Yá’át’ééh. Shí éí Emily McDonnell yinishyé. Hello, my name is Emily and I am a proud member of the Navajo Nation. My Navajo clans are Near the Water clan, and the Many Goats clan. I am of Greek-Irish descent from my father's side. I am so excited to be part of the AIPI team! My position as the new Policy & Communications Coordinator allows me to combine two passions of mine---storytelling, and advocacy, both of which have been shaped by my upbringing and have led me to where I am today.
Indian Country
We are so excited to have E.J. John, JD, as part of our team! In the short time that he’s been here, E.J. has risen to the challenge and jumped right in to the many changes taking place in Indian Country. His work at AIPI includes providing monthly legislative updates, so be sure to subscribe to our website so you don’t miss anything!
Below, you can learn more about E.J., including his experience and interests.
Afammi Himitta' Ayokpa (Happy New Year). We all hope this will be a better year than 2020. Yet, we cannot overlook the good work that took place in 2020, despite the dire circumstances. At AIPI, it was a very productive year and our staff rose to the occasion and produced high-quality work that served tribes. Watch for our forthcoming Annual Report to learn more about our work in 2020.
The 2020 elections featured the highest number of ballots cast in American history and was a landmark election for Indigenous representation at the Federal and State levels. In 2018, the first Native American women were elected to Congress as Representatives Deb Haaland (D-NM-1), and Sharice Davids (D-KS-3) were elected alongside incumbent Representatives Markwayne Mullin (R-OK-2) and Tom Cole (R-OK-4).
Nannakya ilánchi. Everything is changing. Everything has changed. The election is over, and as we struggle with how we as a nation go forward, not back, our communities need compassion, and they need leadership. And as we continue as a nation to struggle with COVID as new infections surge, this winter promises to be as bad as or worse than the summer. This virus has changed everything about our lives. Whether we like it or not, we are not going back to the world as we knew it. But let me tell you why I am looking forward.
Native American Heritage Month was declared in 1990 by George H.W. Bush via Joint resolution designating November 1990 National American Indian Heritage Month. Similar proclamations have been issued annually each year since 1994. You can learn more about this and view a comprehensive inventory of Public Laws, Presidential Proclamations, and congressional resolutions related to Native American Heritage Month here.
In a recent blog post, Google highlighted the work it has done with the Navajo Nation to adopt Google Plus Codes as an alternative to typical physical and mailing address options. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Navajo Nation has utilized Plus Codes to map community Wi-Fi hot spots, food distribution and COVID-19 aide locations, and has partnered with shipping companies for the delivery of essential products and goods.
"This country was founded on genocide and slavery.” W. Kamau Bell got straight to the point when he offered this pointedly accurate assessment of American history during a conversation hosted at ASU to kick off the semester. The event was intended to bring discussions on racism to the forefront of students’ consciousness. It is a harsh statement, but it’s true. And if Americans don’t learn American history—warts and all—we are doomed to repeat it.
Written by affiliate scholar Lawrence Roberts.