Friend,
They are always coming after our sovereignty and our rights.
We know that Tribes must retain their inherent powers and legal right of self-government. Treaties, Supreme Court decisions, executive orders, and laws have created a fundamental contract between Tribes and the United States. Tribal nations, sometimes willingly, other times under duress, gave up millions of acres of land that now make up the United States and, in return, received the guarantee of ongoing self-government on their own lands.
In order to maintain the right to our sovereignty, we have to never stop fighting to protect it and all of our rights as they continually come under attack.
A white state lawmaker in Montana is questioning whether land set aside long ago for Native peoples should even exist anymore, calling on Congress to consider doing away with reservations altogether.[1]
In Nebraska, Native organizations are fighting elected officials in Thurston County for adopting county supervisor districts that intentionally dilute the Native vote and do not comply with federal Voting Rights Act protections even though Indigenous people comprise nearly 60% of the total population and a majority of voting-age residents in that county.[2]
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In South Dakota, a 2020 investigation uncovered rampant state-wide noncompliance with the National Voter Registration Act, which requires driver’s license offices and public assistance agencies to provide voter registration services to their clients during applications, renewals, and change of address requests.
Specifically, agencies serving predominantly Native communities reported disproportionately low numbers of voter registrations completed at their offices compared to other communities. Our community fought back and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, and voters Kimberly Dillon and Hoksila White Mountain sued -- and won critical new protections to ensure the right to vote for all.
“Ignorance will no longer be an excuse in South Dakota as the agreement specifies the state must create guidance, ensure accurate training materials, and actually train state agency staff on Motor-Voter responsibilities”[3]
(McLaughlin City Councilmember Hoksila White Mountain)
This is what it looks like when we build Native power in our communities across the country.
Hawwih (thank you) for being with us in this fight.
Judith Le Blanc (Caddo)
Executive Director
[1] JOINT RESOLUTION TEXT
[2] Tribes and Voters Sue Nebraska County to Secure Equal Representation
[3] Motor-Voter Settlement Will Bring Far-reaching Improvements for South Dakota Voters
