The Daily Spark

The National Congress of American Indians withdrew from its partnership with America250 in July 2025 after disagreements over Indigenous representation and the direction of the nation's 250th anniversary commemoration, according to reporting from HuffPost. NCAI had joined the initiative in 2024 as an official America250 Natural Resource Partner to help ensure Native history was included in the national narrative. Executive Director Larry Wright Jr., a member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, said the organization left after the commemoration's direction changed under the Trump administration.

NCAI leaders said the partnership ended following concerns about changes to historical interpretation and representation, according to the HuffPost reporting. Policy Director Meghan Bishop, a member of the Sugpiat/Native Village of Afognak, said the group's partnership agreement was canceled in early 2025, though its logo continued to appear on materials for several months afterward. Wright said the organization will continue advocating for accurate Native history and tribal sovereignty.

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and Washington State University have launched a five-year partnership that includes athletic branding, academic initiatives and student opportunities, according to reporting from Spokane Public Radio. The agreement includes "1872 Colville Tribes" patches on Washington State University football uniforms, along with educational programs and collaborative events. Colville Tribal Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson said the partnership builds on existing education and research agreements between the tribe and the university.

Erickson said the partnership is intended to support long-term economic growth and expand opportunities for tribal students to pursue careers in fields including health care, forestry and natural resources, according to the Spokane Public Radio reporting. He said the tribe plans to evaluate the agreement based on new partnerships, workforce development and its contribution to the tribe's goal of strengthening financial sovereignty.

A June 27 all-ages Indigenous benefit concert in Portland, Oregon, marked the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, also known as Greasy Grass, while raising funds for the Boys and Girls Club of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, according to reporting from Underscore Native News. The event, titled "Victory Day 2026," featured 10 acts, including headliner 1876, Weedrat, Lo Cashninjas and Eggplant Dance Battle. Organizers said the concert emphasized Indigenous unity, education and community.

The lineup brought together established and emerging Indigenous artists across punk, hip-hop and other genres, according to Underscore Native News. Performers and attendees said the event created space for Native youth, strengthened cultural connections and celebrated Indigenous identity in an urban setting. Funds raised during the concert benefited the Boys and Girls Club of the Northern Cheyenne Nation.

Farm bill proposals under consideration in Congress would create permanent programs allowing state and tribal governments to purchase food from local and regional producers, according to  reporting from the Associated Press. The proposals follow the Trump administration's decision in March 2025 to end two U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that helped tribes purchase culturally significant foods from local producers. Both the House and Senate proposals would dedicate 10% of program funding to tribes.

Tribal farmers and advocates said permanent funding would provide more certainty for small producers while helping preserve Indigenous food systems, according to the Associated Press reporting. Dawn and Cassius Spears, who operate Ashawaug Farm in Rhode Island, said the programs supported the distribution of traditional foods and strengthened cultural connections. Supporters also said long-term funding would help producers plan for future growing seasons and expand access to locally grown foods in tribal communities.

A Miccosukee Tribe member urged Miami-Dade County to consider transferring the former “Alligator Alcatraz” detention site to tribal stewardship, but the property remains under state control, according to reporting from the Florida Phoenix. Betty Osceola said the Miccosukee people would preserve the Everglades site if it became available. However, Miami-Dade County said Florida has not returned the land or provided a timeline for doing so, preventing the county from selling or transferring the property.

The Miccosukee Tribe clarified that Osceola’s comments reflected her personal views and not the tribe’s official position, according to the Florida Phoenix reporting. Chief Communications Officer Alvaro Zabaleta said Chairman Talbert Cypress has not issued a public statement or expressed an intention for the tribe to seek ownership or control of the land. The former immigration detention center site remains under the control of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Wileety Native American College at Sacramento State provides students with an education grounded in tribal leadership, traditional knowledge and community, according to reporting from Underscore Native News and ICT. The college opened in September 2025 and allows students admitted to Sacramento State to pursue a minor in Native American studies with an emphasis on tribal leadership alongside any university major. The inaugural cohort included 34 students.

The college was established after a 2018 campus survey found Native American and Black students reported the lowest sense of belonging and retention rates, according to Underscore Native News and ICT reporting. Inaugural Dean Annette Reed, a citizen of the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, said the college aims to create a place where Native students feel supported and connected to community. Students also receive faculty mentors and participate in a cohort model designed to strengthen relationships on campus.

Michele Hakala-Beeksma, a member of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, showcased three handmade Ojibwe dresses during an America 250 fashion show at the Mall of America, according to reporting from MPR News. Hakala-Beeksma, who works with the 1854 Treaty Authority, said participating in the event was important to ensure Indigenous history was represented as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The dresses represented different periods of Ojibwe history and were also displayed during the weekend event.

Hakala-Beeksma also presented the 1854 Treaty Authority’s exhibit, “Sovereign Nations: Discovering the Treaty Story of Minnesota’s Indigenous Peoples.” Dakota County Historical Society Executive Director Matt Carter said the organization expanded its America 250 programming to include Indigenous perspectives. Hakala-Beeksma told MPR News that treaties remain central to Minnesota’s history and continue to shape the relationship between tribal nations and the state.

EnCore Energy plans to restart South Dakota’s permitting process for the proposed Dewey-Burdock uranium mine after securing its final required federal permit last month, according to reporting by South Dakota Searchlight. The project spans nearly 20 square miles in Custer and Fall River counties and was added to the federal FAST-41 permitting process in 2025. According to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the company has submitted new water rights applications but has not yet applied for mine or groundwater discharge permits.

The project’s state permit applications have remained inactive since 2013 while federal reviews and litigation continued. According to the South Dakota Searchlight reporting, the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Indigenous rights group NDN Collective oppose the project, citing concerns about potential impacts on historic and cultural sites in the Black Hills. The Black Hills Clean Water Alliance has also raised concerns about possible groundwater contamination and water use associated with the proposed mining operation.

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library dedicated a medicinal garden during a private ceremony in Medora on July 3, marking what library leaders and tribal representatives described as an ongoing commitment to building relationships with tribal communities. According to reporting by the North Dakota Monitor, the garden was designed by Three Affiliated Tribes artist Cannupa Hanska Luger and features three garden beds shaped to resemble an opened tipi skin. Traditional seeds from regional tribes will be planted to symbolize community, renewal and continued participation.

Library officials and members of the Native American advisory council said the garden reflects work that will continue beyond the library’s opening. According to the North Dakota Monitor, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College President Twyla Baker said the project provides an opportunity to share Indigenous knowledge, while Theodore Roosevelt V said the partnership will require continued collaboration and the incorporation of tribal perspectives into the library’s future.

New research by Conservation International found that Indigenous knowledge, cultural practices and community stewardship play a direct role in protecting forests, wildlife and ecosystems while strengthening climate resilience, according to reporting from Grist. Researchers interviewed 49 Indigenous leaders from 43 communities across six continents and found every community reported experiencing climate-related impacts such as drought or extreme weather. The study also found more than half of the communities face pressure from extractive industries, including mining and logging.

The report identified traditional practices such as protecting sacred areas, preventing overfishing, monitoring for wildfires and resisting resource extraction as important factors in maintaining healthy ecosystems. According to the Grist reporting, 96% of respondents to the study said they set aside land for cultural or spiritual purposes that also protect biodiversity. Participants also called for greater climate funding, stronger legal protections for Indigenous territories and recognition of Indigenous land rights to support continued stewardship.

Patrick A. Penn, who formerly served as acting administrator of the Food and Nutrition Administration, recently visited the Spirit Lake Tribe to discuss tribal food systems, nutrition programs and government-to-government collaboration, according to a Facebook post from the Spirit Lake Food Distribution Program. During the visit, Penn, who currently serves in the USDA’s Office of Tribal Relations, met with tribal leadership and toured Tate Topa Tribal School and the North American Bison processing plant to learn about the tribe's Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations and food sovereignty initiatives.

Discussions focused on tribal sovereignty, self-determination in federal nutrition programs, food supply challenges and improving access to healthy foods for Native families. The meeting    highlighted efforts to expand access to nutritious foods through the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, local food procurement and nutrition education. According to the Spirit Lake Food Distribution Program, the visit also reinforced the U.S. Department of Agriculture's commitment to partnering with tribal nations to strengthen food security, local agriculture and community well-being.

Montana State University's Caring for Our Own Program, which supports American Indian and Alaska Native nursing students, received a $70,000 endowed gift to establish the Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail Endowed Fund, according to Montana State University. The donation from retired nursing professor Kathleen "Kay" Chafey will provide long-term funding for student resources, including tutoring, field-based learning and classroom supplies. The program currently serves 63 students, with enrollment expected to grow to about 75 this fall.

The endowment honors Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail, who became the first registered nurse from the Crow Reservation in 1927. More than 100 graduates of the Caring for Our Own Program are licensed nurses working in Montana, and the program is expected to reach 200 graduates by December. University officials said the endowed fund will help sustain the program as it approaches its 30th anniversary.

Five Oklahoma tribes have been awarded a combined $1.6 million through the Native American Housing Initiatives grant program to support affordable housing and community development projects, according to reporting from Oklahoma Voice. The Cheyenne and Arapaho Housing Authority received $500,000 to build three tiny homes, provide rental assistance and offer down payment support. The Bah-Kho-Je Housing Authority, which serves the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, received $400,000 to convert an RV park into a permanent housing community.

The Osage Nation Housing Department and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians each received $250,000 to build housing for veterans and older tribal citizens, according to reporting from the Oklahoma Voice. The Otoe-Missouria Tribe received $200,000 for home repairs and rental assistance.

Menominee water protectors launched a hand-crafted dugout canoe on the Menominee River this week, marking what organizers say is the first time in generations that a Menominee-made canoe has traveled the river, according to reporting from ICT. The organizers, Dawn M. Wilber and Wayne Swett, spent more than two weeks shaping a 17-foot pine log using traditional methods before beginning a 48-mile journey from the Sixty Islands Archaeological site to the mouth of the Menominee River. 

The annual canoe journey reconnects participants with their ancestral homelands while highlighting the cultural significance of the river and surrounding sites, according to the ICT reporting. Organizers also said the event raises awareness about efforts to protect the area from a proposed mining project near the Menominee River. Wilber and Swett said they plan to preserve the canoe after the journey by sinking it in the water using a traditional storage practice.

Native-led fashion platform HOSH has partnered with NDN Girls Book Club to release a limited six-piece capsule collection supporting Native youth literacy. According to Native News Online, the collection includes T-shirts, sweaters and hats created to raise funds for the nonprofit's next initiative, a cross-country mobile book program that will deliver books, workshops and community programming to Native communities across the country.

The collection debuted during a launch event in New York City that featured a performance by Native musician Ken Pomeroy. All proceeds from the limited collection will support NDN Girls Book Club's ongoing programming and the new mobile book initiative.

The National Congress of American Indians released a statement about the U.S. Supreme Court decision to uphold a Mississippi law allowing legally cast mail-in ballots to be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day, even if they arrive afterward. According to the statement, the organization argued in an amicus brief with the Alaska Federation of Natives and Native American Rights Fund that many American Indian and Alaska Native voters face postal delays and long distances that can affect ballot delivery in remote tribal communities.

NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright Jr. said the decision "ensures one less barrier to counting Native votes" and reaffirmed the organization's commitment to protecting Native voting rights. NCAI also encouraged tribal nations and citizens to remain engaged in elections and continue efforts to strengthen civic participation.

Susan Davis Feller, founding president and CEO of the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries and Museums, died June 18 in Oklahoma at age 71, according to reporting from ICT. Feller, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, died peacefully less than two weeks after being diagnosed with metastatic cancer that was complicated by strokes, according to her family. The ATALM board of directors said Feller dedicated more than two decades to strengthening tribal archives, libraries, museums, language programs and cultural institutions through the organization she founded.

ATALM Chief Operating Officer Melissa Brodt, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, will serve as interim president and CEO, according to reporting from ICT. Board Chairman Walter Echo-Hawk, Pawnee Nation, said Feller's vision created a national organization that provides training, networking and support for tribal cultural institutions.

White Earth Nation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service signed a multiyear funding agreement Tuesday that expands the tribe's role in managing the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern Minnesota. According to reporting from MPR News, the agreement takes effect July 1 and directs about $400,000 to White Earth Nation to help manage water, wild rice beds and forests on refuge lands within the reservation. Tribal staff will work alongside federal employees under the agreement, which follows a memorandum of agreement and co-stewardship agreement signed in 2024.

The agreement was established through the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975, according to the reporting from MPR News. White Earth Nation Chairman Michael Fairbanks said the agreement is part of the tribe's broader effort to reclaim a role in managing treaty lands. Refuge Manager Kent Sundseth said public access and visitor experiences at the refuge will remain unchanged while tribal and federal staff work together on conservation, habitat management and educational programming.

Allison Morrisette is ending her tenure as South Dakota's Missing and Murdered Indigenous People liaison, a position within the South Dakota Attorney General's Office that she has held since it was created in 2021. According to an interview with South Dakota Searchlight, Morrisette will take a new position with the state's Unified Judicial System working with young offenders. Morrisette, a citizen of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, said she is developing a transition plan for her successor and hopes the next liaison continues building trust between families and law enforcement agencies.

Morrisette told South Dakota Searchlight that her role focused on connecting families with investigators, prosecutors, victim-witness assistants and tribal or community resources rather than investigating cases herself. She said the work relied on collaboration across state and tribal jurisdictions and consistent communication with families. "It was far more than a job for me," Morrisette was quoted as saying. "I hope somebody really good applies for this position, and that it's not just a job for them."