Restore Affirmative Action

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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 

Urge Support of SB 5709, Native American Opportunity Scholarship Act

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Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:         Pass → Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
19-02 Education Patricia Whitefoot Urge Support of SB 5709, Native American Opportunity Scholarship Act X


 2019 Winter Convention 

Portland Oregon 

RESOLUTION #19 – 02 

“URGE SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 5709, NATIVE AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP ACT” 

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, on January 28, 2019 legislation was introduced by Senator John McCoy “…to provide scholarships to encourage Native American Washington residents to earn postsecondary degrees and credentials and remain in the state and their communities to work.;” and 

WHEREAS, the legislation is currently in the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee and passage of SB 5709 will create the Native American Opportunity Scholarship as a step toward increased higher educational achievement in Washington among the diverse tribal citizens in the state; and 

WHEREAS, the program will be overseen by a newly created Native American Opportunity Scholarship Board which will provide oversight of a program administrator who will solicit and fundraise private and tribal funds for the program, which will include a state match that is earned for any and all private and tribal contributions for eligible students; now 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI does hereby endorse and support Senate Bill 5709 to establish the Native American Opportunity Scholarship in the State of Washington to help close the higher educational attainment gap for tribal communities and tribal colleges across the state; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ATNI urges tribal leaders to contact and write letters of support to the Washington State Legislature to vote in favor of passage of Senate Bill 5709 in the 2019 Legislative Session. 

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. 

______________________________ ______________________________ 

RES 18 40

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Appeal for the Uniform Use of ED506 to Improve Native Student Identification and Recruitment

Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:                                    Pass →                     Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
Res-18-40 Education Patsy Whitefoot Appeal for the Uniform Use of ED506 to Improve Native Student Identification and Recruitment X no

WHEREAS, steps have been taken by American Indian/Alaska Native leadership to educate federal and state agencies about the unique role of tribes and to promote Indian selfdetermination on a government-to-government basis and to be consulted on issues significant to Indian Country; and

WHEREAS, American Indian/Alaska Native populations are often identified by the various federal and state agencies as a minority and the smallest ethnic group in the United States; and

WHEREAS, misidentification and under-identification of American Indian/Alaska Native students continues to be an issue in the schools at the K-12 level; and WHEREAS, ATNI has supported improvement of American Indian/Alaska Native student identification in the K-12 and higher education institutions with a previous Resolution #16-02; and

WHEREAS, form ED506 gathers important information to establish the eligibility of American Indian/Alaska Native students for services, however this process can be difficult to access, or may require parents and guardians to seek out enrollment forms which they may not be aware of; and

WHEREAS, the need exists for all K-12 paper and online student registration packets to contain the form ED506 and to be uniformly applied in the K-12 schools; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI joins in and supports the appeal to the K-12 school districts within the Northwest to take the necessary steps to engage families and students in order to improve the federal identification and eligibility processes for American Indian/Alaska Native students; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ATNI does hereby urge the K-12 schools to realize the common vision to achieve equitable and optimal educational opportunities for students and families registering students by including the form ED506 in all school registration packets, so students can receive the culture based educational services they are eligible for.

RES 18 39

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Advance Tribal Sovereignty in the 2020 Census

Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:                                    Pass →                     Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
Res-18-39 Education Patsy Whitefoot Advance Tribal Sovereignty in the 2020 Census X no

WHEREAS, the United States (U.S.) Census is mandated by the United States Constitution; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. population is enumerated every 10 years and census data is used to allocate Congressional seats, electoral votes, and is the basis for allocation of more than $600 billion in funding allocations for federally funded programs; and

WHEREAS, federal funding for tribal schools and colleges, education, workforce and career readiness, Indian housing, Indian health, water and sewage projects, roads, economic development and other essential programs are utilized by both urban, rural and tribal communities and is based on data collected by the Census Bureau every ten (10) years; now

THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED, that ATNI will partner with organizations to advance tribal sovereignty with organizations such as More Equitable Democracy and others to focus on racial equality and democracy reform; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, these organizations, such as, More Equitable Democracy and others, shall work with Tribal Governments and Tribal Organizations to ensure Census participation, training and education in rural and urban communities, voter registration, Get out the Vote activities, leadership development, and redistricting reform.

RES 18 38

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Support the Passage of I-1631

Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:                                    Pass →                     Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
Res-18-38 Executive Board Exec Board 08-08-18 Support the Passage of I-1631 X NO

WHEREAS, our forests, waters, wetlands, grasslands, and other natural landscapes are the foundation of all life, and they are our most affordable, effective, and proven tools for carbon sequestration and climate change resiliency; and

WHEREAS, climate change is a present and urgent threat to these ecosystems, the wildlife that inhabit them, and the human communities who rely on both for their survival; and

WHEREAS, an aggressive, comprehensive, innovative, and socially equitable climate change policy, I-1631, has been introduced as an initiative to the people of Washington State, and will be enacted into law if it receives a majority of votes in the November 6, 2018 elections; and

WHEREAS, I-1631 was formulated after an exhaustive six-month-long consultation process open to all Washington Tribes, which took the form of dozens of meetings, negotiations, conference calls, summits, and briefings, assisted by extensive electronic communications in and between Tribes, their leaders, staff, and consultants; and WHEREAS, I-1631 was co-written by Tribal leaders and experts, and has been introduced publicly with key Washington Tribal leaders in a co-leadership role; and

WHEREAS, Tribal co-management is embodied at every level of the decision-making structure created by the initiative, with Tribal co-chairs serving on important committees; and WHEREAS, I-1631 includes the most robust, detailed, and serious Tribal sovereignty and consultation platform ever proposed for State law, requiring “free, prior, and informed consent” for I-1631 funded projects that impact Tribal lands or sovereignty for all Tribes that have consultation rights in Washington State, including those headquartered in neighboring states; and

WHEREAS, I-1631 provides for the relocation of coastal Tribes at risk of sea level rise, and for autonomous wildfire prevention, suppression, and recovery; and

WHEREAS, I-1631 invests more in the rehabilitation of rural economies and the conservation and stewardship of farms, fisheries, and tree farms than any other policy ever considered in state; and

WHEREAS, the passage of I-1631 would be both a major leap forward towards a sustainable future for Washington State and true political equality and sovereignty for Washington’s Tribes and their citizens; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI formally supports the passage of I-1631 this November; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ATNI fully supports the continued co-management of the fight against climate change by Tribal leaders, the continued empowerment of their voices in the upcoming campaign, and the fight for the political equality of all peoples.

RES 18 37

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Support for the National Native American Veteran Memorial

Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:                                    Pass →                     Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
Res-18-37 Veterans Joseph Turrey Support for the National Native American Veteran Memorial X yes

WHEREAS, the ATNI Veteran Committee supports the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indians (NMAI) efforts to construct a National Native American Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indians are now reaching out to Native Veterans of the Northwest Tribes for inclusion in the organization; and

WHEREAS, the NMAI is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, and the Veterans Memorial project cannot use federal funds and can only be constructed with private contributions; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI does hereby support the NMAI organization and to provide an opportunity to begin networking within Indian Country on this project to honor Native American Veterans; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ATNI supports the NMAI efforts to build the National Native Veterans Memorial and related programming to honor the service of all Native American Veterans; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the ATNI Veterans Committee encourages all Tribes of ATNI to provide financial support for completing construction and continued maintenance of this project.

RES 18 36

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Washington State Highway 530 Safety Improvements

Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:                                    Pass →                     Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
Res-18-36 Transportation Kirk Vinish Washington State Highway 530 Safety Improvements X no

WHEREAS, Washington State Route (WA SR) 530 is a significant choke point that is recognized as a serious safety hazard; and

WHEREAS, the traveling public and the Sauk-Suiattle tribe are directly affected by the unsafe conditions on WA SR 530; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI urges the Washington State legislature to fully fund transportation improvements near Darrington, WA which serves the Sauk-Suiattle tribe on WA SR 530 to improve highway safety.

RES 18 35

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Update Cost to Construct Tables for Northwest Region

Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:                                    Pass →                     Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
Res-18-35 Transportation Kirk Vinish Update Cost to Construct Tables for Northwest Region X no

 

WHEREAS, the tribal transportation funding formula includes a cost to construct roads element which affects how much funding each tribe in the Northwest receives; and

WHEREAS, the current data in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) database for cost to construct is out of date for the Northwest; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI urges the BIA Office of Transportation to update the cost to construct tables for the Northwest.

RES 18 34

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Recommendation for Appointment to Tribal Transportation Program Coordinating Committee

Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:                                    Pass →                     Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
Res-18-34 Transportation Kirk Vinish Recommendation for Appointment to Tribal Transportation Program Coordinating Committee X     no

RES 18 33

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Request Washington State Traffic Safety Commission Fund the Development of Model Codes

Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:                                    Pass →                     Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
Res-18-33 Transportation Kirk Vinish Request Washington State Traffic Safety Commission Fund the Development of Model Codes X     no