio back to NCAI as our new CEO at this critical time. He was NCAI’s Director of Economic Policy during the Great Recession, the last time our country faced such uncertain and challenging economic times. As we emerge from a global pandemic and the social and economic instability that come with such monumental challenges, there is no better leader to guide us through the recovery and rebuilding effort, or to help us navigate the future as it pertains to policy and opportunities with the American Rescue Plan,” said NCAI President Fawn Sharp. “It’s been a stressful year for all of Indian Country, and with Dante’s leadership, I’m confident we will build our tribal nations back stronger, more resilient, and healthier than ever.”

Desiderio, a citizen of the Sappony Tribe, comes to NCAI from the Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA), where he spent 10 years as the organization’s executive director. During his tenure, he increased the organization’s commitment to its members and grew its national profile as a steward for tribal economic development. He instituted the NAFOA Member Tribes model and successfully transitioned NAFOA to a tribally-led organization.

“I am honored to be selected by the National Congress of American Indians to serve as their Chief Executive Officer,” Desiderio said. “I’ve always loved NCAI’s work on behalf of their tribal members and on behalf of Indian Country as a whole. I look forward to serving once again at an organization I respect, and with a team that puts their whole heart into their work, and am ready to meet the challenges ahead. I thank the NCAI Board for the trust they put in me and for the opportunity to return to the Embassy and lead the NCAI team as we work together for the betterment of all of Indian Country.”

Desiderio’s time in Native American economic policy includes work on multiple economic stimulus and rescue packages such as the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) under President George W. Bush, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) under President Barack Obama, and Desiderio was an essential advocate and organizer of tribal leadership voices to ensure Indian Country’s inclusion in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) funding under President Donald Trump and now the American Rescue Plan (ARP) under President Joe Biden.

“Dante’s background in leadership, finance and economic policy is second to none in Indian Country. He is the right person at the right time to lead NCAI,” Sharp said. “Dante is proof that the National Congress of American Indians -- the oldest and largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities -- is a place where young Native Americans can come work, learn, grow, be mentored by the best and return to a leadership position. Dante is a success story I know staff can look to and aspire to be like.”

Desiderio is also a leading policy expert in tax and finance, tribal enterprise development, gaming, entrepreneurship among tribal members, financial literacy and government contracting. During his career he has been responsible for advising organizations, tribal leaders, federal officials and congressional offices on tribal economic policy issues including tax and finance, tribal enterprise development, gaming, entrepreneurship among tribal members, financial literacy and government contracting, making him a leading national expert and advocate for Indian Country’s economic development and tax-related issues.

"The NAFOA Board and staff appreciates the hard work and dedication that Dante has provided to NAFOA over the last decade. The organization has grown tremendously in scope and influence under his leadership,” said Cristina Danforth, President of the Board of NAFOA. “Good luck Dante in your new position as the NCAI Chief Executive Officer. We look forward to continuing working closely with you on the important economic and tax policy work ahead of us in Indian Country.”

“Dante has a proven ability to implement and execute a tribal nation driven agenda, within Indian Country and externally across a broad sector of partners,” said Sharp. We recognize that valuable skill set is an indispensable factor to our success during these perilous and challenging times.”

A press briefing and virtual meet-and-greet will be held for Desiderio in May.

The National Congress of American Indians Announces Dante Desiderio as its New Chief Executive Officer

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Issues En Banc Decision in Brackeen v. Haaland
(formerly Brackeen v. Bernhardt)

Yesterday, April 6, 2021, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals published its en banc decision in Brackeen v. Haaland, a case challenging the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). While the Protect ICWA Campaign is pleased to see that the court recognized that ICWA generally is within Congress’s authority, we are deeply concerned that aspects of this opinion misunderstand the unique relationship between the United States and tribal nations. The opinion is 325 pages long, and given its length and complexity, we are still analyzing the decision and will provide further information in the coming days. ICWA is in the best interest of Indian children and families, and we are firmly committed to protecting the law.

Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments and communities, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people, and rights. For more information, visit 

The Protect ICWA Campaign (the Campaign) was established by four national Native organizations: the 

National Indian Child Welfare Association

. Together, the Campaign works to serve and support Native children, youth, and families through upholding the Indian Child Welfare Act. The Campaign works to inform policy, legal, and communications strategies with the mission to uphold and protect ICWA.

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Issues En Banc Decision in Brackeen v. Haaland (formerly Brackeen v. Bernhardt)

Indian Country Today has a new owner. On Friday the National Congress of American Indians, NCAI, transferred its ownership interests in Indian Country Today, LLC to IndiJ Public Media effective March 26, 2021.

donated to NCAI by the Oneida Indian Nation

 in October 2017. The news organization operated as an independent limited liability company owned by NCAI. Now Indian Country Today will operate as an independent company owned by IndiJ Public Media, an Arizona nonprofit corporation.

“This is an exciting time for Indian Country Today to become fiscally independent and to continue its tradition of an autonomous free press. I have the utmost confidence in Mark Trahant’s ability to successfully lead this new media endeavor in its next phase of growth,” said NCAI President Fawn Sharp. “NCAI has supported ICT in its quest for independence the last three and a half years and will continue to be an important ally moving forward in achieving our shared objective of educating the public about American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Nations.”

“This is a new day for ICT, which has a long history as a premier source of news for and about Indigenous communities, written and produced by Indigenous journalists,” said Karen Michel, Ho Chunk, president and CEO of IndiJ Public Media. “As IndiJ Public Media’s name implies, our focus remains on Indigenous journalism while emphasizing our expansion into broadcasting.”

IndiJ, a combination of the words “Indigenous” and “journalism” and pronounced in-Didge, was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in Arizona in November 2020 and is awaiting approval of its 501(c)(3) application from the IRS.

“We had no idea how important ICT was to our community until we saw first-hand the connection with our readers and viewers,” said Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock) who was hired in 2017 to serve as the publication’s editor. “More than a century ago the first tribal editor, Cherokee Nation’s Elias Boudinot, called Native news ‘a spacious channel.’ That channel is even more spacious -- and more important -- in this digital age.”

Over the past four decades Indian Country Today has evolved from the weekly Lakota Times, to a national magazine, and now an online daily digital publication and a daily national news broadcast reporting on the ground from – and for – Indian Country about the critical issues impacting Native nations and peoples in the United States and around the globe.

The digital site 

 reaches about a half million people each month.

A half-hour news broadcast began in March of 2020 as a daily report about the pandemic. It has evolved to a full half hour newscast carried by FNX and many public television stations. The show is produced at Arizona PBS and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments and communities, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. For more information, visit 

Ownership Change for Indian Country Today

In this episode of The Sentinel, we honor and celebrate the Two-Spirit community. We uncover the origins of the term ‘Two-Spirit’ and how Native people acknowledge and reclaim this tradition and identity today. We listen to recorded excerpts from the Two-Spirit Panel held at the 2025 NCAI Executive Council Winter Session, where our panelists and guests discussed the community's current challenges and how tribal leaders can advocate for their Two-Spirit relatives.

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