On November 9, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments of Haaland v. Brackeen, the case concerning the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). The stakes are high. The Supreme Court’s decision will ultimately determine whether the 44-year-old law that ensures Native children have the legal right to remain connected to their familial network, culture, and community will remain intact.
Media Alert: Top Performers Join Forces with American Indian College Fund for Free Virtual Native American Heritage Month Concert A Celebration of Indigenous Peoples, History, and Cultures on November 1st Denver, Colo.—October 19, 2022– Mark your calendars! The...
Monday marks Indigenous Peoples’ Day, thanks to the tireless work of Indigenous advocates and allies who have worked to secure its recognition by municipalities, states, and the nation (although still not a federal holiday, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a federally recognized holiday). Native Peoples were always here—at the time of contact—and now, thanks to the tenacity and resilience of our ancestors and the advocacy of our people today. When we celebrate Native heritage, cultures, traditions, and people today, we remember our ancestors’ many sacrifices and soberly reflect on the impact colonialism had on our people and our ways of living.
The American Indian College Fund staff, the students, and the many faculty and staff at the tribal colleges it serves are saddened to learn of the passing of our friend, Dan Wieden, co-founder of the international award-winning advertising agency and longtime College Fund supporter, Wieden+Kennedy.
I am asking my Indigenous relatives to vote despite, and because of, our knowledge about our history and contemporary experiences. Without our voices at the polls, we cannot rectify the ongoing harm to our people and to others that is a reflection of the political climate and how resources are distributed.
The Kresge Foundation has named Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, a member of the newly created Thrive Leaders Network.
The American Indian College Fund selected and trained 11 new student ambassadors for its 2022-23 cohort. Now in its eighth year, the College Fund Student Ambassador Program gives Indigenous students the leadership and communications skills to create greater visibility of Native Americans and an understanding of the importance of their diverse cultures.
The College Fund is pleased that President Biden has announced that individuals making under $125,000 a year may cancel $20,000 of their student loan debt. Affordable access to higher education for Indigenous students was lacking up until the 1960s and creating those pathways to higher education was the intention of the founders of the tribal college movement.
The National Native Scholarships Providers (NNSP) has released its first-ever National Study on College Affordability for Indigenous Students. Researchers have found the primary obstacle to college completion is affordability, causing overall college student attrition. Yet until NNSP’s research, the national data on the effect of college affordability on Indigenous students’ college completion had not been fully explored.
June 14 is Flag Day, when the United States commemorates the adoption of the U.S. flag, reflective of the status of the U.S. as a sovereign nation. The Stars and Stripes, recognizable throughout the world, prompted me to think about the symbolism of flags and their representation of national identity, such as that the U.S. flag represents. Tribal flags are also representative of sovereign nations. The celebration of Flag Day a suitable time to share insights into our history and our contemporary lives as Tribal people.
