NUIFC eNewsletter // December 2019
Update from the NUIFC Executive Director
Janeen Comenote, Executive Director
National Urban Indian Family Coalition
Reviewing a Whirlwind Year
With the year racing to a close, I wanted to take a moment to look back on the whirlwind that was 2019. It seems like a lifetime ago that we were celebrating the extraordinary 2018 midterms and installing a historic congress, featuring the first two Native women ever elected to the US House of Representatives. While these victories were inspiring, we understand they are simply one step on a long journey. Still, it’s important to realize what 2019 meant for Indian Country and the positive developments we’ve seen manifest because of the effort so many of us have been putting in. This issue of the eNewsletter will recap some of those victories and hopefully show why all the civic engagement work the NUIFC has planned in 2020 is so important. We also wanted to highlight Yeego Travel, an Indian-owned travel agency that is doing great work and will be partnering with the NUIFC.
In the last 12 months, the NUIFC has been solidifying the foundation for two of our major civic engagement projects, our Census 2020 Initiative and the Urban Indian Civic Engagement Initiative. Both have allowed the NUIFC to build and strengthen our bonds with partner organizations across the nation and have allowed us to create coalitions that will cover all of Indian Country. 2020 promises to be just as exciting and productive as 2019 was. Some of our projected activities will include:
Census 202o:
The NUIFC will join forces with the Urban Indian Health Institute, Center for Native American Youth, National Congress of American Indians and the Native American Rights Fund to tackle the concerning Native undercount. We will fund upwards of 40 organizations to engage in the Census and work with our partner organizations to ensure that resources are getting to the community level.
2020 Election:
The NUIFC has funded 17 funded centers to outline an optimal voter and civic engagement strategy which includes Census 2020, voter engagement and building power with other communities of color both locally and nationally.
Education:
2019 saw us complete another year of our Resurgence Schools program and host the wildly successful Resurgence Gathering, a one-of-a-kind meeting of experts in urban specific American Indian/Alaska Native alternative education. In 2020 we will continue the program and plan for additional education gatherings.
As we look to close out a decade and welcome in another, we know that 2020 is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal and important of our lifetimes. With so much in our communities, our tribes and our country at stake with both a Presidential election and a Census, having all hands-on deck becomes the clarion call for all of us to join together to create a better future.
Happy holidays and have a great rest of the year. I’ll speak with you all again in 2020.
Klecko Klecko (Thank you),
Janeen Comenote
Executive Director
Why We Work - Recapping Victories for Indians Around the Country
Following the result of the 2018 midterm election, a sense of hope could be felt around the country after record levels of turnout, upset victories, and many historical firsts like the victories of Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids, the first two Native women ever elected to the US House of Representatives. Nearly a year later, we wanted to take stock of why those elections matter and why it’s so important that we keep the momentum rolling into 2020.
2018 should be remembered as the year of the Native woman, beyond just the two congressional history makers, Peggy Flanagan became the first American Indian ever elected to statewide executive office, and Ruth Buffalo becoming the first Native woman elected to the North Dakota Legislature.
Photo credit: C-SPAN
History continued to be made in 2019 when Isleta Teller, the Chief Justice of Isleta Pueblo became the first Native woman to deliver an opening prayer on the floor of the US House of Representatives. Justice Teller was invited by Rep. Haaland for the prayer and was introduced by Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. Moments like this matter, as they show institutions such as congress are being forced through collective action to open the doors to those they’ve historically kept out.
On the note of changing institutions to better reflect the current times, the Senate recently passed the RESPECT Act, which officially rescinds outdated laws that targeted Native Americans. The law would remove 11 laws that have been on the books for over 100 years, some of which allowed involuntary labor for indigenous men and allowed the removal of children from their homes. While these laws were no longer enforced, they stood as a stark reminder of the atrocities committed legally and sanctioned by the US government. The Senate legislation was co-sponsored by freshman senator Krysten Sinema, who was elected in an upset victory in Arizona in 2018.
One major issue that saw movement in 2019 was the nationwide epidemic around Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). There has been a major uptick in the national focus on the longstanding issue due in part from the focus from politicians like Rep. Haaland and Rep. Davids, grassroots organizers, and community-based organizations such as the Urban Indian Health Institute and vital data. The federal government has responded, launching the Missing and Murderer Indigenous Persons Initiative which would create new specialized coordinators in 11 U.S. attorney offices across the country that would focus on these challenges. Tribal and local law enforcement will also be able to call on the FBI to help with cases and may have specialized teams deployed. This is being referred to as a “step in the right direction.” Congress is also stepping in by working to pass Savanna’s Act and the Not Invisible Act, two pieces of legislation that would improve data collection, standardize law enforcement protocols, and provide more resources to tribal governments.
These examples mark progress, that the work that we are putting can make a difference. Still, the pieces of legislation listed above have not been codified into law, highlighting how real change takes continued pressure and that we must sustain momentum around these fights to create a better future. 2020 will be one of the most vital elections of our lifetime, we must find strength in our victories and build on our success..
Yeego Travel - An American Indian-owned Travel Agency Partners with the NUIFC
As a national organization, the NUIFC travels around the country advocating for American Indian families living in urban areas and fighting to make sure that we have a seat at the table we’ve been excluded from for so long. So much of the work we do is focused on building power by working with like-minded organizations, which is why we are proud to announce our partnership with Yeego Travel, a 100 percent Native American-owned small business that provides comprehensive travel and concierge services.
“We believe in NUIFC’s missions and are based in a very urban community ourselves,” said Jared King, the company’s principal and owner. “We are very much looking forward to this collaboration.”
“ We believe in NUIFC’s missions and are based in a very urban community ourselves. We are very much looking forward to this collaboration.”
The Washington D.C.-based company opened its doors in 2014, with a focus in event planning but shifted to focus on travel the following year. Since then Yeego Travel has flourished, connecting people around the US, helping them navigate and understand parts of Indian Country, and help them traverse the globe.
“We work with people from all around the world, helping people get here from Brazil, we’ve sent people to Norway for big projects,” said King. “We have access to travel products that save people money and aren’t available to everyday consumers.”
King, a member of Navajo Nation, used his ancestral language to help guide his company. Yeego translates to “Go for It,” which is the spirit that he hopes his company embodies. He also stresses why being the only wholly-owned Native travel agency gives him a perspective that differentiates from traditional companies.
“We want to that gateway to and from Indian Country,” said King. “We’re here to help and look forward to hearing from everyone.”
For more information, please contact:
Janeen Comenote
Executive Director, National Urban Indian Family Coalition
jcomenote@nuifc.org, | 206-551-9933
Rio Fernandes
Newsletter Editor, National Urban Indian Family Coalition
Riof@nuifc.org | 206-913-3676