American 250: A Republic Built on Native Land
As the United States marked its 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Native leaders, scholars, and advocates say the country’s milestone cannot be understood without acknowledging the Indigenous nations that predate the U.S and the promises that remain unfulfilled.
During a Native News Online live stream, America 250: A Republic Built on Native Land, hosted by Editor Levi Rickert, five conversations explored what America’s semiquincentennial means from Native perspectives. Guests included Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.; Navajo author and activist Mark Charles; Native Organizers Alliance Executive Director Judith LeBlanc; and professors Anton Treuer and Dina Gilio-Whitaker.
Although their perspectives differed, each agreed on one point: the nation’s history and its future must include Native voices.
Rollback of “Roadless Rule” Puts Indigenous Sacred Areas at Risk
Trump administration to open 21-day public comment period starting Aug. 29, 2025
New York, NY—The Trump administration announced it is seeking public comment on its proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule and the environmental impacts it would cause. The Roadless Rule prohibits road construction and logging on 58.5 million acres of wild areas in national forests in order to protect habitats and ecosystems. Some Tribes have stated that the administration acted without legally required government-to-government consultation, and that the rollback of the policy could negatively impact access to cultural foods, animals, and other resources. The following statement from Judith LeBlanc (Caddo), executive director of Native Organizers Alliance, can be quoted in full or in part.
“Removing the Roadless Rule will lead to the destruction of Indigenous sacred places, areas where we continue to practice our traditions and cultures and are supposed to be legally protected by law.
The Trump administration has weakened environmental impact assessments by cutting public comment periods and limiting reviews of impacts on public lands. On top of that, they have also refused to engage in the legally required consultations with Tribal nations.
Tribes have an inherent right to determine the future of their ancestral homelands. Consultation and consent is not optional.
We must continue to voice our concerns every chance we get, starting with this public comment period. We must continue to remind Congress and the administration that they have to honor Tribal sovereignty.”
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Contact:
Brad Angerman
bangerman@pyramidcommunications.com
702-218-4490
About Native Organizers Alliance
The nation’s leading organization dedicated to building Native power. Through advocacy, capacity building, and campaign support, Native Organizers Alliance amplifies the power of Tribes, organizations, and grassroots movements to drive policy change in Indian Country. Learn more at nativeorganizing.org/.
Transgender Day of Visibility 2025
Honoring and uplifting our Two Spirit relatives is not just an act of support — it is a return to our original ways and a vital part of re-Indigenizing our society.
Since time immemorial, Native peoples have recognized, honored, and protected our Two Spirit people, who have always held sacred roles in our societies. Many Tribes saw them as closely connected to the divine, as healers, and as vital members of our nations. While the term “Two Spirit” is more recent, around two-thirds of our Indigenous languages on Turtle Island have long had words to recognize and affirm more than two genders.
However, colonization brought gender violence that sought to erase these identities and their contributions. This legacy of harm continues today, with ongoing discrimination, violence, and systemic barriers impacting the health and safety of our Two Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQIA+ relatives.
Despite these attempts at erasure, Two Spirit people are a visible presence and power, and their contributions to our communities persist.
Re-Indigenizing our society means reclaiming what was stolen—our languages, our governance, and the value of our relatives. It means uplifting the stories, truths, and existence of our Two Spirit relatives, ensuring they are safe, celebrated, and fully included in our communities.
Now more than ever, we must not only celebrate our Two Spirit and transgender relatives but also actively counter disinformation, discrimination, and hate. Uplifting their voices, advocating for their safety, and restoring their rightful place in our communities is how we honor our ancestors and uphold our traditional Indigenous values of honoring all life.
Welcome home, Leonard
In one of the last acts of his presidency, President Biden freed Leonard Peltier — a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and the longest serving Native political prisoner in U.S. history. And today, February 18, 2025, Leonard was was released from federal prison.This is thanks in no small part to our collective activism, sending hundreds of thousands of messages to the White House urging the president to act on behalf of freedom and justice. With your help, NOA was able to send 135,491 letters asking for Leonard’s freedom and gather 142,184 petition signatures. Our hearts are full for Leonard Peltier, his family, and all of Indian Country as he is finally granted freedom after nearly 50 years behind bars.
photo by Angel White Eyes / NDN Collective
Leonard’s incarceration came to symbolize the injustices Native peoples face in defending our lands and civil and inherent rights. His resilience has stood as a testament to the enduring strength of Native peoples in the face of systemic racism and oppression. Throughout his incarceration, Leonard remained unwavering in his commitment to defending Indigenous rights. He has inspired activists worldwide to stand up to governments and systems that marginalize people of color.
His lifelong advocacy for Native rights and justice will continue encouraging Indigenous activists for generations. Today, we celebrate not just Leonard’s long overdue freedom, but an Indigenous movement he helped create.
Over the past nearly 50 years, international leaders including Pope Francis, Saint Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, and Coretta Scott King have called for Leonard Peltier’s release.
Our activism, alongside generations of leaders, led seven U.S. senators and 26 representatives to sign a letter late last year urging President Biden to grant clemency. And our calls for action led to this moment.
Trump Questions Native Peoples’ Birthright Citizenship
Actions are “Unconstitutional” and “A Continued Attack on Sovereign Nations”
The Trump administration has challenged the birthright citizenship of Native peoples in Court. The following statement is from Judith LeBlanc (Caddo), executive director of Native Organizers Alliance and NOA Action Fund:
The actions by the Trump administration to challenge the birthright citizenship of Native Americans is outrageous and unconstitutional.
This is a continued attack by this administration on sovereign nations. During his first term, Trump repeatedly took actions to attempt to diminish Tribal sovereignty and our inherent right to make decisions affecting the welfare of our people and the health of our lands, waters, and natural resources. During the campaign, his running mate called Indigenous Peoples Day a ‘fake holiday’ and mocked our two-spirit relatives.
This is another racist attack on Native peoples who are the original inhabitants of this country and who pay taxes and serve in the military at a higher rate than any other demographic and have served in every war since the American Revolution.
Over the past several years, we have reclaimed our power in Indian Country and made huge gains in protecting our people and our sacred, ancestral lands. Due to the actions of Native organizers and Tribal nations, we fought for and won greater representation at all levels of government. We fought for the appointment of Deb Haaland as Secretary of Interior. We have also made gains at the polls. In 2020, we worked on the ground in key states to drive the largest Native voter turnout in history.
We will not be bullied by an administration that seeks to diminish our rights as American citizens. We are mobilized and ready for any fight ahead.
