The Daily Spark

Gov. Kelly Armstrong has signed Senate Bill 2241 into law, creating a framework for public charter schools in North Dakota. The bill, introduced by Sen. Michelle Axtman, passed with bipartisan support and takes effect on August 1, 2025. Charter schools will be part of the state’s public education system and must meet state academic and graduation requirements. The law ensures these schools are open to all North Dakota students, regardless of location or previous academic performance. According to a statement from the Governor's Office, the bill aims to expand school choice and improve student outcomes.

The Marguerite Casey Foundation has committed $130 million in grants for 2025, significantly increasing its annual donations. The Seattle-based foundation aims to support nonprofits impacted by policy changes, particularly federal funding cuts and efforts to limit the independence of civil society organizations. According to Carmen Rojas, president and CEO of the foundation, the funding will help fill gaps in information and organizing efforts. The foundation’s donations will support both existing and new grantees, with a particular focus on journalism organizations, according to an Associated Press report.

Indigenous-led organizations in Minnesota are planning a birth center focused on Native culture and traditions to improve maternal health outcomes, according to The Imprint. The Birth Justice Collaborative—a partnership of African American- and Indigenous-led nonprofits—plans to submit its proposal to Minnesota lawmakers by the end of the year. Services will include medical care, cultural teachings, and access to traditional medicines, with guidance from elders and spiritual leaders. Ruth Buffalo, CEO of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, is among the organizers. Community feedback is shaping services to reduce fear and trauma around pregnancy and childbirth, said Antony Stately, president of the Native American Community Clinic. Funding may come from state sources and Medicaid reimbursements. The effort aims to reclaim child-rearing practices common before federal policies separated Indigenous families.

Chef Sean Sherman is expanding the Indigenous Food Lab to Bozeman, partnering with Montana State University to support schools, hospitals and communities through culturally rooted food systems, according to NonStop Local. The nonprofit, which began in Minneapolis, highlights more than 60 Indigenous producers and includes a production kitchen making tortillas from Native American heirloom corn.

Sherman told NonStop Local that Montana’s tribal diversity makes it an ideal space for expansion and emphasized the importance of food sovereignty, allowing tribes to control their food systems and health. The Bozeman launch includes a public talk at the Ellen Theatre and a pop-up dinner at the Gallatin Food Bank showcasing Indigenous cuisine.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has pocket vetoed Senate Bill 13, which would have created a five-year pilot program for state-tribal compact schools in New Mexico. The bill, introduced by Sen. Benny Shendo Jr. of Jemez Pueblo, passed unanimously in both chambers but failed to receive the governor’s signature by the April 11 deadline.

According to a spokesperson for the governor’s office, the decision was due to concerns about the bill exempting schools from accountability requirements without a clear implementation plan. The proposed legislation would have allowed up to five compact schools to operate outside of standard state curriculum and evaluation rules. Shendo told Source NM he plans to work with the Public Education Department and the governor’s office to revise the bill for the 2026 legislative session.

The Future Inspired Native American Leaders Youth Council will host its annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous People awareness walk on May 3 at the Phoenix Indian Center. Participants are encouraged to wear red and bring posters, signs or images of loved ones, according to the event announcement. A poster-making station will be available on-site.

Registration begins at 8 a.m., followed by speakers from 9 to 10 a.m. The one-mile walk will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Free MMIP T-shirts will be distributed to early registrants on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8 a.m. For more information, call 602-264-6768 or email YouthPrograms@PhxIndCenter.org.

In Hooper Bay, Alaska, environmental changes, including warming temperatures, flooding, and thawing permafrost, have made survival increasingly difficult for its 1,400 residents. A recent FRONTLINE documentary highlights the potential relocation of the Native Village of Paimiut due to severe coastal erosion and rising sea levels. The loss of sea ice, once a protective barrier, exacerbates the problem. Many residents, like Agatha Napoleon, fear the erosion will soon force them to leave their ancestral lands. For more information, watch Alaska’s Vanishing Native Villages on PBS starting April 22, 2025.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed new legislation to strengthen oversight of sober living homes after a $2 billion Medicaid fraud scheme targeted Native Americans seeking treatment. The law mandates stricter licensing, annual inspections, and timely reporting of deaths or overdoses. Advocates, including Navajo Nation lawmaker Sen. Theresa Hatathlie, expressed concerns that the bill doesn't address the root causes of the fraud, including unlicensed facilities. The law aims to improve transparency and accountability in the state's behavioral health services.

Fort Lewis College has appointed Dr. Heather Shotton as its first Indigenous president, effective July 1. Shotton, a citizen of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and a descendant of the Kiowa and Cheyenne, was unanimously selected by the board of trustees. She brings more than 20 years of experience in education leadership and student advocacy. Fort Lewis, a former Indian boarding school, currently enrolls a student body that is 40% Native American and Alaska Native.

Montana State University’s Buffalo Nations Food System Initiative has received a $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to advance Indigenous food sovereignty efforts in the Northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. The funding will support the Buffalo Nations Foodways project, which focuses on intergenerational knowledge sharing, cultural revitalization, and education in tribal communities. Students from tribal nations will lead food sovereignty efforts in their home communities, supported by educational fellowships and a new Indigenous Foods Lab in Bozeman.

Landscaping at Penn State’s new Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building highlights Indigenous traditions through the intentional use of native plants. University staff collaborated with anthropology faculty and the Indigenous Faculty Staff Alliance to incorporate plants historically used by the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Lenape, and other nations. The design features six areas, including a Sweetgrass Prairie and the Great Tree of Peace, honoring the Haudenosaunee confederacy. According to project leaders, the effort blends sustainability with cultural recognition.

A coalition of top Native advocacy organizations has sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum urging him to oppose President Trump’s proposed FY 2026 budget. The budget would slash $1.2 billion from Indian Affairs, including $100 million from the Office of Justice Services. “Federal savings should not come at the expense of Tribal Nations,” the letter states. The coalition cites chronic underfunding, with only 13% of public safety needs currently met.

Oregon lawmakers are considering Senate Bill 1011, which would create a formal process for federally recognized tribes to request jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters on tribal land. The bill responds to a 1950s-era federal law that granted six states—including Oregon—jurisdiction over tribal reservations, a move tribes have long said infringes on sovereignty.

Attorney Brent Leonhard of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation discussed the bill’s potential impact on OPB’s “Think Out Loud.”

The Treaty with the Pawnee, 1857, is now on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian as part of its “Nation to Nation” exhibition. Installed in partnership with the National Archives, the treaty is one of more than 370 ratified agreements between the U.S. and Native nations. The unveiling included Pawnee Nation leaders and museum director Cynthia Chavez Lamar. Treaties are rotated due to preservation needs.

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians is moving forward with major tourism infrastructure projects designed to boost local economies and honor Native heritage. Funded by a $1.5 million state grant and other tribal and partner contributions, the projects include a traditional roundhouse west of Belcourt, a veterans memorial park in Dunseith, and a 170-foot powwow arbor at Chief Little Shell Heritage Park. Completion is planned by summer 2026, ahead of an international Indigenous peace conference at the International Peace Garden.

The National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) is participating in the 24th session of the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, held April 21–25. The Canadian delegation includes leaders from over 100 Friendship Centres, the Indigenous Youth Council, and provincial associations.

The NAFC will host a side event titled Living UNDRIP: Indigenous Rights in Urban Spaces to highlight how the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples applies in urban areas.

A new law signed by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders enhances law enforcement cooperation between Tribal, state, and local agencies. Senate Bill 510 authorizes cross-deputization agreements, allowing officers to work across jurisdictions for faster, more coordinated public safety responses.

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Chief Gary Batton called the law “a huge step forward,” while Rep. Zack Gramlich, who authored the bill and is a Choctaw Nation member, praised its impact on Fort Smith and beyond. Fort Smith Mayor George McGill added, “We’re removing barriers to timely, effective public safety responses.”

The Choctaw Nation already has 75+ similar partnerships in Oklahoma and continues expanding its Lighthorse Police force.

Professional golfer Notah Begay III has teamed up with AMERIND to promote stronger, safer Tribal communities through culturally grounded insurance solutions. As the only 100% Tribally owned insurance carrier in the U.S., AMERIND offers tailored coverage to Tribal governments, enterprises and workers. Their partnership supports Native youth through the Notah Begay III Foundation, which promotes active lifestyles and wellbeing.

A bill banning Native American-themed school mascots and logos in Illinois is advancing to the state Senate. The legislation, passed by the House, affects about 90 school districts and allows existing materials to be used until 2030. Schools must update facilities bearing banned imagery during future renovations. Supporters cite mental health concerns raised by the American Psychological Association. Critics call the bill costly and politically motivated.