March 2021
March 4, 2021
Congresswoman Debra Haaland on the Verge of Making History as Secretary of Interior
Today the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources favorably reported the nomination of Congresswoman Debra Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna) to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. When she is confirmed by the full Senate, Congresswoman Haaland will become the first-ever tribal citizen to serve in the capacity of Cabinet secretary.
February 2021
February 10, 2021
Media Advisory: Press Registration Open for the 2021 Executive Council Winter Session and State of Indian Nations
On Monday, February 22, 2021, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) kicks off its 2021 Executive Council Winter Session (ECWS) with the 19th State of Indian Nations (SOIN) address. The SOIN will be broadcast virtually beginning at 2:30 p.m. EST.
February 10, 2021
Giving Opportunity: NCAI Wilma Mankiller Fellowship
Meet an NCAI Fellow: Ashley Hamilton (Ho-Chunk/Kickapoo) is a 2020 graduate of Harvard University. Upon completing her undergraduate degree in Sociology with honors and earning a secondary degree in Economics, she joined the National Congress of American Indians as a Wilma Mankiller Fellow.
January 2021
January 26, 2021
Statement from the National Congress of American Indians on Presidential Memorandum on Consultation with Tribal Nations
Today’s Memorandum reaffirms the policy announced in the Presidential Memorandum of November 5, 2009 and recognizes the federal trust and treaty obligations to tribal nations.
January 21, 2021
NCAI Commends President Biden’s Day One Executive Actions Addressing Climate Change, Racial Equity, and the Governmental Regulatory Review Process
NCAI looks forward to supporting tribal government-to-government engagement with our federal partners.
January 14, 2021
National Congress of American Indians Announces Investment from Lumina Foundation to Support its Tribal Civics Education Initiative and Education for Native Researchers
Today, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is pleased to announce its partnership with Lumina Foundation to support the expansion of tribally-designed and driven K-12 curriculum in public schools, as well as funding to support opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) college students who choose to pursue research careers.
January 8, 2021
NCAI Statement on Events This Week
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Administrative Board Officers met in response to the events surrounding the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and released the following statement.
December 2020
December 17, 2020
In Historic Moment for Tribal Nations, President-Elect Biden Nominates Deb Haaland to Serve as Secretary of the Interior
NCAI congratulates Representative Haaland on her nomination and celebrates with Indian Country on this momentous step forward.
December 14, 2020
NCAI Commends Decision by Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Franchise to Change Its “Indians” Name
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) commends today’s announcement by the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in Cleveland to retire its “Indians” name and mascot, which the team has used for more than a century.
December 2, 2020
Legislative Update - December 2, 2020
Updates on important bills for Indian Country.
November 2020
November 25, 2020
Save Sacred Oak Flat Federal Land and Stop Giveaway to Foreign-Owned Resolution Copper
Right now, the USDA is fast-tracking the transfer of the Oak Flat area in the Tonto National Forest – a place rich with sacred, cultural, historical, and ecological significance for many tribal nations in Arizona and New Mexico – to Resolution Copper, a foreign-owned private limited liability company. If allowed to proceed, Resolution Copper will annihilate this place and the religious and cultural connections tribal nations have with it. Contact Secretary Purdue and demand that the USDA #SaveOakFlat.
November 24, 2020
The Center for Native American Youth and the National Congress of American Indians Announce the Creative Native Call for Art Winners
(CNAY) is proud to announce the winners of the third annual Creative Native Call for Art in partnership with the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). Creative Native is a call for art launched in 2018 to support Native American artists ages 5-24. For the second year, NCAI and CNAY have partnered to expand this opportunity and platform for Native artists. The 2020 prompt focuses on the strength and resilience of Native youth: Native youth are medicine. Where do you get your strength from?
November 23, 2020
National Congress of American Indians announces $1 million grant from Google.org
The National Congress of American Indians is proud to announce its continued partnership with Google.org. Through this partnership, NCAI will oversee the Small Business Stabilization Grant – a $1 million investment in Indian Country.
November 9, 2020
National Congress of American Indians Chief Executive Officer Kevin Allis Announces Departure During 77th Annual Convention & Marketplace General Assembly
Today, during the National Congress of American Indians 77th Annual Convention & Marketplace First General Assembly, Chief Executive Officer Kevin Allis announced his departure from the organization after serving 18 months as CEO.
November 7, 2020
NCAI Congratulates President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris on Their Historic Victory
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) congratulates President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on their historic victory in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, which saw record voter turnout across the country and pivotal turnout from Native voters in the decisive states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Arizona, among others.
November 4, 2020
NCAI Condemns Formal Withdrawal by the United States from the Paris Agreement; Reaffirms Tribal Nations’ Commitment to the Accord
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) condemns the United States’ decision today to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. The Paris Agreement – a global accord designed to reduce the risks and impacts of climate change – features roughly 200 countries as signatories; the United States today becomes the first country to formally withdraw from it. In response, NCAI, the largest and oldest national organization comprised of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments and their citizens, reaffirms its formal commitment to support the Paris Agreement.
November 4, 2020
Latino and American Indian Civil Rights Groups Analyze Turnout, Impact of Vote Choice on Arizona Election Results
On Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. EST, UnidosUS and the National Congress of American Indians will host a virtual event to discuss how and why Latino and American Indian voters voted on Election Day in Arizona. Arizona was one of six battleground states this election cycle and had a record-breaking voter turnout in this year’s primaries. Building on the American Election Eve Poll—the most accurate data on how and why voters of colors voted—UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, NCAI Chief Executive Officer Kevin J. Allis, Promise Arizona Field Organizer Alexis Rodriguez, and Latino Decisions Principal Gary M. Segura will offer a deep dive on the results of the 2020 elections in the state, examine voter turnout data and trends among Arizona’s Latino and American Indian electorates, and discuss the priorities and solutions these voters want to see advanced.
October 2020
October 21, 2020
Civil Rights Leaders Call on Congress to Ensure an Accurate, Transparent, Equitable Census
While the Trump administration rushed to end data collection early last week, the 2020 Census is not over. Civil rights leaders and census experts held a press briefing Tuesday in partnership with Ethnic Media Services to urge Congress to pass an extension to the statutory deadlines for the Census Bureau’s data for apportionment and redistricting by 120 days each, as the Trump administration requested last April. Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate to extend these deadlines to provide the Census Bureau the time it needs to ensure a fair and accurate 2020 Census.
October 21, 2020
Meet the Artist Showcased in this Year’s Annual Convention & Marketplace
Each year, the National Congress of American Indians selects an artist to represent the host region of the Annual Convention & Marketplace. This year, despite the pandemic, NCAI is showcasing the Northwest region and has selected Nytom (John Goodwin) of Sequim, Washington as the representative artist. His piece Living in a Perfect World serves as the inspiration for the design and artwork for the 77th Annual Convention & Marketplace.
October 19, 2020
NCAI Denounces the Continued Destruction of Sacred Sites and the Disturbing Treatment of Peaceful Protestors on Tohono O’odham Homelands
NCAI stands with the Tohono O’odham Nation and calls for the Administration to immediately stop border wall construction and perform the necessary consultation and environmental impact surveys that would protect and preserve land that holds sacred and irreplaceable significance to the Tohono O’odham people and their culture.
October 16, 2020
NCAI Calls for Immediate and Thorough Investigation of Access to Care for Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Members with COVID-19
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is extremely troubled to learn Cheyenne River Sioux tribal members infected with COVID-19 are being sent from South Dakota more than seven hours away to Minnesota to access appropriate hospital care, at a time when South Dakota is reporting that almost 20 percent of the COVID-related deaths in the state have been Native people. While the State of South Dakota claims to have adequate bed capacity, Native patients are being diverted to other states.
October 14, 2020
How to Submit Resolutions for NCAI’s 2020 Annual Convention & Marketplace
Resolutions are now being accepted for the 77th Annual Convention & Marketplace!
October 13, 2020
Native Organizations Condemn U.S. Supreme Court Order Ending the 2020 Census Early and Validating an Undercount of Historic Proportions of American Indians and Alaska Natives
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump Administration’s application to stay a federal court order that required the U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau) to honor its commitment to complete the 2020 decennial Census count on October 31, 2020. The stay is in place until the appeals are resolved. Effectively, the Supreme Court’s order ends the 2020 Census.
October 13, 2020
The Count Must Continue: American Indian and Alaska Native Households are Still Well-Below the National Rates Indicated in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Statements About Census Completion Rates
The U.S. Census Bureau recently informed tribal nations that their reservations and communities are “completed” or are nearing “completion” of the 2020 Census. Unfortunately, the Census Bureau has not explained clearly what those statements mean. This misinformation has caused many tribal nations to mistakenly believe that all of their tribal citizens have been counted, yet Indian Country still remains undercounted.