The Daily Spark

More Native students will wear tribal regalia at their 2025 graduation ceremonies as 20 states now have laws protecting the right to cultural expression during commencements, according to reporting by ICT.

New Mexico became the latest state to adopt such protections with the passage of Senate Bill 163, signed March 19 by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The law prohibits schools from barring Native students from wearing traditional clothing, accessories or objects during graduation. It took effect immediately.

“This legislation represents our commitment to honoring and respecting the rich cultural heritage of New Mexico’s Native communities,” Grisham said at the signing.

Regalia bills are also pending in Wisconsin, and incidents of denied regalia in 2024 continue to prompt legal action and policy change across the U.S.

The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) will host an event on Memorial Day to honor Native veterans. The event, Service and Sacrifice, takes place May 26 at the museum in Washington, D.C.

Attendees will hear from Native veterans, create prayer ties in remembrance of loved ones and witness a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Native American Veterans Memorial, according to the museum’s website. The museum will also feature “Why We Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces,” an ongoing exhibition on Native military service. NMAI will livestream the event at AmericanIndian.si.edu/livestream for those unable to attend in person.

A Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) awareness walk honoring Renzo Bullhead will take place Saturday, May 31, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at Memorial Bridge in Bismarck, according to Native, Inc. Community Development Corporation.The event is open to the public and invites community members to support Bullhead’s family and raise awareness for MMIP cases.

The schedule includes a ceremony and prayer with drum groups under the Bismarck side of the bridge at noon and a walk across the bridge at 12:30 p.m., followed by a second ceremony on the Mandan side at 1 p.m. A community feed will follow from 1:45 to 3 p.m. at Native, Inc., 2403 East Thayer Ave., Bismarck.

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation will host its 5th annual Recovery on the Plains event from May 22 to 24, at the Bismarck Event Center in Bismarck, North Dakota. Registration opens at 2 p.m. on May 22. The event features keynote speaker Chris Herren, a former NBA player who has been sober since 2008 and shares his story to raise awareness about addiction. Workshops, speakers and meals are included.

Speakers include Adrian Salliego, Candace Moore and Albert Titman. Children under 12 are not permitted. Room blocks are available at nearby hotels. Registration costs $100. For details, contact (701) 751-2887.

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde will host a Missing and Murdered Indigenous People awareness event on Friday, May 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the new health building located at 9615 Grand Ronde Rd in Grand Ronde, Oregon. The event, organized by Warriors of Hope, will include food, drinks and front door raffles at 1:30 p.m.

The gathering will feature elk and bison burgers, hot dogs and chips as part of the community gathering focused on MMIP awareness. The notice directs attendees to contact 503-879-1660 for more information.

The Missoula Art Museum has announced the launch of Outrage: Missing and Murdered Indigenous People in Montana. The exhibition, by Irish artist Brian Maguire, includes portraits created in collaboration with Native families and MMIP advocates across Montana. A public reception will be held Friday, June 6, from 5 to 8 p.m., followed by a panel discussion on Saturday, June 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

According to the Missoula Art Museum, Maguire’s work is based on meetings with impacted families and reflects themes of remembrance and resistance. The June 7 panel will include Maguire, Native leaders and advocates discussing the role of art in justice and healing.

Four North Dakota tribes will receive Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) funding as part of a $1.1 billion allocation announced by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner. The grants are intended to support affordable housing activities across Indian Country, according to a HUD statement released Friday.

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa will receive $10.77 million, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe $7.78 million, Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold $4.7 million and Spirit Lake Tribe $4.2 million. The IHBG program supports housing development, modernization, housing services, crime prevention and other activities in tribal communities.

Greenpeace is asking a North Dakota judge to reduce a $667 million jury award it was ordered to pay Energy Transfer, the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline, calling the amount excessive and inconsistent with state law, according to the North Dakota Monitor. Greenpeace attorney Steven Caplow argued the damages exceed legal caps and include costs not directly tied to the organization’s actions during the 2016 and 2017 protests. Caplow also said the jury form failed to allow jurors to distinguish Greenpeace’s responsibility from that of other groups. Energy Transfer attorney Trey Cox said the award reflects the evidence and should stand. Judge James Gion took the motion under advisement. A hearing is scheduled for May 27, and Greenpeace USA has announced plans to appeal to the North Dakota Supreme Court.

Two Rapid City foundations have partnered to help nonprofits facing funding cuts due to federal changes. The Black Hills Area Community Foundation and the John T. Vucurevich Foundation created the Sustaining Black Hills Nonprofits Fund to provide short-term bridge funding. The Bush Foundation in Minnesota also supports the effort, which aims to help nonprofits adjust while encouraging community support.

John T. Vucurevich Foundation CEO Jacqui Dietrich said nonprofits face rising costs and declining federal aid. Black Hills Area Community Foundation president Chris Huber added that without these services, community needs go unmet. The fund has supported groups including Seventh Circuit Court Appointed Special Advocates, Feeding South Dakota and Working Against Violence Inc., which lost federal grants or face funding gaps, according to South Dakota Searchlight.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed legislation May 13 establishing a rapid alert system for missing Native Americans under age 65, known as the “turquoise alert.” The law follows similar systems in Washington, Colorado, California, North Dakota and New Mexico, and was named “Emily’s Law” to honor Emily Pike, a San Carlos Apache teen whose remains were found in February after she disappeared from a group home in Mesa.

The law allows alerts when a person is missing under suspicious circumstances or may be in danger, according to lawmakers. Rep. Teresa Martinez, sponsor of the bill, said on the House floor, “We cannot let children go missing without somebody being alerted.” The FBI recently announced a $75,000 reward for information on Pike’s disappearance and death, adding to a $75,000 offer by the San Carlos Apache Tribe, according to the Associated Press.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Spirit Lake Nation lack standing to sue North Dakota over a legislative redistricting plan they argued diluted Native voting power, according to the North Dakota Monitor. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a 2023 decision by U.S. District Judge Peter Welte that had ordered the state to adopt a new map.

The appellate panel found that voters cannot use Section 1983 to challenge racial discrimination under the Voting Rights Act, affirming its earlier position that only the U.S. attorney general may file such claims. The ruling sends the case back to district court with instructions to dismiss. According to Secretary of State Michael Howe, the state will now proceed with using the 2021 redistricting plan for the 2026 election cycle, pending further legal action.

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation issued a press release May 12 responding to reports that some central Washington school districts are refusing to allow tribal students to wear traditional regalia during graduation ceremonies. The tribe stated that any prohibition of culturally significant items, such as beaded caps or eagle feathers, violates Washington state law and disrespects tribal heritage.

Citing RCW 28A.600.500 and Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction bulletin #028-25, the tribe emphasized that public schools may not prevent Native students from wearing regalia or other culturally significant objects. Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson called on schools to respect Colville students’ right to express their heritage and asked families to alert the Colville Business Council if any student is denied that right.

The Yurok Tribe will receive $26.4 million from the California Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program to build the Yurok Tribal Health and Wellness Center, according to a Yurok Tribe press release. The 24,000-square-foot facility will offer inpatient and outpatient services, including primary care, behavioral health and mental health treatment, to tribal members and nearby communities.

The funding is part of a larger $3.3 billion investment in 124 projects statewide. “By improving the health of the most vulnerable members of our community, the Yurok Tribal Health and Wellness Center will help us prevent future MMIP cases,” said Yurok Chairman Joseph L. James. The center will be built near Martin’s Ferry Bridge on the Yurok Reservation and is expected to open in three to five years.

The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency eliminated about $400 million in AmeriCorps grants in April, affecting several programs in North Dakota that served rural schools and communities, according to reporting by the North Dakota News Cooperative.

In Elgin-New Leipzig, the elimination of federal support for AmeriCorps participants has left schools without key paraprofessionals, who helped students with reading and math. The cuts also have affected child-care programs and community-building efforts. Local leaders have expressed confusion over the decisions, citing cost-effective programs being cut while others remained intact. The future of AmeriCorps funding in North Dakota remains uncertain.

Two new laws in Montana are designed to enhance Native American education and language preservation, according to reporting by Montana Free Press. Sponsored by state Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, the laws improve financial accountability in the Indian Education For All (IEFA) program and expand the role of tribal governments in language revitalization efforts. Senate Bill 181 mandates transparency in how school districts use IEFA funds, while Senate Bill 182 offers more flexibility in partnerships for the Montana Indian Language Preservation program. Both laws aim to support Native communities and ensure proper use of state resources, Montana Free Press reported.

California State University, Los Angeles is asking its departments and offices to report any items of Native Californian origin they might have, whether those items were bought, gifted or collected in some other way, according to California Globe.

The request is part of the university’s effort to follow state repatriation laws that line up with the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Staff are being asked to share such details as where the items are, when they were collected and who owns them, with responses due by Sept. 15.

Tribal leaders, lawmakers and community members gathered Tuesday at the Oklahoma Capitol to observe Oklahoma Treaty Day, an event hosted by the Oklahoma Native Caucus to highlight the ongoing significance of tribal treaties. The day included presentations on treaty obligations, tribal sovereignty and intergovernmental partnerships, according to News 9, a CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City.

Speakers included Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, Cherokee Nation Delegate to Congress Kim Teehee and Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Government Affairs Officer LaRenda Morgan. State Sen. Mary Boren said the event is a reminder that honoring treaties is not only a legal obligation but a step toward building a more inclusive Oklahoma.

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation is hosting a flood preparedness training to help individuals respond to potential disasters, the MHA Emergency Operations Center has announced on Facebook. The free, three-hour session will be held in the center’s main training room on May 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. and on May 16 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Topics will include flood risks, alerts and warnings, evacuation planning, risk reduction, response strategies and recovery steps. The training is available in-person and online. The center is located at 8880 Hwy 23B, New Town, ND.

Over the weekend, wildfires ignited in 14 counties across North Dakota, burning more than 1,100 acres. According to KFYR, on Sunday alone, 20 new fires were reported, contributing to a total of 60 fire starts during the weekend. Efforts to combat the blazes involved local firefighters, the North Dakota Wildland Task Force, the North Dakota Forest Service and a team from Colorado.

The impacted counties include Slope, Sargent, Morton, LaMoure, Hettinger, Dickey, Logan, Adams, McKenzie, Dunn, Spirit Lake Sioux, Turtle Mountain Chippewa, Ward, Rolette and Kidder. The Turtle Mountain fire complex remains ongoing.