NOA’s Recent Trip to Wind River
The Native Organizers Alliance Training Team recently traveled to Wind River Indian Reservation to conduct a pre-training visit in preparation for the upcoming May training session in partnership with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. This visit is an integral part of our protocol, aimed at engaging with the community to better understand local issues and how we can tailor our training to meet the specific needs of the community.
Judith Le Blanc (Caddo) and Lonnie Provost (Dakota) have worked with Wes Martel at the Greater Yellowstone Coalition for numerous years on issues around water and land protections, Tribal sovereignty, and allowing Native voices to have a say in National Parks such as Yellowstone National Park.
Last November, Wes reached out to NOA. He updated the team about the Pilot Butte Conveyance Act that was being introduced by Wyoming Senator John Barrasso. The community formed a coalition to address the issue and organized meetings and protests at Senator Barrasso’s office.
The visit yielded valuable insights into the dynamics of the unique ecosystem, culture and protocols of the Wind River community. Feedback from local community members highlighted the importance of incorporating treaties, sovereignty, Tribal governance, advocacy and organizing tools into our training.
The team also learned about the significance of buffalo in Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe culture, emphasizing the need for a respectful and informed approach to conservation that honors traditional practices. This aligns with our commitment to ecological efforts but also acknowledges the cultural identity of the community.
These upcoming trainings, starting with the first later this month, will be a series of trainings that Native Organizers Alliance will hold in partnership with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and the community on Wind River Indian Reservation to further support the community’s efforts to organize.
This pre-training site visit was a crucial step in building trust and understanding with the Wind River community. Moving forward, it is essential that we integrate the feedback and perspectives gathered during this visit into the training. By doing so, we can ensure that our initiatives not only support ecological objectives but also empower indigenous voices and enhance cultural resilience.
President Biden: Preserve sacred land, designate the Kw’tsán National Monument now
Advocating for setting aside more than 390,000 acres currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe hopes to create legal protections that, along with responsible federal stewardship practices, will preserve the land and wildlife forever.
As original stewards of these sacred landscapes, the Tribe’s “culture is rooted in the air and the soil,” explains Donald Medart Jr., Quechan Tribal Councilman. He says: “These are the places we will continue to take our children and grandchildren to learn about who we are as a people — these are places that do not recognize boundaries on a map and are connected by history and our stories.”
Climate change has led to extreme drought, and the unsustainable extraction of water from the Colorado River has combined to upend and destabilize the ecosystem. Meanwhile, the land is threatened every day by mining exploration, stolen natural resources, and harmful development.
The water flowing through the Haquita, also known as the Colorado River, is crucial for the health of the region’s complex overlapping ecosystems, which the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe has managed sustainably for generations. Indigenous traditions can rectify the federal government’s past land and water management practices that have harmed these sacred landscapes.
The proposed Kw’tsán National Monument connects Spirit Mountain, Palo Verde Peak, the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument, and Buzzards Peak, incorporating the Indian Pass Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The Bureau of Land Management has already identified these areas as “public land that requires special management to protect important resources or unique landscapes, or to protect people and property from hazards.”
The value of caring for ancestral homelands runs deep in Quechan culture and philosophy. As they explain, “Our ancestors gifted us the role as caretakers of Mother Earth, and the responsibility to protect all living beings of the natural world.”
The mountains in the region include Avikwalal (Pilot Knob), Avi Kwa Ame (Spirit Mountain) and Avi Kwa Suen (Cargo Muchachos). Among the area’s sacred artifacts and cultural history are the Singer Geoglyphs, ancient symbols etched directly into the ground.
When the land is properly managed, many endangered species thrive in this region. From roadrunners, tortoises, and quail to jackrabbits, foxes, snakes, and coyotes, Native peoples share this space with many non-human relatives.
The diversity of flowers and plants is another living example of a thriving community that must be treated with respect. From the agave, saguaro, and mesquite to milkweed, sunflower, Devil’s Claw, and Foxtail Cactus, as the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe says, “We are connected to the air, land, plants, insects, and four-leggeds that share our home.”
All public lands are on Indigenous homelands. As the original stewards and guardians of their homelands, the Quechan People have been asking the Biden administration to act to ensure they can continue protecting their rich heritage.
It’s time for President Biden to use the authority granted by the Antiquities Act to designate Kw’tsán National Monument.
Tell Congress: Pass the Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act
Right-wing members of Congress have used annual government funding bills as a political football — threatening government shutdowns in an attempt to push through their wildly unpopular policy ideas including attacks on communities bearing the brunt of systemic racism and exploitation as well as cuts to critical programs and services.
All this month, Congress is voting on funding bills with the threat of a shutdown looming in the background. Government shutdowns do one thing: hurt people.
That’s why we need “advance appropriations” on services under the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Indian Health Service so that funding for Indian Country is not threatened by the whims of extremists in Congress.
We’re urging Congress to pass the Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act — a bipartisan bill introduced in the House and the Senate to ensure the continuation of critical programs like Indian Health Facilities, Payments for Tribal Leases, Operation of Indian Education, Operation of Indian Programs, and more.
According to Francys Crevier (Algonquin), CEO of National Council of Urban Indian Health:
“This legislation is simple and essential. It would enable Congress to appropriate funding for the Indian Health Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Indian Education one year in advance — ensuring timely and sustained funding for essential programs and services that are vital to the well-being and prosperity of Native communities. The Act demonstrates a commitment to transparency and accountability, ultimately empowering our communities to thrive. I urge Congress to swiftly pass this bill, a significant step forward in supporting Native American health and education initiatives.”
Together, we’re strengthening Native communities and the movements for self-determination, sovereignty, and a multiracial democracy.
