President Joe Biden has issued a Presidential Proclamation that May 5 will be Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day. Violence against Native Americans and Alaska Natives has far exceeded national averages. It's contributed to a full-blown crisis that's seen a staggering number of unsolved missing and murdered cases. Today...
Posts under: Native American Issues
We’re Still Waiting for Justice for Andreas Garcia
By now, most of us have heard the story of Andreas Garcia, a Native American boy who got his hair cut by classmates, against his will. The news splashed across many news outlets and yet the real issue is still unresolved. Garcia (Kickapoo Nation) was visibly shaken and angry when...
South Dakota Hotelier Threatens To Ban Native Americans
One of the owners of a Rapid City, South Dakota hotel said Native Americans are no longer welcome on the property following a shooting at the hotel March 19. Connie Uhre, one of the owners of the Grand Gateway Hotel, said in a since-deleted Facebook comment that she can...
Marvel Comics’ Princess Matoaka Mishap Could Cost Company More Than Money
Following widespread fury and disapproval over a new comic, Marvel has announced it is changing the name and look of an indigenous character who made an appearance in the third issue of "King Conan." But many are questioning whether the decision is too little too late. The character, previously named...
The Problem With Native Americans and the Census
Unsurprisingly, the 2020 census undercounted the U.S. population by 18.8 million and grossly underrepresented indigenous people...again. Native Americans have historically been counted inaccurately, or not counted at all during 10-year census counts, which is led by the United States Census Bureau. This isn’t an accident and this isn’t something...
Opinion: Where Would Indigenous Children Be Without The Indian Child Welfare Act?
We all know by now that the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA), which makes it difficult to separate Native American children from their families, tribes and indigenous heritage. Despite having support from both Republican and Democratic...
Indian Land Sign: The Art Installation That’s Turning Heads
You can see the letters from the "Indian Land" sign from miles away in the desert of Coachella Valley. The sign's resemblance to its counterpart 125 miles to the northwest is unmistakable, but this is much more than an indigenous take on The Hollywood Sign. Created by artist Nicholas Galanin,...
Indigenous Definition: How To Use It Correctly and Related Terms To Avoid
What does "indigenous" mean? You may have noticed an uptick in usage of the word in recent years. Perhaps you’ve heard Native Americans using "indigenous" to describe themselves. Now, there’s even a holiday that bears the term. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in...
#DearNonNatives: 10 Things Native Americans Wish Everyone Else Knew
#DearNonNatives... Native Americans occupied much of the land in North America long before the United States of America ever raised its flag and claimed that land as its own. Yet, on the whole, Native communities are largely misunderstood by many Americans. That's why it's important to make an effort to...
How Many Native American Tribes Are There?
Across the United States, hundreds of Native American tribes continue their traditional lifeways to sustain their inherent sovereignty. Today's Native American tribes descend from the original inhabitants of North America who have been making history for more than 20,000 years. In early American history, tribes were forcibly removed from their...