AIPI Staff Attend 36th Annual NAFOA Conference 

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The 36th Annual Conference of the Native American Finance Officers Association in New Orleans, LA from April 22-24, had record attendance and informative sessions on Tribal economics, economy building, and finance in areas such as asset management and infrastructure development. AIPI had a booth at the conference to conduct education and outreach regarding its Tribal Economic Leadership Program, which includes the Tribal Financial Manger Certificate Program offered by AIPI in partnership with NAFOA. AIPI Research and Policy Analyst, Brian Howard, also moderated and presented on the panel, “Opportunities in Building a First Responder Network”. The panel discussed the current, ongoing deployment of FirstNet and Tribal opportunities to access the network to support public safety communications throughout Indian Country.  FirstNet is a quasi-governmental entity charged with building a nationwide, interoperable broadband network dedicated to police, fire, and EMS.

Present and Future of the Internet in Indian Country: an IGF Internet Community
Road Trip Event

 

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On May 10th, AIPI Director Traci Morris and Policy and Research Analyst Brian Howard participated in a workshop titled the Present and Future of the Internet in Indian Country, part of the Internet Governance Forum for the USA (IGF-USA) Internet Community Road Trip.

 
The IGF partnered with AMERIND Risk/AMERIND Critical Infrastructure to host a stop on the Internet Community Road Trip in New Mexico. The purpose of this meeting was to bring the IGF-USA and Tribal communities together for an event focused on the Internet in Indian Country. Dialogue was held on the state of the Internet needs of Tribal Nations. This learning and roundtable session explained how the Internet is governed worldwide, heard the priorities of Tribal Nations, and suggested how Tribal Nations can get involved to advance their interests in Internet governance.
 
During this half-day event, IGF discussed with Tribal communities the potential to take a role in shaping the Internet in their communities and beyond. The event included Tribal Leaders, Officials, and Administrators; Education, Economic Development, Planning, Information Technology, Public Safety, and other technology and telecom broadly interested Tribal representatives.  Also, in attendance were Indian Country representatives actively involved in the Technology and Telecom Subcommittee of the National Congress of American Indians, Native Public Media,  and other national and regional inter-Tribal orgs. 
 
This event was part of the IGF-USA’s Internet Community Road Trip, which is an initiative of the IGF-USA to be on the ground across the country and engage with communities throughout the United States to capture and promote a diverse range of perspectives on the Internet. The goal of this initiative is to increase dialogue and coordinate on the local, regional, Tribal, and national levels around the issues that will be covered at the IGF-USA 2018 national conference.
 

AIPI Board Members Discuss Tribal 
Internet Needs at I-40 Corridor Event

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On May 17th,  Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, and the Sun Corridor Network, hosted an event titled “The I-40 Initiative: A Vision for a Multi-State Regional Approach to Improving Broadband Connectivity in the Southwest”. The meeting was comprised of representatives from federal, state, local, and Tribal governments, as well as representatives from various private and public sectors. The ‘I-40 Corridor’ initiative is aimed at creating a regional, multi-state, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to address ‘internet deserts’ in communities along or near the Interstate 40 Highway from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Southern California.


AIPI Board Member Matthew Rantanen, Director of the Tribal Digital Village of the Southern California Tribal Chairman’s Association, moderated a panel that discussed current challenges and future opportunities for Tribes to access high-speed, reliable internet resulting from the I-40 initiative. Panelists included AIPI Board Member Jacob Moore, Assistance Vice President of Tribal Relations at ASU, Teresa Hopkins, Executive Director of the Navajo Nation Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, and Chad Hamill, Vice President of the Office of Native American Initiatives at NAU.

For additional information, visit ASU’s University Technology Office website to view the article, “Sun Corridor Network Project Plans Broadband Access along I-40”.

CALENDAR

June

NCAI Mid Year Conference and Marketplace | Kansas City, MO | June 3-6, 2018

42nd Annual National Indian Timber Symposium | Ocean Shores, WA | June 4-7, 2018

Sovereignty Symposium | Oklahoma City, OK | June 6-7, 2018

Sealaska Celebration | Juneau, AK | June 6-9, 2018

Red Earth Festival | Oklahoma City, OK | June 8-10

Navajo Rug Auction | Museum of Northern Arizona | Flagstaff, AZ | June 9, 2018

3rd Annual Native CDFI | Pacific Grove, CA | June 12-14, 2018

22nd Annual Sheep is Life Celebration | Dine College | Tsalie, AZ | June 15-16, 2018

INSPIRE Program | ASU Tempe Campus | June 17-22, 2017

9th Annual American Indian/Indigenous Teacher Education Conference | Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff, AZ | June 22-23, 2018

19th National Native American Youth Initiative | George Washington University | Washington, DC | June 23 - July 1, 2018

Eiteljorg Museum Annual Indian Market  | Indianapolis, IN | June 23-24, 2018

11th Annual Arizona American Indian Youth Conference on Health and the Environment | Tempe, AZ | June 26 - 27, 2018

Hopi Festival | Museum of Northern Arizona | Flagstaff, AZ | June 30-July 1, 2018

 

July

National UNITY Conference | Orlando, FL | July 4-8, 2018

NABI Basketball | Maricopa, AZ | July 8-14, 2017

21st Annual Prescott Indian Art Market | Sharlot Hall Museum | Prescott, AZ | July 14 - 15, 2018

Native American Journalists Association 2018 National Native Media Conference | Miami, FL | July 18-22, 2018

World Eskimo-Indian Olympics | Fairbanks, Alaska | July 18-22, 2018

Native POP: People of the Plains | Main Street Square Rapid City, South Dakota | July 21, 2018

Julyamsh Powwow | Coeuer D’Alene, ID | July 20-22, 2018

NIHB - 2018 American Indian and Alaska Native National Behavioral Health Conference | Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC | Jul 25, 2018 - Jul 27, 2018

47th Annual Meeting & Health Conference Interweaving Strands of Our Past, Present & Future in Medicine | We Ko Pa Resort & Conference Center, Phoenix, AZ | July 26, 2018 - July 29, 2018

2018 National TERO Conference | Harrah's Cherokee Casino & Resort Cherokee, NC | July 29, 2018 - Aug 2, 2018

WEWIN 2018 National Conference | Potawatomi Hotel & Casino - Milwaukee, WI | July 29, 2018 - Aug 1, 2018

Women & Water Symposium | Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation, Hayward, WI | July 29 - August 2, 2018

National Caucus of Native American Legislators Legislative Summit | Los Angeles, CA | July 30, 2018 - Aug 2, 2018

 

August

Rocky Boy’s 54th Annual Celebration | Chippewa Cree Tribe Rocky Boy, Montana | August 3-5, 2018

Navajo Festival of Arts & Culture | Flagstaff, AZ | August 4-5, 2018

10th Annual Colorado Springs Native American Intertribal Powwow | Norris-Penrose Event Center Colorado Springs, CO | August 11, 2018

Santa Fe Indian Market | Historic Downtown Plaza Santa Fe, NM | August 18-19, 2018