Highlighting Indigenous Peoples | |
Photo credit: JULIA VOLK | Pexels | |
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“Our history is a living history, that has throbbed, withstood and survived many centuries of sacrifice. Now it comes forward again with strength. The seeds, dormant for such a long time, break out today with some uncertainty, although they germinate in a world that is at present characterized by confusion and uncertainty.”
– Rigoberta Menchú Tum
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Highlighting Indigenous People and Equity
by Darby Galligher of the National Indian Health Board
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new report on life expectancy should be a call to arms for those of us working to dismantle the structural racism embedded in American policymaking. The overall life expectancy at birth in the United States (U.S.) fell for the first time in 22 years, dropping from 77.0 years in 2020 to 76.1 years. And the impact of this is most severe among American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Life expectancy for American Indians and Alaska Natives has been reduced by 6.6 years – 11.2 years lower than white non-Hispanic Americans. This drop represents the life expectancy for the general population in 1944. Sadly, this data is not surprising and is most likely an underestimate. This latest CDC report highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with years of disinvestment in Tribal communities, has left American Indians and Alaska Natives with the worst health status, systems, and outcomes in the nation.
The inequitable health outcomes for Native people are well-established. The 2003 Quiet Crisis and 2018 Broken Promises Reports, published by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, [AR1] highlighted the myriad of unmet, urgent needs of Indigenous people, such as health care, education, public safety, housing, and rural development. Additionally, these reports found that Federal programs designed to support the social and economic well-being of Native Americans remain chronically underfunded and sometimes inefficiently structured, which leaves many basic community needs unmet and contributes to the inequities we see today.
At the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), we believe this report should be a call to action for government agencies to reaffirm their commitment to the public health needs in Indian Country. Since 1972, NIHB has been fighting to ensure the federal government upholds and honors its trust responsibility to provide quality healthcare to the 574 federally recognized Tribes. Now is the time to support and champion health equity for American Indians and Alaska Natives by:
- Respecting our Sovereignty and investing in our ability to manage and grow our public health capacity and practices.
- Prioritizing Tribal health organizations, who have both the authority and responsibility to provide public health services to our people, to receive direct funding and removing the policy structures that favor non-Native entities to receive funding and support to work in our communities.
- Investing in us by making Tribal Nations a priority in health and public health equity work.
- By ensuring Tribal Nations have direct access to needed resources while respecting Tribal Sovereignty[SP2], we can bridge this gap in life expectancy, and secure better, more equitable outcomes for future generations.
NIHB is honored to be a RISE partner, working together to fight for health equity. To learn more about NIHB or our work on tribal health equity, visit the NIHB website.
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A story of resiliance: We Shall Remain | |
The price to be paid to defend what is scared | |
Every two days, a land defender is killed. Most are Indigenous. | |
“All over the world, Indigenous peoples, environmental activists, and other land and environmental defenders risk their lives for the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss,” reads the report. “They play a crucial role as a first line of defense against ecological collapse, yet are under attack themselves facing violence, criminalisation and harassment perpetuated by repressive governments and companies prioritizing profit over human and environmental harm.”
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Fossil fuel extraction is harming Indigenous communities, say experts | Fossil fuel production causes significant environmental health effects in Indigenous communities, and leadership from frontline Indigenous activists has been critical in fighting these environmental injustices, according to experts who spoke at a Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health event. | |
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Poet Edyka Chilomé Performs “The Archive of Our Relation”
In honor of Native American History Month, NRDC asked Indigenous poets to share original works of environmental poetry that speak directly to future generations. Their pieces grapple with grief and loss—from the construction of unnatural borders to the destruction caused by a warming world—while honoring their relationships to the plants, animals, and topography of their ancestral land.
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Meet some of those on the frontline | |
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5 Indigenous Environmental Activists You Must Know (and Amplify)
“Indigenous knowledges are not a backup plan anymore, they are the plan” — Dr. Cutcha Risling Balding
In the spirit of protecting earth, here are five inspiring and Indigenous custodians with an important message that we can learn from and amplify.
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Indigenous activists on tackling the climate crisis: 'We have done more than any government' – video
Despite only making up about 6% of the global population, Indigenous people protect 80% of biodiversity left in the world. We speak to six young Indigenous climate activists from the Ecuadorian Amazon, Chad, Alaska, Sweden, Indonesia and Australia about their people and culture – and what we can learn from them about protecting our planet.
Nina Gualinga, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Charitie Ropati, Sara-Elvira Kuhmunen, Emmanuela Shinta and Amelia Telford also tell us about what they want to see from world leaders at the Cop26 summit and what makes them hopeful about the future
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Three Native American Women Assume Influential National Positions Within the Administration and Congress
Last month, there was an astounding historic commitment to Indian Country as three Native American women assumed influential national positions. As the first Native American female to be appointed, Chief Lynn Malerba was sworn in as the United States Treasurer. On the same day, the White House announced the inaugural, permanent position appointing Ms. Elizabeth Carr is to be the Tribal Advisor to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The next day, Representative-elect Mary Peltola (D-D-At-Large) was sworn in as the first Alaska Native woman to represent Alaska’s sole House congressional seat in a special election.
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Walk Forward in Bravery: Life Skills for the Young Native American Wellness Program by Oceti Wakan
The success of the old Native American world was to strive each day to live in balance . . . to strive towards nobility. It was the philosophy and way of life; it was how one is to walk on this earth. It is what made the Native American such a healthy and strong people. Life Skills for the Youth Native American Wellness Program has been developed by Oceti Wakan to help give our children the tools to do this. It gives a strong foundation in their cultural identity, while also teaching them the building blocks to live a life in balance – to walk forward in Bravery!
The State of South Dakota has made a commitment to incorporate Native American culture and language into everyday lessons in our schools.
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What's happening in WIN Network?
Be sure to register for the WIN Week activities 24-28th October if you have not as yet. Now more than ever, being interconnected in our mission toward equity is so important. Celebrating 3 years of advancing intergenerational well-being and equity and working strategically together to lay the groundwork for the next 30!
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14 Oct: 7:00 PM - 11:59 PM EDT
Register Here
20 Oct: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT
WIN Partners Meeting with Stewardship Council (WIN Week)
Monday, October 24th, 2022
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm ET
WIN Equitable Economies Quarterly Meeting (WIN Week)
Tuesday, October 25th, 2022
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm ET
WIN Network Orientation - Perfect for new members! (WIN Week)
Wednesday, October 26th, 2022
11:00 am - 12:00 pm ET
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WIN Measurement Quarterly Meeting (WIN Week)
Wednesday, October 26th, 2022
12:00pm - 2:00pm ET
WIN Network Poster Session (WIN Week)
Thursday, October 27th, 2022
11:00am - 1:30pm ET
Community Gathering: The Right to Vote and Voice (WIN Week)
Thursday, October 27th, 2022
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm ET
WIN Network Early Career Professionals Networking (WIN Week)
Friday, October 28th, 2022
11:00 am - 12:30 pm ET
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Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples: Thriving Women
(All applications must be submitted by Indigenous Peoples)
Due Date: December 7, 2022
Overview: The purpose of this program is to recognize indigenous women's and girls' inherent strength and capacity for healing, leadership, and regenerating positive futures. Funding will help federally recognized tribal nations and indigenous-led nonprofit organizations uplift indigenous women's leadership and strategies to reclaim traditional matrilineal lifeways.
The Lawrence Foundation
Due Date: October 31, 2022
Overview: The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services, and other causes.
The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000 and funds both program and operating grants with no geographical restriction. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.
Initial grants range between $5000 and $10,000.
Truist Foundation Grants (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas)
Due Date: November 30, 2022
Overview: This program aims to inspire and build better lives by supporting wealth-building for historically excluded communities. Program support is available to strengthen nonprofit organizations with transformative ideas and proven solutions to address the roots of inequity.
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