After FedEx made a formal request to Washington’s Football team for them to change their name on Friday, the team announced that they will begin a “thorough review” of their name– and ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports that a name change is “likely.” Over the weekend several speculative articles were published on the new name for the team in the Washington Post including a compilation list of past proposed names by the D.C. Sports blog.
Cleveland’s baseball team has also announced that they are looking into changing their name, while Atlanta’s baseball team released a statement saying the team “honors, supports, and values the Native American community. That will never change.” The team gave no indication they are considering a name change.
On Friday, the Indigenous community came together to protest the President’s arrival at Mt. Rushmore. The protest was livestreamed by the NDN Collective on their social media channels. The protesters were on their homeland as protected by the Treaty of Fort Laramie and upheld by a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court decision. The treaty defenders were met by local law enforcement and National Guard troops who arrested about 15 people at the end of the protest after women, children, and elders were evacuated. The protests were in direct response to the event being held at Mt. Rushmore in which the President said that protesters across the country are engaging in a “merciless campaign to wipe out our history,” criticizing the removal of statues and monuments that honor confederates and those who owned slaves – including several past presidents. Native protesters at the entrance to Mount Rushmore were met by Trump supporters yelling “go home.”
NDN President Nick Tilsen was among those arrested on Friday evening. As of the writing of this email, Tilsen and other arrested protesters have not been released. You can donate to their legal funds here and here.
A district court ruled on Monday that the Dakota Access pipeline must shut down by August 5. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said that a federal permit for the pipeline fell too far short of National Environmental Policy Act requirements to allow the pipeline to continue operating while regulators conduct a broader analysis ordered in a previous decision.
New gaming compacts have been signed with two additional Indian tribes, according to Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. Though Stitt described the compacts with the Kialegee Tribal Town and Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians as promoting economic development, Matthew Morgan, the chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, immediately challenged their legality. Morgan claims that Governor Stitt is offering items outside of his authority “in terms of crafting gaming compacts outside of the model compact process authorized by state law.”
The Hawaii Supreme Court has issued a ruling on a Department of Hawaiian Homelands waiting list that could result in the state paying millions of dollars to beneficiaries. The justices unanimously ruled last week that the state’s conduct resulted in a growing list of Native Hawaiians waiting for homesteads, including some who died before the case was resolved.
On Saturday night protesters in Baltimore pulled down a statue of Christopher Columbus and threw in into the harbor.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Nationwide Protests:
At Mount Rushmore, Trump Digs Deeper Into Nation’s Divisions
AP News, Stephen Groves, July 4
At the foot of Mount Rushmore and on the eve of Independence Day, President Donald Trump dug deeper into America’s divisions by accusing protesters who have pushed for racial justice of engaging in a “merciless campaign to wipe out our history.” The president, in remarks Friday night at the South Dakota landmark, offered a discordant tone to an electorate battered by a pandemic and seared by the recent high-profile killings of Black people. He zeroed in on the desecration by some demonstrators of monuments and statues across the country that honor those who have benefited from slavery, including some past presidents.
Friends, Supporters Call For Release Of Arrested Mount Rushmore Protesters
Duluth News Tribune, Jeremy Fugleberg, July 4
Friends and supporters lobbied for the release of those arrested at an road blockade at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, staging a rally outside the Pennington County Jail in Rapid City on Saturday, July 4, and asking for donations to a bail fund.
American Indian Protesters Told To “Go Home” By Trump Supporters At Mount Rushmore
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, July 4
In a twist of irony, American Indian protesters were met by Trump supporters yelling “go home” near the entry to Mount Rushmore on Friday. The protesters were actually on their homeland as protected by the Treaty of Fort Laramie and upheld by a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court decision. The Sioux consider the Black Hills, where Mount Rushmore is located, sacred. They still refer to the sacred site as Paha Sapa. “People were telling us to ‘go home’ and that’s where we were, on our sacred home lands. It shows how the american education system white-washes history and ignores the amount of injustice, genocide, and inequality that this country was built on,” Laura Ten Fingers (Oglala Sioux Tribe), one of the organizers, told Native News Online.
NDN Collective Announces Black Hills Bail And Legal Defense Fund Following Mount Rushmore Arrests
Indianz.com, July 4
Friday’s acts of courage and civil disobedience by Indigenous people and our allies defending sacred lands in the Black Hills resulted in arrests and we imagine eventual criminal charges for these brave Defenders. These men and women were standing against the continued desecration of sacred lands that were stolen by the United States federal government from the Lakota Oyate to satisfy the greed of capitalism in this country. We are calling on friends and allies to donate to the Black Hills Bail and Legal Defense Fund to support these Land and Treaty Defenders.
Phoenix To Change ‘Robert E. Lee,’ ‘Squaw Peak’ Street Names
AP News, July 4
Phoenix officials are set to begin the process of changing the names of two streets — one seen as demeaning to indigenous Native American women and the other glorifying the Confederacy. The Phoenix City Council voted unanimously this week to rename Squaw Peak Drive and Robert E. Lee Street. In a letter to the city manager last month, Mayor Kate Gallego and Councilwoman Thelda Williams wrote squaw is a “demeaning and degrading word.” Meanwhile, Lee represents historical institutions of racism and slavery, they said. Patti Hibbeler, CEO of the Phoenix Indian Center, said “the s-word” is long overdue for removal.
Treaty Defenders Block Road Leading To Mount Rushmore
Indian Country Today, Mary Pember, July 4
More than 100 treaty defenders and other protesters gathered on a highway leading to Mount Rushmore on Friday ahead of President Donald Trump’s speech at the monument. The group blocked the road, holding banners and chanting slogans such as “We can’t breathe” and proclaiming treaty rights. They carried signs with messages such as, “End 500 years of Genocide,” and “It’s a good day to do the right thing.” At one point, Native women in ribbon skirts created a line across the highway, behind them members of NDN Collective, a nonprofit Native advocacy organization, parked white vans across the road and deflated the tires. Protesters later removed the wheels and climbed on top of the vans, shouting “Land back!”
Statue Of Missionary Toppled In California Protest
AP News, July 4
A statue of a Spanish missionary in downtown Sacramento, California has been toppled by demonstrators. The Sacramento Bee reports the statue of Father Junipero Serra in Capitol Park was brought down Saturday amid a protest focusing on the rights and historical struggle of indigenous people. The 18th century Roman Catholic priest founded nine of California’s 21 Spanish missions and forced Native Americans to stay at those missions after they were converted or face brutal punishment.
NDN Collective Calls For Closure Of Mount Rushmore And For The Black Hills To Be Returned To The Lakota
Indianz.com, July 3
As U.S. President Donald Trump makes his way to Mount Rushmore for the Fourth of July weekend, NDN Collectivecalls for the closure of the national monument indefinitely, and for the sacred Paha Sapa (Black Hills) to be returned to the Lakota people. “Mount Rushmore is on stolen Lakota land and it’s very existence is a symbol of white supremacy” says Nick Tilsen, NDN Collective President and CEO. “In opposing the ongoing desecration of our sacred land and asking for return of Lakota lands where Mount Rushmore is situated, we’re not saying anything that our parents, grandparents and great grandparents haven’t already said; The Lakota have opposed Mount Rushmore since the very beginning.”
Oglala Sioux Tribe Votes To Ban President Trump, South Dakota Gov. From Mount Rushmore
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, July 3
The Oglala Sioux Tribe’s tribal council has voted to ban President Donald Trump and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem from Mount Rushmore. Trump and Noem are due to arrive tonight at Mount Rushmore in western South Dakota for a pre-July 4th celebration. The celebration will include a fireworks display where 7,500 are expected to attend. Additional reasons for the ban by the tribal council include Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills, which is in unceded treaty territory and the total lack of government-to-government consultation.
FedEx Tells The Washington Redsk!Ns To Change The Team Name; Team Owner Snyder Responds
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, July 3
If the old adage “money talks” proves true, then the conversation about changing a racist team name just got a whole lot louder for Washington’s National Football League (NFL) team. On Thursday, FedEx, the title sponsor of the team stadium in Landover, Md., released a statement that read “We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name.” Soon thereafter, sports apparel giant Nike pulled the team’s merchandise off its website.
Protesters In Baltimore Pull Down Statue Of Christopher Columbus, Throw It Into Harbor
AP News, July 3
Baltimore protesters pulled down a statue of Christopher Columbus and threw it into the city’s Inner Harbor on Saturday night. Demonstrators used ropes to topple the monument near the Little Italy neighborhood, news outlets reported. Protesters mobilized by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police have called for the removal of statues of Columbus, Confederate figures and others. They say the Italian explorer is responsible for the genocide and exploitation of native peoples in the Americas.
Protesters Shut Down Road, Checkpoint To Mount Rushmore
Rapid City Journal, Arielle Zionts, July 3
About 150 protesters used vans and their bodies Friday afternoon to shut down the road and a checkpoint to Mount Rushmore to protest the president and monument while calling for the Black Hills to be returned to the Lakota people.
Trump’s Mount Rushmore Fireworks Show Is A Fourth Of July Attack On Indigenous People
NBC News, Nick Tilsen, July 3
On Friday, President Donald Trump continued his tour of racism and colonialism, moving from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to the sacred Black Hills. Make no mistake, this divisive visit was an attack on Indigenous people.
Native Americans Protesting Trump Trip To Mount Rushmore
AP News, Stephen Groves, June 26
President Donald Trump’s plans to kick off Independence Day with a showy display at Mount Rushmore have angered Native Americans, who view the monument as a desecration of land violently stolen from them and used to pay homage to leaders hostile to Indigenous people.
Mascots:
American Indian Response To Washington NFL Franchise Review To Replace Racist Name
Native News Online, July 6
The statement by the Washington National Football League (NFL) franchise on Friday, July 3, that the team will undergo a thorough review of the team’s name won the praise of American Indians across social media.
Redskins’ Trio Of Minority Owners Launching Search To Sell Stakes
ESPN, July 5
The three minority owners of the Washington Redskins are seeking to sell their shares in the team because they are “not happy being a partner” with owner Daniel Snyder, The Washington Post has reported, citing sources familiar with the deliberations.
Atlanta Braves Give No Indication Of Considering Name Change
AP News, Charles Odum. July 4
With teams in two sports taking a second look at names deemed offensive to Native Americans, the Atlanta Braves on Saturday gave no indication they are willing to consider a similar change. The Cleveland Indians said Friday they’re reconsidering their nickname following the furor over the NFL Washington Redskins name. The Braves released a statement saying the team “honors, supports, and values the Native American community. That will never change.”
Washington NFL Team’s Standing Rock Moment
Indian Country Today, Mark Trahant, July 4
There’s a story you’ve probably seen on social media. Maybe you even shared it. It goes like this: The Washington NFL team will likely change its name because big money weighed in, FedEx, Nike, Walmart. So it wasn’t the moral argument. It wasn’t the litigation. And it wasn’t even the voices of tribal leaders, activists and others who have been working on this issue for decades. That story is wrong.
Coach Ron Rivera Says He Has Been Working With Redskins Owner On New Nicknames
ESPN, July 4
Washington Redskins coach Ron Rivera says he has been working with owner Dan Snyder on a new team nickname in recent weeks.
“If we get it done in time for the season, it would be awesome,” Rivera told The Washington Post on Saturday.
Washington Redskins’ Nickname Has Been Under Scrutiny For Decades
ESPN, John Keim, July 3
The Washington Redskins’ nickname has been mired in controversy for decades.
Former team owner Jack Kent Cooke said in 1988: “There is not a single, solitary jot, tittle, whit chance in the world” that the Redskins change their nickname. “I like the name, and it’s not a derogatory name.”
Washington Redskins Review Name Ahead Of Potential Rebrand
Bloomberg, Matthew G Miller and Grandon Kochkodin, July 3
The Washington Redskins might be getting ready to change their name.
Long under pressure to drop the name, which is a pejorative term for Native Americans, the team is formalizing discussions it’s been having with the National Football League in recent weeks
Washington Redskins’ Name Review Follows Years Of Protest
The New York Times, Victor Mather, July 3
The Washington Redskins’ announcement Friday that they would begin “a thorough review of the team’s name” is a potential culmination to years of protest and defiance over a nickname that many Native Americans and other advocates for change consider deeply offensive.
Washington Redskins Will Review Name, Team Says
CNN, Dakin Andone, July 3
The Washington Redskins could get a new name.
The NFL team announced Friday it will review the name, long criticized for racist connotations.
Redskins To Have ‘Thorough Review’ Of Name Amid Race Debate
AP News, Stephen Whyno, July 3
The Washington Redskins began a “thorough review” of their name Friday, a significant step toward moving on from what experts and advocates call a “dictionary-defined racial slur.” Even though owner Dan Snyder had shown no willingness to change the name since buying the team in 1999, the recent national conversation on race has renewed opposition to the name and prompted sponsors to speak up. With support from the NFL, it may finally lead to a new moniker for the long-struggling storied franchise with long-ago Super Bowl success.
Cleveland Indians Look Into Changing Name Amid Pressure
AP News, July 3
They’ve been known as the Cleveland Indians since 1915. Those days could be over. Amid new pressure sparked by a national movement to correct racial wrongdoings, the Indians said Friday night they will review their long-debated nickname which has been in place for 105 years. “We are committed to making a positive impact in our community and embrace our responsibility to advance social justice and equality,” the team said in a statement that came just hours after the NFL’s Washington Redskins announced a similar move. “Our organization fully recognizes our team name is among the most visible ways in which we connect with the community.”
Indians Manager Francona Favors Nickname Change For Club
AP News, July 3
Cleveland manager Terry Francona won’t sidestep the hot-button topic any longer. He believes the Indians need to change their contentious nickname. “I think it’s time to move forward,” Francona said Sunday. Francona’s comments came two days after the Indians, amid a nationwide movement to erase racially insensitive symbols, released a statement saying the organization is “committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.” The team’s announcement — an initial step toward a possible name change — came hours after the NFL’s Washington Redskins said they will undergo a review of their name and logo.
Independence Day: No More Racist Mascots
Indian Country Today, Patty Talahongva, July 3
On the eve of this nation’s Independence Day celebration, it’s time to reflect on the first people of this country. What do you know about Indian Country? Tribes? Culture? Language? Few states actually mandate Native American curriculum in schools. And when you watch popular media you don’t see Native Americans either in front of the screen or behind the scenes. One place you do see caricatures of Native peoples is in the world of sports. Native mascots can be seen in professional football, baseball and hockey. But at what cost? Why is that? And what is being done about the invisibility of Native peoples?
Why Washington? 12 Stories That Explain
Indian Country Today, Mark Trahant, July 3
Some four years ago the Washington Post published a “poll” of Native Americans that said nine-in-ten did not object to the name of that city’s NFL team. That document was used by the team as its public excuse to dismiss repeated and consistent calls from tribal leaders, civil rights organizations, and a wide cross-section of Native Americans to change the name. In 2019 the Post did it again. Another flawed study that reached with the same results.
Don’t Dance In The End Zone … Yet
Indian Country Today, Mary Pember, July 3
Could this be the tipping point for retiring the most conspicuous example of racist mascots?
The Washington NFL team issued a press release Friday announcing its plans to “undergo a thorough review of the team’s name as a result of recent events around our country and feedback from our community.” The team and its owner Dan Snyder have stubbornly clung to the use of the R-word as its mascot for years, weathering many attempts by Native Americans and allies to change it. Suzan Harjo, activist, journalist, founder and president of The Morning Star Institute is cautiously elated. “I’m not ready to dance in the end zone yet,” she said.
COVID-19:
COVID-19 Update for the Pueblo of Laguna
Indianz.com, July 5
The POL Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has identified two (2) additional positive cases of COVID-19 within the Pueblo of Laguna. The EOC has acted quickly to ensure contact tracing was initiated and all involved have been identified. The EOC has been in direct contact with Governor Herrera and the Village Officials. Testing has been scheduled for those individuals who were in direct contact with the positive cases, and they have been put in quarantine.
As Navajo Nation Wages War On COVID-19, Firefighters Are Fighting A 12,777 Acre Fire On Reservation
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, July 5
On Sunday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 38 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and one more death. The total number of deaths has reached 378. The Nez-Lizer Administration continues to urge all residents to comply with the stage 2 fire restriction that is in place, which prohibits the use of fireworks, open fires, and trash burning to prevent more wildfires. On Sunday, the Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5 reported that the Wood Springs 2 Fire has grown to 12,777 acres and is now 42-percent contained.
This Fourth Of July Is Different: A New Gallup Survey Proves It
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, July 4
As 2020 continues to unfold, this Fourth of July is different. On this nation’s 244th birthday, the most prevalent reason for the difference may be directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic because it certainly has changed the normalcy of everyday life across the country with many unknowns in the horizon. Many people are taking precautions and staying home to avoid making contact with anyone infected with the deadly virus, thereby avoiding any of their normal Fourth of July festivities.
Nevada Tribal Emergency Coordinator Named Amid Pandemic
AP News, July 4
A member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe has been named as the state’s new tribal emergency response coordinator, amid a report that coronavirus testing and assistance has been slow to reach Native American tribes. Cassandra Darrough, an elected tribal council member who traces her ancestry to the Walker River Paiute Tribe, began work last month with the state Division of Emergency Management. She joined tribal health coordinator Crystal Harjo providing emergency management support to Nevada’s 27 tribal nations. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported recently that tribes in Nevada scrambled for weeks to acquire coronavirus testing materials and protective equipment after most other Nevada residents — including self-identified urban Native Americans — were able to obtain limited testing as early as mid-March.
Relief Efforts For Indigenous People ‘Don’t Have Months’
Indian Country Today, Kalle Benallie, July 4
As coronavirus cases continue to rise in the United States and Indian Country, tribal communities are diligently trying to help their members through various efforts. Veteran organizations like the Indigenous Environmental Network say the severity of COVID-19 requires that the distribution of supplies and money be fast and efficient. The 30-year-old nonprofit focuses on Indigenous environmental and economic justice issues, but in April it created its emergency mutual aid fund to help Indigenous people worldwide who are affected by the coronavirus.
Navajo Nation Facing Another Weekend Virus Curfew
AP News, July 3
Tribal Police And The New Mexico National Guard Are Ready To Enforce A Weekend Curfew On The Navajo Nation As Officials On The Sprawling Reservation Continue To Try To Contain A Coronavirus Outbreak That Has Killed More Than 370 People. The Curfew That Starts At 8 P.M. Friday And Expires At 5 A.M. Monday Is The First Of Three Consecutive Weekend Lockdowns On The Reservation That Spans Parts Of Arizona, New Mexico And Utah, Tribal President Jonathan Nez Said. He Warned That Enforcement Will Be Strict And Include Checkpoints In Communities Across The Nation.
Law:
Yakama Nation To Continue Appeal Against Mining Expansion
AP News, July 3
The Washington state Supreme Court has ruled that the Yakama Nation can move forward with its lawsuit to halt the expansion of a gravel mining project that they say could disrupt a tribal cultural and burial site. The court ruled Thursday that the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation filed a timely appeal against paving materials supplier Granite Northwest’s proposal to expand mining from 26 acres to more than 160 acres (10 hectares to more than 64 hectares), the Yakima Herald-Republic reported.
Court Rules In Favor Of Native Hawaiian Homestead Applicants
AP News, July 2
The Hawaii Supreme Court has issued a ruling on a Department of Hawaiian Homelands waiting list that could result in the state paying millions of dollars to beneficiaries. The justices unanimously ruled Tuesday that the state’s conduct resulted in a growing list of Native Hawaiians waiting for homesteads, including some who died before the case was resolved. The justices permitted a 1999 class-action lawsuit to proceed to the next stage, which includes calculating damages to be paid to plaintiffs. About 2,700 applicants filed the lawsuit alleging breach of trust from the establishment of Hawaii’s statehood in 1959 until 1988.
Casinos:
Oklahoma Governor Signs Gaming Compacts With Two More Tribes
AP News, July 3
New gaming compacts have been signed with two additional Indian tribes, according to Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. Though Stitt on Thursday described the compacts with the Kialegee Tribal Town and Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians as promoting economic development, Matthew Morgan, the chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association immediately challenged their legality, according to The Oklahoman. He said they are neither legal nor helpful. “We agree with Oklahoma’s legislative leadership and Attorney General Mike Hunter that Gov. Kevin Stitt unilaterally entering into new gaming agreements with tribal nations violates state law,” Morgan said, noting that the legality of compacts the governor previously signed with two other tribes is being challenged before the Oklahoma Supreme Court by legislative leaders and Oklahoma’s attorney general.
Other:
Dakota Access Oil Line To Be Shut By Court In Blow For Trump
Bloomberg Law, Ellen M. Gilmer, July 6
The Dakota Access pipeline must shut down by Aug. 5, a district court ruled Monday in a stunning defeat for the Trump administration and the oil industry.
The decision is a momentous win for American Indian tribes that have opposed the Energy Transfer Partners LP project for years. It comes just a day after developers scuttled another project, the Atlantic Coast natural gas pipeline, after years of legal delays.
National Gallery Of Art Acquires Painting By Native American
AP News, July 5
A painting by artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith is joining works by the legendary pop artists Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol at the National Gallery of Art. Smith’s “I See Red: Target” is the first painting on canvas by a Native American artist to enter the collection. The gallery announced the purchase of the painting this week. Smith, a Corrales resident and an enrolled Salish member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation in Montana, told the Albuquerque Journal she was shocked to be the first Native American painter to appear in the national museum.
Do American Indians Celebrate The 4th Of July?
Native News Online, Dennis Zotigh, July 4
How do Native Americans observe the 4th of July? This year, many people’s plans reflect their concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. But the answer has always been as complicated as America’s history. Perhaps the most quoted language in the Declaration of Independence is the statement that all men are created equal. Many Native Americans, however, also remember the signers’ final grievance against the king: He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
‘All In WA COVID-19 Concert Features Native Artists, Pearl Jam, Sir Mix-a-lot And More
Indian Country Today, Vincent Schilling, July 4
A wide array of artists, politicians, corporate leaders and more made appearances in a recent online concert in support of raising funds for COVID-19 relief for Washington state. Additional funds were also raised for the Potlatch Fund and the Na’ah Illahee Fund. The June 24 project, titled “All In Washington: A Concert for COVID-19 Relief,” featured appearances and cameos from Pearl Jam, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Macklemore, Dave Matthews, actors Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Joel McHale and Rainn Wilson, whom many “The Office” fans would know as Dwight Shrute.
Navajo Nation Issues Fire Safety Warning During Fourth Of July Weekend
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, July 3
Already working to control the spread of COVID-19 on the Navajo Indian Reservation, Navajo Nation leaders on Thursday urged its tribal residents and visitors to avoid using fireworks over the Fourth of July weekend. Because of COVID-19, the Navajo Indian Reservation will be under a 57-hour lockdown this weekend. Thursday’s warning comes because of extreme dry conditions on the nation’s largest Indian reservation. The dry weather contributed to the spread of a wildfire that began on Saturday, July 27 that was started by lightning three miles east of Wood Springs, Arizona.
Kiowa Tribe Ushers In New Era Of Fiscal Responsibility
Indianz.com, July 3
The Tribe was notified by the Bureau of Indian Affairs on Monday, June 30, 2020, that effective immediately the agency was removing the Kiowa Tribe from Level II sanctions which had been imposed against the Tribe since 2016. “This is much-welcomed news and will provide financial relief for the Tribe. We have waited a long time to work through these sanctions and we have finally seen the light of day. Our people will benefit tremendously now that the Tribe resumes full control of program funds and contract support payments. This is a great day for the Kiowa People,” states Chairman Matthew Komalty.
New Ad: Mark Kelly Takes Message Directly To Navajo Nation
Indianz.com, July 3
Today, the Mark Kelly for Senate campaign announced a new radio ad focused on the Navajo Nation, the only Senate campaign to take its message directly to the Navajo community. Kelly opens the ad by introducing himself in Diné, then he goes on to commit to work with the Navajo community on investments in education, housing, infrastructure and health care and the need for more funding to combat COVID-19. The 90-second ad will run on KTNN Radio beginning this week. “As Senator, I will proudly work with the Navajo community to invest in education, housing, infrastructure and – especially – healthcare,” Kelly says in the ad. “The federal government must provide more support and funding to combat COVID on the Navajo Nation.”