The Daily Spark

Lights Across the Prairie to mark World AIDS Day in Bismarck

Shine Bright & Live, a Bismarck-based HIV nonprofit, will host Lights Across the Prairie on Dec. 6 from 4 to 7 p.m. at The Hub, 321 S. First St. The free event will feature live music, speakers, educational booths, food and a silent auction, according to the organization.

Founded in 2024 by Jason Grueneich in honor of his late partner, Shine Bright & Live is North Dakota’s only HIV-focused nonprofit. The organization provides education and advocacy and operates Shine Out Loud, an HIV speakers bureau. In a press release from the organization, Grueneich was quoted as saying, “We want to create a space for more community, and a great way to start is with events like these.”

More information is available at ShineBrightandLive.org or by email at Director@shinebrightandlive.org.

Wabanaki leaders cite progress as Maine lawmakers revisit sovereignty bills

Wabanaki leaders say recent developments have shown the benefits of increased tribal authority as Maine legislators prepare to revisit sovereignty proposals, according to Maine Morning Star. The Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and Mi’kmaq Nation are seeking changes to the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, which limits their self-governance.

Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis said tribal revenue gained through greater autonomy helped provide food assistance during the recent federal shutdown. Houlton Band Chief Clarissa Sabattis said sports betting revenue allowed the tribe to improve housing. Despite these gains, tribal leaders said disparities remain. Two bills sponsored by Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross will again be considered next session, one restoring Wabanaki access to federal laws and another enacting broader sovereignty reforms.

Tribal leaders highlight role of economic data at CICD anniversary event

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, during the Center for Indian Country Development’s 10th -anniversary and fifth annual Data Summit, tribal leaders and economists emphasized that economic data support Native nations in governing their own communities. The Oct. 8–9 event saw more than 250 in-person participants and over 1,500 online attendees.

Speakers such as Maranda Compton of the Delaware Tribe of Indians was quoted as saying, “Data is one of our sharpest and best tools to protect modern tribal sovereignty — starting with the sovereign nations themselves.” They discussed new tools including the Survey of Native Nations, which allows tribes to compare their revenue and expenditure data with those of other tribes and state or local governments.

Education Department transfers Native programs to Interior without tribal consultation

The U.S. Department of Education is transferring 24 programs that serve Indian Country to the Department of the Interior, according to MPR. The move includes Native-specific programs such as Title VI, Native Language programming and tribal college initiatives.

The American Indian Higher Education Consortium said the changes will significantly affect the nation’s education system, and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe said it was not contacted before the restructuring. “This move reflects a troubling return to historical patterns of federal control over Native education,” Chairman Steven Sitting Bear said in a Nov. 21 statement.

IHS clinicians say vaccine messaging is being restricted under new HHS leadership

The Indian Health Service has begun requiring approval for terms such as “immunizations” and “vaccines” in its public messaging, according to internal emails obtained by ProPublica. The messages show that agency officials now classify the terms as “medium-risk” and require clearance by public information officers before appearing in social media posts, pamphlets or presentations.

The shift follows changes in vaccine policy under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine critic. IHS clinicians told ProPublica the new restrictions have limited their ability to promote immunizations and respond to outbreaks on the Navajo Nation, where vaccination rates have historically been high. In a statement, an HHS spokesperson said the revisions were intended to support “shared decision-making” between patients and providers while maintaining “accurate, evidence-based information.”

North Dakota Native student named College Fund ambassador

Elena Rodriguez of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation has been named one of 12 student ambassadors for 2025-26 by the American Indian College Fund, according to the Minot Daily News.

Rodriguez earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates and is pursuing a master’s degree in geological engineering at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. The College Fund said she hopes the ambassador role will strengthen her presentation and public speaking skills to share the importance of tribal education and scholarships for Native youth.

Student ambassadors attend training in Denver focused on leadership development, public speaking and communication to raise awareness and understanding of American Indian and Alaska Native cultures throughout the year, according to the College Fund.

United Natives partners with Arizona Cardinals for youth mental health fundraiser

United Natives, a Phoenix-based nonprofit, is collaborating with the Arizona Cardinals on a ticket fundraiser for the team’s Nov. 23 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to ICT.

A portion of every ticket sold through a link with United Natives will be donated to the organization to support youth mental health and community outreach. Founded by Dr. Crystal Lee, Navajo, the nonprofit began as a mentorship program in 2010 and expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide tele-mental health services in 26 states. Executive Director Tennalle John, Diné, said the group also hosts youth sports camps across Arizona.

John said the fundraiser could lead to a larger collaboration with the Cardinals, possibly a future Native American Heritage night. “This is more of a starting initiative that could grow into something much larger in the future,” Lee was quoted as saying.

Tribal radio stations receive federal funding amid public media cuts

Tribal public radio stations in South Dakota are receiving short-term federal support following the defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, according to South Dakota Searchlight.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Indigenous Connectivity and Technology announced award notices to KILI in Porcupine, KOYA in St. Francis and KDKO in Lake Andes. A funding award is also expected for KLND in McLaughlin, which serves the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River reservations. The $9.4 million in aid for 38 tribal stations follows a deal brokered by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds after Congress rescinded $1.1 billion in public media funding in July.

KILI manager Oitancan “Oi” Zephier said the station’s BIA award matches its prior funding level but does not solve long-term financial concerns. “We need new equipment,” Zephier was quoted as saying. “We need a new emergency alert system, and that’s going to cost us about $170,000 alone.”

Showcase celebrates Native heritage through art, music and tradition

North Dakota’s Indigenous community shared its culture through art, stories, music and dance during the North Dakota Native Heritage Showcase at the state Capitol in Bismarck on Friday, according to the North Dakota Monitor.

The event, part of Native American Heritage Month, featured vendor tables with handmade jewelry, paintings, books and other items. Brad Hawk, executive director of the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission, said the showcase highlights diverse Native cultures and local nonprofit groups. “It’s more than music. It’s more than regalia. We have different aspects of the culture in arts,” Hawk said.

United Tribes Technical College instructor Dakota Goodhouse played a traditional wooden flute and shared its history, while vendor Melanie Schwab of The Modern Sioux in Mandan displayed jewelry made from animal parts to honor ancestral practices.

Maui initiative invites artists to turn local stories into public art

Maui Public Art Corps has announced a call for artist proposals to create visual, performance or experiential public art installations inspired by audio-recorded stories of Maui, according to a Nov. 21 news release. The Hui Mo‘olelo initiative, in partnership with the County of Maui, seeks to preserve local narratives and cultural heritage through collaborative art.

Selected artists will work with community members and cultural consultant Sissy Lake-Farm to choose a proverb from Mary Kawena Pukui’s “‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings” and develop site-specific projects across Maui County. Applications close at 7:59 p.m. HST on Nov. 30 at mauipublicart.org/apply.

A free public event, Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina Film Fest, will be held Nov. 29 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at ProArts Playhouse in Kīhei.

NCAI delegates re-elect Macarro as president

Delegates also return Brian Weeden and elect newcomer Christie Modlin to top posts

On Thursday delegates at the National Congress of American Indians’ 82nd annual convention in Seattle re-elected NCAI president Mark Macarro, according to Indianz.Com. Macarro, who first won the organization’s top executive post in 2013, took nearly 60% in a runoff against Jacqueline “Jackie” Pata of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Nez Perce Chair Shannon Wheeler of Idaho was eliminated in the first round.

Macarro, chair of the Pechanga Band of Indians in California, thanked delegates who supported him and those who did not, saying the three-way race pushed him to refine his message and priorities. Pata pledged to stand beside him and NCAI, thanking her tribe and the Alaska caucus for backing her late-breaking bid.

Delegates also returned Brian Weeden of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe as first vice president and elected Christie Modlin of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma as recording secretary.

Calif. Democrats seek more broadband for tribal lands

The Tribal Internet Expansion Act would add tribal lands to the Communications Act and expand Universal Service Fund support

Two California Democrats introduced the Tribal Internet Expansion Act Tuesday to add tribal lands to the federal Communications Act. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Raul Ruiz, would clarify that tribes can receive federal broadband support in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

According to reporting by Law360, the change is meant to steer more resources to Indian Country and strengthen the FCC’s Universal Service Fund so it better serves tribal nations. Ruiz was quoted as saying that access to high-speed internet is now a necessity and many tribal communities lack affordable service that students, patients and families rely on.

Larry Wright Jr., executive director of the National Congress of American Indians, called the bill a timely step toward closing the “tribal digital divide.”

Ely S. Parker honored with posthumous New York Bar admission

A Seneca leader denied a law license in 1849 is admitted 176 years later in Buffalo

Ely Samuel Parker, a Seneca leader and aide to Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War, was formally admitted to the New York State Bar in a posthumous ceremony at a Buffalo courthouse on Nov. 14, 176 years after racial barriers blocked his entry. Parker died in 1895. According to reporting by The New York Times, legal experts say it’s the first recorded case of a Native American being admitted posthumously to a state bar, underscoring Parker’s enduring impact on the profession.

Parker was born Hasonoanda, or “Leading Name,” on the Tonawanda Seneca Reservation near Buffalo in 1828. At 19, he moved to Ellicottville to read law under district attorney William P. Angel. When New York courts blocked him from joining the bar in 1849 because he was not recognized as a U.S. citizen, he turned to a career in engineering.

He later met Grant in Illinois and, during the Civil War, served on his staff. After the war, he became the first Native American to serve as federal Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

Parker never received a law license during his lifetime but was central to the Senecas’ fight to reclaim their Tonawanda homelands, working with attorney John Martindale on legal battles that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The land he helped protect remains Tonawanda territory.

Posthumous bar admissions remain rare but have become more common as a way to confront historic discrimination in the legal profession.

Three Oklahoma tribes file federal suit against Governor Stitt over hunting authority

The Cherokee, Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, according to KXII. The tribes argue that Stitt does not have the authority to appoint a special prosecutor for wildlife crimes on tribal land.

Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton said in a statement that the nation “will defend its rights and those of its members against the Governor’s unlawful prosecution,” adding that hunting and fishing are rooted in Choctaw sovereignty and traditions. Governor Stitt, newly appointed special prosecutor Russ Cochran and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation are listed as defendants. According to KXII, Stitt appointed Cochran on Nov. 13 following actions by the state attorney general regarding prosecutions in eastern Oklahoma. In October, Attorney General Gentner Drummond upheld tribal hunting rights and said the state would not prosecute Native American hunters on tribal land without a state permit.

Pascua Yaqui Tribe secures naming rights to University of Arizona football stadium

The Pascua Yaqui Tribe and the University of Arizona announced an agreement Monday that grants the tribe naming rights to the school’s football stadium for $60 million over 20 years, according to ICT. Arizona Stadium will be renamed Casino Del Sol Stadium, and the deal is the largest in Big 12 history.

Pascua Yaqui Tribe Chairman Julian Hernandez said in a statement that the tribe “values partnerships grounded in respect and opportunity” and that the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to education, cultural preservation and community strength. University President Suresh Garimella said the agreement aligns with the university’s land-grant mission to build sustainable relationships with tribal nations. According to ICT, the partnership includes new stadium branding, digital integration and expanded visibility in national broadcasts. University adviser Levi Esquerra said the agreement strengthens ties between the tribe and the university and will support Native nations and the region.

TCU leaders remain wary of federal commitments despite funding increase

Leaders at tribal colleges and universities say they remain uncertain about long-term federal support, even after the U.S. Department of Education announced a funding increase of more than 100% earlier this year, according to the Associated Press.

Ruth De La Cruz, who teaches in the food sovereignty program at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, said the work reflects the knowledge her ancestors protected. The college is operated by the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation. President Twyla Baker said those teachings are part of the government’s trust responsibilities to tribal nations. “We prepaid for all of this,” she was quoted as saying.

The increase coincides with funding decreases in other federal agencies that support tribal colleges and universities, said Ahniwake Rose, president of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. She said vacant tribal liaison positions and proposed federal workforce cuts add to the pressure. United Tribes Technical College President Leander McDonald said the uncertainty makes it difficult to plan new programs or hire staff. “How long is the storm going to last?” he was quoted as saying.

Army releases findings from Carlisle Barracks disinterment program

The U.S. Army released findings from the eighth year of the Carlisle Barracks Disinterment Program, which returned 17 Native American children to their families, according to a news release. The children died after being sent to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School more than 100 years ago. The Office of Army Cemeteries reported that remains belonging to one child from the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and 16 children from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes were biologically consistent with student and burial records. Both tribes requested that the names of the children remain private.

According to the Office of Army Cemeteries, remains found in two graves did not match burial records. Those remains were reinterred in their original locations at the Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery, where the graves are now marked as Unknown. The agency stated that its team will continue reviewing records and pursuing leads to identify the individuals buried in unmarked graves. Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director of the Office of Army Cemeteries and Army National Military Cemeteries, expressed condolences and reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to locating the burial sites of the missing children.

Missing Mandan woman’s Facebook page updated a day after she was reportedly last seen

Post says she was attacked with bat

The Mandan Police Department is looking for 22-year-old Ava Morin, an Indigenous woman who was reportedly last seen on Nov. 15, according to the North Dakota Office of Attorney General.

A Nov. 16 post on Morin’s Facebook page, made at 5 a.m., shows what appears to be a bloody scalp and says that a woman “just hit me in the back of my head with a metal bat.”

The Mandan Police Department did not immediately respond to questions about whether Morin is believed to be endangered, where she was last seen and what her tribal affiliation is.

Morin is described by the attorney general’s office as 5 feet, 4 inches tall and 140 pounds, with brown eyes and hair. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Mandan Police Department at 701-667-3250.

Northern California tribes sign treaty to restore Eel River as PG&E plans dam removal

Two Northern California tribes signed a treaty committing to jointly restore the Eel River and its fish populations, according to The Mendocino Voice. Leaders from the Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Yurok Tribe met last month at the Eel River Canyon Preserve in Trinity County to sign the “Treaty of Friendship.” The agreement centers on rebuilding declining fish populations as PG&E moves to decommission the Potter Valley Project’s Scott Dam and Cape Horn dams in Mendocino County.

The tribes said the dams have long damaged the river and blocked access to fish habitat. Dam removal, expected to begin in 2028, will allow the river to flow freely again through the ancestral lands of the Round Valley Indian Tribes. The Yurok Tribe, California’s largest federally recognized tribe, will share its experience from Klamath River restoration efforts. The treaty was signed by Yurok Chairman Joseph L. James and Round Valley Indian Tribes President Joe Parker. Parker was quoted as saying, “The Eel River is our lifeblood and when it suffers, our people suffer.”

New project links Native youth and elders to strengthen Indigenous languages

A new initiative from Protect the Sacred aims to connect Native youth with elders to preserve Indigenous languages and cultural traditions, according to reporting by Axios Phoenix. Connecting the Rainbow will fund fellowships for young people to document elders’ stories through filmmaking, podcasting and other media, according to Diné activist Allie Redhorse Young. Young said geographic separation has disrupted oral tradition and contributed to youth isolation. A 2023 U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs report found that of 167 Native languages spoken in the U.S., only 20 are expected to survive past 2050.

Protect the Sacred launched in 2020 as an emergency response to the COVID pandemic. The group has since expanded its advocacy work. One Connecting the Rainbow fellow, Chazlyn Curley, plans to produce a podcast with her grandmother on the Navajo Nation. Curley said her grandmother taught her, “T'áá hwó' ají t'éego,” which translates to “It’s all up to your effort and hard work and determination.”