Updates:

As the spring semester ends here at  Arizona State University for students and faculty, our office works year round and we are currently gearing up for the training that we host with the Native American Finance Officers Association, the Tribal Financial Manager Certificate Program. 

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The White House recently announced, through a video invitation from President Obama, that on July 9, 2015, the Administration will host the first White House Tribal Youth Gathering. The video message delivered at the 32nd Annual Gathering of Nations Pow Wow, urged both youth and Tribal organizations to get involved with the Generation Indigenous (Gen-I) Initiative and Youth Challenge. Native Youth can apply to participate in the White House Tribal Youth Gathering by submitting a complete application due on May 8, 2015. It is anticipated that at least 800 Native Youth will be selected to attend this inaugural event.

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Following the Oversight Hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs: Tribal Transportation: Pathways to Safer Roads in Indian Country, Sen. Barrasso (R-Wyo.) remarked in an Op-Ed that there is more work to do with regard to reservation roads. Information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2004-2010 showed that Wyoming had one of the five highest motor vehicle related death rates in the Country for American Indians. Reservation roads are in very similar condition throughout the Country. “Two Indian people die in one day, every day in America,” according to John Smith, the director of the Department of Transportation for the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes of the Wind River Indian Reservation. Nationally, 17% of reservation roads are categorized as unacceptable by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Federal Highway Administration explains that 70% of reservation roads are unpaved and 14% of bridges are structurally unsound. The Committee received both written and verbal testimony from Mr. Michael S. Black, Director, BIA; Honorable J. Michael Chavarria, Governor-Pueblo of Santa Clara; Honorable Rick Kirn, Tribal Executive Board Member-Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes; and Mr. Delbert McOmie, Chief Engineer-Wyoming Department of Transportation.

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Arizona Indian Gaming statistics were updated in the April report Cumulative Tribal Contributions. Tribes in Arizona are good neighbors and contributed $25.2 million in gaming revenues to the State as reported by the Arizona Department of Gaming. Since 2004, tribes have shared $1.078 billion with the state, directly benefiting cities, towns and county governments. According to the Arizona Indian Gaming Association, 56% of shared revenues go directly to educational programs; 28% support emergency services and trauma centers; 7% fund wildlife protection efforts; 7% towards statewide tourism and 2% support prevention, education and issues related to problem gambling. The twenty-three Gaming tribes, shared gaming revenues ultimately support all Arizonans.

Opportunities:
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) urges Indian country to get involved and comment on newly released Indian Child Welfare Act (P.L. 95-608) proposed regulations. Comments are due May 19, 2015. The proposed new regulations includes language and guidance found in the newly released ICWA guidelines for state courts and agencies. Among the many key areas for comment include: the requirement that state courts and agencies to ask whether ICWA applies in every child custody proceeding; providing clear examples of efforts to prevent removal and encourage reunification; extensive explanation of notice requirements and necessary steps in notifying tribes; and, the importance of considering tribal law and customs in identifying whether ICWA applies. Several meetings and tribal consultations are scheduled through May. Get involved and comment at the Federal rulemaking portal, Docket ID BIA-2015-0001 or email to comments@bia.gov with ICWA in the subject line or mail or hand deliver to Ms. Elizabeth Appel, Office of Regulatory Affairs & Collaborative Action-Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., MS 3642, Washington, DC 20240, (202)273-4680.

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The U.S. Department of Education announces $3 million in grants to support Native Youth. To further support efforts by the Obama Administration, funding for Native Youth Community Projects, five to seven tribal communities will be awarded demonstration grants ranging from $400,000 to $600,000 for implementation in fall 2015. Results of extensive tribal consultation emphasized that tribal communities are best suited to identify key issues of Native Youth in their communities and develop and implement strategies to address these issues. Deadline for intent to apply is due June 2, 2015.

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Tribal Financial Manager Certificate Program is still accepting new registrations for attendees through Friday, May 8, 2015 for the upcoming May 19-21, 2015 training session. The American Indian Policy Institute (AIPI) at Arizona State University (ASU) hosts this 3-day intensive professional development certificate program twice annually. Through a long-standing partnership with the Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA), AIPI is pleased to offer the Tribal Financial Manager Certificate Program to be held on the ASU Tempe Campus. If you cannot attend this month’s training, please consider registering for our upcoming November session!

We are pleased to announce two Arizona State University graduate student researchers, Nicholet Deschine Parkhurst (Standing Rock Sioux/Diné (Navajo)) a Doctoral Student and Emery Tahy, Diné (Navajo), Graduate Student will be presenting at the 2015 Tribal Telecom Conference- Weaving Indigenous Pathways Across the Digital Divide on May, 6, 2015 in Albuquerque, NM. Their presentation and subsequent report, made possible through collaboration between the ASU American Indian Policy Institute and ASU School of Public Affairs analyzes U.S. Census data on Internet use by American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Digital Reality: Access to Technology and Broadband for American Indian and Alaska Native Populations report illustrates a persistent digital divide and offers tribal community data that currently is limited or non-existent. This report provides tribal communities an opportunity to examine development of telecommunication and broadband policy and implications in their community.

Calendar of a few Upcoming Events in Indian Country

Tribal Telecom 2015 – Weaving Pathways Across the Digital Divide Conference | May 4-7, 2015 | Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico
 
American Indian College Fund 25th Anniversary Gala | May 8, 2015 | Chicago, Illinois
 
USET Semi-Annual | May 18-20, 2015 | Mashantucket, Connecticut
 
Tribal Interior Budget Council | May 20-21, 2015 | Washington, D.C.
 
Second Annual Conference on Governance of Emerging Technologies: Law, Policy and Ethics | May 27-29, 2015 | Scottsdale, Arizona
 
Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) Conference | June 4-6, Washington, D.C.
 
FREE Training: Forensic Interviewing of Child and Adolescent Victims and Witnesses in Indian Country | June 9-12, 2015
 
Indian Country Online | June 10-11, 2015 | Pala, California
                               
RES (Reservation Economic Summit) D.C. | June 15-18, 2015 | Washington, D.C.
 
NCAI 2015 Mid Year Conference | June 28-July 1, 2015 | St. Paul, Minnesota