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As gas prices soar to over $4 a gallon, the costs are affecting everyone. But no one is hit harder than the nation’s poorest: American Indians. With 85% unemployment on many reservations and American Indians ranking as the poorest Americans in the U.S. Census Bureau survey, they are already at an economic disadvantage.

This time of year is a time of celebration. Families across Indian Country are gathering to celebrate the accomplishments of their loved ones in graduation ceremonies at tribal colleges. Learning has become a lifelong vocation for many people in Indian Country, a way to give back to the community and other generations.

The Fund is hosting a special event in Dallas, Texas to celebrate 40 years of tribal colleges this Thursday, May 1 at the Nasher Sculpture Center. The Fund will also honor the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma by repatriating $25,000...

The American Indian College Fund has entered its Journeys for the Mind and Spirit in the National Geographic Geotourism Challenge. See how we are helping to increase sustainability in Indian Country trough our tours and vote for our program online at The Geotourism Challenge–www.changemakers.net/en-us/node/7713

Native American language used as code was made famous by the Navajos in WWII. Ironically, these men voluntarily served this country and used their language to help win the war six years before the Native American Citizenship Act. It is also ironic that at the same time the Choctaw language was being used to benefit the war effort, Native languages were being banned in government schools.

Last week we spent close to three days in brainstorming sessions with a direct mail team to strategize for new direct mail concepts to educate the public about our organization, our mission, and our students. As part of that session, we had the opportunity to hear the results of an extensive phone survey that we commissioned on behalf of the Fund to learn more about our constituents’ perceptions of us.

I just returned from the AIHEC student conference in Bismarck, North Dakota, where I had the opportunity to meet with many of our students from all across Indian country. It is a busy, noisy, and fun time, as old friends meet again, new friendships are formed, and students compete in one-act play competitions, Knowledge Bowl, and traditional hand games.

Today at the Fund we had a real treat. John Emhoolah Jr. (Kiowa), one of the founding members of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), paid a visit to the Fund to discuss the roots of the tribal college movement.

February 29 is leap year. I’d like to recognize the signifiant leaps forward that the Indian community has made on its behalf in the past 40 years upon the founding of the first tribal college, which for the first time put American Indians in charge of their own education.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd offered a public apology to the Aboriginal people of that nation last week. He told the Parliament there, “The Parliament is today here assembled to deal with this unfinished business of the nation, to remove a great stain from the nation’s soul, and in a true spirit of reconciliation to open a new chapter in the history of this great land, Australia.”