Aŋpétu Wašté Mitkuyape ~ Good day my relatives!

Fall is in the air and the kids are back to school. And we have some exciting things happening in ANA!

First, I’d like to share a few reflections on where we’ve been over the summer. I recently had the privilege to visit the Badlands of South Dakota during the Secretary's Tribal Advisory Committee meeting in Rapid City, S.D. I loved being back in the Dakotas and close to my homelands of the Standing Rock reservation.

I spent a full day visiting community partners on the Pine Ridge Reservation starting with the Lakota Funds and the Oglala Sioux Art Space in from Kyle, and then the Oceti Wakan project in Pine Ridge Village. It was a bright warm day, surrounded by the beautiful windswept landscape of the Badlands.



The connections formed that day are deeper and grounding in the utmost importance of being on Native lands, using Native language, and celebrating Native cultures and traditions. I truly felt the value of ANA’s investments and came away so inspired by these community partners.

I am committed to building authentic relationships with Indigenous communities everywhere ANA and ACF are, and to helping them in their journeys to self-governance.

So, wherever I go – Regional Tribal Consultations and national conferences – I try to find opportunities share our mission and carry our stories.



One highlight I always celebrate is the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Indian Child Welfare Act. The case weighed heavy on our minds not only for what it would mean for our services to Native child and their families, but its potential impact on tribal sovereignty. There’s more work to be done and it is good to know that ACF intends to continue making improvements in our services to Native children and families.

We also celebrated ANA grant awards. This month, ANA announced additional awards of $9 million to 32 Native American Tribes and Native organizations to help improve the social and economic well-being in their communities.  



• Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) - $6,741,370
• Social and Economic Development Strategies Alaska (SEDS-AK) - $660,451
• Environmental Regulatory Enhancement Grant Awards (ERE) - $1,644,338

ANA FY23 new grant awards totaled more than $11 Million of investments in our communities. I thank all of them for their important work in improving the lives of Native and Indigenous communities every day.

View press release here.

We have a lot planned for October, starting with ANA’s 10th National Native Languages Summit on October 17, 2023, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a theme of Language Sovereignty: Native Language and Self-Determination. And be on the lookout for our revamped ANA Quarterly Newsletter, more information onANA events and community partners!

Thank you for the opportunity to serve along side of you,

~ wopila tanka 

Patrice H. Kunesh

ANA Commissioner

Lakota Funds ~ Oglala Lakota Art Space ~ Oceti Wakan ~ Little Cherokee Seeds

 Cherokee Nation Durbin Feeling Language Center

Administration for Native Americans - ANA

An Office of the Administration for Children & Families

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

330 C Street, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20201