Tribal Consultation on Native American Voting Rights

/0 Comments/in , /by
On Wednesday, June 16 at 2pm ET, 1pm CT, 12pm MT, 11am PT, 10am AK, and 9am HI the White House and administration agencies will be holding their second consultation call with the Pacifc and Northwest Regions. 

Register for the Call Here 

Future Dates of Consultation Here

Written comments will be accepted in October for the record but if you already have statements written up, you may email them to Tracy Goodluck, Policy Advisor for Native Affairs at the White House Domestic Policy Council at Tracy.L.Goodluck@who.eop.gov 
On March 7, 2021, President Joe Biden issued an Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting. Among other things, it requires a Steering Group of several federal agencies to engage  in meaningful and robust consultation with Tribal Nations and Native leaders, to develop  recommendations for protecting voting rights for Native American communities. 

The Executive Order committed the Administration to promote and defend the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections and made clear that it “is our duty to ensure that registering to vote and the act of voting be made simple and easy for all those eligible to do so.” 

In seeking to cast meaningful ballots that will be counted, we know that many Native American voters face challenges that they may share with other underrepresented communities, and also challenges that are distinct. Experiences will naturally vary from voter to voter and election to election, but reports of systemic concerns have been all too common. Past reports have indicated that — among other problems — Native American voters frequently find information about the voting process difficult to come by; polling places and registration sites are often much too far from the voters, compounded by transportation barriers; housing insecurity and purging of the rolls prompt repeated re-registration; access to forms and ballots and information is often unavailable in the languages voters speak; voters have been prevented from asking those they trust for the help to which they are entitled at the polls; states may require identity documents  that voters do not have; postal service is often irregular, including to homes that do not have platted postal addresses, making it difficult or impossible to vote by mail; and legislative districts  may be drawn to minimize the voice of Native American voters, diluting the representation they are entitled to receive. 

We know the history behind these problems, and the history of the problems’ persistence. We want to hear about your recent voting experiences, including whether historical problems continued in 2020 or whether new difficulties emerged. And we would like your recommendations about ways that the federal government, state and local governments, and private organizations may work to break down these barriers to foster robust election participation now and in the future. 
 Have you or citizens of your Tribe experienced difficulties voting in recent elections? What were those difficulties? Are you confident your ballot was counted?  Why or why not? Have you or citizens of your Tribe experienced new difficulties in recent elections, interfering with your ability to cast a meaningful ballot? Have you or citizens of your Tribe taken any steps to address these problems, or to request assistance? If so, what were those steps and what was the result? What would you like to see happen to remedy these difficulties? Join us on Wednesday, June 16 at 2pm ET, 1pm CT, 12pm MT, 11am PT, 10am AK, and 9am HI the White House and administration agencies will be holding their second consultation call with the Pacifc and Northwest Regions. 

Register for the Call Here 

Sen. McCoy received a Master of Public Administration honorary degree from The Evergreen State College

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

June 27th, 2020

Dear Friends of Sen. John McCoy;

On June 12th, 2020, Sen. McCoy received a Master of Public Administration honorary degree from The Evergreen State College during commencement. Earlier that day, he also received the 2020 Public Official of the Yearaward from the college’s Master of Public Administration program. Finally, to ensure that Sen. McCoy’s legacy of supporting Native student education continues, we are currently working to endow a scholarship in the senator’s name to support future MPA Tribal Governance students.

While presenting the honorary degree during commencement, Evergreen President Dr. George Bridges referenced the senator’s extraordinary educational leadership in Native education throughout the state, including passage of the Since Time Immemorial Legislation, legislation establishing tribal compact schools in Washington state and co-founding the Tribal Leaders Congress in Education.

Sen. McCoy, the Tulalip Tribes, and the Muckleshoot Tribe helped establish the Advanced Studies in Tribal Governance program in Evergreen’s Master of Public Administration program, which Faculty Emeriti Alan Parker (Chippewa Cree) and Linda Moon Stumpff (Apache) co-founded in 2000.

The 10th MPA Tribal Governance class graduated this past June. Our alumni of Tribal Students have played a lead role in transformative change as they have filled key positions throughout Indian Country. President Joe DeLaCruz of the Quinault Indian Nation, a visionary leader of the past generation, saw such a goal when he called upon Parker and Stumpff to design and teach this program.

We are creating an endowed scholarship fund that will allow the Senator’s educational and public service leadership to continue to impact current and future generations.  We plan to begin distributing scholarships during the upcoming academic year with individual donations to launch the program, while we build an endowment to provide scholarships in perpetuity.

“When I first came home and started to work on building the Tribe’s resources, one of those resources was getting our Tribal students educated. Getting them educated was very important so that we could build on our resources and help our people grow.” –Sen. John McCoy (Tulalip)

For more information on the Sen. John McCoy Endowed Scholarship, please contact Tina Kuckkahn-Miller, J.D. (Ojibwe), Vice President for Indigenous Arts, Education and Tribal Relations, at (360) 918-1817 or by email at kuckkaht@evergreen.edu.

We invite you to join us by making an online contribution here: Senator McCoy Scholarship

Respectfully,

Tina Kuckkahn-Miller, J.D. (Citizen, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe)

Vice President for Indigenous Arts, Education and Tribal Relations

The Evergreen State College

Olympia WA 98505

Alan R Parker, J.D. (Citizen, Chippewa Cree Tribal Nation)

Adjunct Faculty, The Maori Indigenous University and

Faculty Emeritus, The Evergreen State College

McCoy-scholarship-ATNIDownload

2020 Census: Democracy Reform that Supports Tribal Sovereignty

/0 Comments/in , , /by
Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:         Pass → Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
19-16 Native Youth Asa Washines 2020 Census: Democracy Reform that Supports Tribal Sovereignty X


 2019 Winter Convention 

Portland Oregon 

RESOLUTION #19 – 16 

“2020 CENSUS: DEMOCRACY REFORM THAT SUPPORTS TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY” 

PREAMBLE 

We, the members of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants rights secured under Indian Treaties and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and constitution of the United States and several states, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution: 

WHEREAS, the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians (ATNI) are representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and specific tribal concerns; and 

WHEREAS, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians is a regional organization comprised of American Indians in the States of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, and Alaska; and 

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians; and 

WHEREAS, the U.S. Census data is used to determine the distribution of Congressional seats to states, used to define legislative districts, school district assignment areas, and other important functional areas of government; and 

WHEREAS, the U.S. Census has become a tool for democracy and democracy reform, improving representation in government; now 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI hereby commits to work towards democracy reforms within the government system after the U.S. Census data is collected and analyzed; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, these democracy reforms will be more inclusive of Tribal Nations, recognize the existing rights of Tribal Nations, support Tribal sovereignty, and will create more effective representation. 

CERTIFICATION 

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2019 Winter Convention of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Portland, Oregon, on January 28-31, 2019, with a quorum present. 

______________________________ ______________________________ 

Leonard Forsman, President Norma Jean Louie, Secretary 

Restore Affirmative Action

/0 Comments/in , /by
Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:         Pass → Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
19-05 Native Vote Julie Johnson Restore Affirmative Action X


 2019 Winter Convention 

Portland, Oregon 

RESOLUTION #19 – 05 

“RESTORE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION” 

PREAMBLE 

We, the members of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants rights secured under Indian Treaties, Executive Orders, and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and constitution of the United States and several states, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise to promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution: 

WHEREAS, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) are representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and specific tribal concerns; and 

WHEREAS, ATNI is a regional organization comprised of American Indians/Alaska Natives and tribes in the states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, and Alaska; and 

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of the ATNI; and 

WHEREAS, Initiative 1000 has been developed to Restore Affirmative Action for women, Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, veterans and the disabled in public education, employment and contracting; and 

WHEREAS, Diversity is America’s greatest asset, yet, since the passage of I-200 in 1998, Washington State has been prohibited from using Affirmative Action to address inequities arising from systemic racism, sexism, and other biases and is only one of 8 states in the country that bans Affirmative Action; and

WHEREAS, since the passage of Initiative 200 over 20 years ago: 

 Women and minority owned businesses have lost over $3.5 billion dollars in state contracts; Source: Office of Minority & Women Business Enterprises (OMWBE); 

 Before I-200, nearly 70% of qualified American Indian freshmen who applied to 

the UW were admitted. But in 2017, only 48% of qualified American Indian 

freshmen who applied to the UW were admitted. Source: UW; 

 Since the passage of I-200, American Indian teachers have dropped to 0.7% of the 

state’s nearly 54,000 teachers. Source: UW; 

 Since the passage of I-200, African-American unemployment has risen to nearly 

7%, the highest of any ethnic community in the state. Source: Washington State 

Employment Security; 

 Since the passage of I-200, Hispanic unemployment has risen to nearly 6%, the 

2nd highest in the state. Source: Washington State Employment Security; and 

 Since the passage of I-200, white males, who are only 38% of the state population, have received over 80% of the Washington State Department of Transportation contracts; Source: Washington State Depart. of Transportation; and 

WHEREAS, Initiative 1000’s goal is to remedy discrimination so everyone can benefit from our state’s prosperous economy. I-1000 has already attracted nearly 200,000 signatures from voters all across the state as this resolution supports the passage of I-1000 which will help educate and secure support for the passage of Initiative 1000 in the next election in Washington State; now 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the ATNI Native Vote Committee supports the I-1000 which would repeal I-200, seeking to mitigate racial, gender, and other imbalances by bringing equity, justice, and fairness back into public policy through Affirmative Action without the use of quotas or preferential treatment; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ATNI values and welcomes diversity and joins multiple community groups, such as the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC), Jamestown S’Kallam Tribe, Puyallup Tribe, Suquamish Tribe and other tribes from the northwest, the 34th District Democrats, and former Governors Christine Gregoire, Gary Locke, Dan Evans and countless Native Leaders in the northwest in endorsing I-1000; and 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that ATNI does hereby support the passage of Initiative 1000 to restore Affirmative Action for Women, Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, veterans, the disabled and others, in public education, employment, contracting and equitable treatment of all disadvantaged populations.

CERTIFICATION 

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2019 Annual Convention of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Portland, Oregon on January 28–31, 2019, with a quorum present. 

______________________________ ______________________________ 

Leonard Forsman, President Norma Jean Louie, Secretary