Homicide is the fourth-leading cause of death among Native American women between the ages of 1 and 19 years and the sixth-leading cause of death for ages 20 to 44, as of 2017 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The news does not cover these murders and the federal government (FBI) does not bother to investigate them. The U.S. Supreme Court determined that Native American Tribes were “domestic, dependent nations” and that the federal government’s laws would apply except where tribal law applied much like state law.
Levi Rickert s op-ed dissects the responses of Governors Noem and Whitmer to MMIP epidemic, offering poignant insights into the ongoing crisis. With a focus on the urgency of addressing Indigenous rights and safety, Rickert s analysis sheds light on the profound impact of MMIP on tribal communities.
Legendary athlete Jim Thorpe (Sac and Fox/Potawatomi) is among the 19 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients honored today at the White House. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors. Jim Thorpe (Sac and Fox/Potawatomi) was bestowed two Olympic gold medals by King Gustav of Sweden at the conclusion of the 1912 Olympic Games after winning the decathlon and pentathlon in Stockholm.
Tribal members, government officials, associates, friends and family gathered Friday, April 26, to celebrate Chief Gary Batton's 10 years of service as Chief of the Choctaw Nation. Batton was sworn into office on April 28, 2014, as the 47th Chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Under Chief Batton's leadership, food distribution centers, summer education programs and healthcare facilities have expanded, tribal housing has increased, and employment has more than doubled.