The Daily Spark

As the White House signals potential executive orders targeting nonprofits, organizations across the U.S. are preparing a unified response. According to NPR, the orders could allow the government to audit nonprofits, particularly those involved in immigrant legal services and environmental work, and possibly seize their assets. Nonprofits are already mobilizing, with 11,000 representatives from across the sector meeting virtually to discuss strategies, including legal preparedness. While the White House denies any immediate plans for such orders, nonprofits remain concerned.

Tribes in the Columbia River Basin are actively working to preserve Pacific Lamprey, a vital traditional food source. Climate change and dams have severely impacted lamprey populations, but conservation efforts, including translocation and improving dam passage, are showing positive results. Kanim Moses-Conner, Lamprey Technician for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, has been a vocal advocate for the species for over 16 years. He emphasizes the need for community education to support these efforts.

The Trump administration announced plans to approve the land transfer for the Resolution Copper mine, which would destroy Oak Flat, a sacred site for the Western Apache. This decision comes as three lawsuits challenging the project remain unresolved in the courts. Oak Flat, located in Arizona, is integral to Apache religious practices. Environmentalists and tribal leaders argue the mine will cause irreparable harm to the land, water, and culture. The Supreme Court's decision on whether to hear the religious freedom case could impact the future of the project.

A U.S. judge has ordered the Trump administration to issue written statements to thousands of probationary federal workers fired en masse in February, clarifying they were not terminated for poor performance.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup called the performance claims “a false pretense” and gave agencies until May 8 to comply. The order follows a lawsuit challenging the Office of Personnel Management’s authority in the firings.

The city of Escondido and the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians hosted the first Indigenous Culture & Art Festival on Saturday at Grape Day Park. The event showcased Indigenous food, art, and performances, honoring the region’s Kumeyaay heritage.

Organizers, including the Native Youth Foundation, emphasized youth empowerment through culture and the arts. The San Pasqual Band contributed $10,000 toward the event, with nearly $62,000 approved by the City Council.

A bill proposing a legislative study of oil and chemical spill risks on highways within the Fort Berthold Reservation failed to pass the North Dakota House, but Rep. Lisa Finley-DeVille, D-Mandaree, says she remains dedicated to raising awareness. House Bill 1611 aimed to assess environmental and health risks through collaboration with tribal and state agencies. Despite its 62-24 defeat, Finley-DeVille emphasized the need for site-specific data to guide future policy.

Pastor Duane Fox was honored for over 40 years of service to the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation during a community Easter dinner Wednesday at the Ralph Wells Community Center. Fox, a former police officer and founding member of the White Shield Spirit Riders, received a warbonnet, satin star quilts and an award from MHA Nation Chairman Mark Fox. The event, hosted by Councilman Fred Fox, also featured announcements of new bikes for White Shield students and tribal interest in a potential woolly mammoth project.

Native American artist Monte Yellow Bird Sr., also known as Black Pinto Horse, will speak at Cloud County Community College’s Cook Series on Thursday, April 24. The event, titled “If You're Going to Shine, Shine Brightly,” begins at 7 p.m. at Cook Theatre and is free and open to the public. Yellow Bird, known for work blending Indigenous heritage and fine arts, is a descendant of Bears Teeth, Iron Bear, Strikes Enemy and Sitting Bear.

The Trump administration has cut at least $1.6 million in federal grants for Native American boarding school research projects, ending efforts to preserve and share stories of survivors. According to the Associated Press, the National Endowment for the Humanities cited a shift in agency priorities. Impacted projects include a $282,000 grant to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, which had been digitizing records used by families to trace relatives.

The Youth Empowerment Project’s Springfield chapter awarded $10,000 to six nonprofits for youth-focused education and community service programs.

Recipients include the American Indian Center of Springfield, which received $2,025 to enhance its Youth Drum Group Program, a cultural initiative promoting Powwow drumming. Other grants support mental health, crisis support, food security, employment training and domestic violence education.

YEP is supported by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks and includes students from three area high schools.

Northwestern University’s seventh annual Indigenous research symposium, hosted by the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research, highlighted community-driven scholarship and language revitalization projects led by Native scholars across the U.S. The event honored 100 years since the Indian Citizenship Act with the theme “Indigenous Futures: 100 years back, 100 years forward.”

Projects included Zapotec language workshops in Los Angeles and Ojibwe wild rice research in Minnesota. Speakers emphasized data sovereignty, mentorship and Indigenous self-determination in research.

The University of North Dakota will hold its 53rd annual Time Out Wacipi Powwow on April 25–26 at the Alerus Center. The free, public event celebrates Indigenous culture with dancing, singing and a traditional feed on Saturday at 5 p.m. Hosted by the Indigenous Student Center, the powwow is part of Time Out Week, featuring talks, art, and community events.

For full schedule and visitor info, visit: University of North Dakota

The Cocopah Indian Tribe is launching a 400-acre restoration project in Arizona’s Colorado River floodplain, aiming to remove invasive species and replant native vegetation. With support from the National Audubon Society and federal funding, the project will restore access to traditional gathering spaces and reconnect youth to the river’s cultural significance. Vice Chairman Neil White said the effort is “going to empower us to get back to our traditional ways.”

Twelve students from Department of Defense Education Activity schools are suing the Department of Defense, claiming their First Amendment rights were violated by recent book bans and curriculum changes. The federal suit, filed April 15 in Virginia, follows executive orders signed by former President Donald Trump in January 2025. Removed materials reportedly include content on Native American history, slavery, gender identity, and AP Psychology. The ACLU of Virginia and ACLU of Kentucky represent the students.

A new travel guide invites visitors to explore tribal history along the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. Created by the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association in collaboration with the National Park Service, the guide highlights Indigenous communities in Arizona and California, emphasizing resilience and cultural heritage. It features contributions from 11 tribes in Arizona and 49 federally recognized tribes in California. The guide includes maps, traditional place names, and details on museums and cultural centers.

North Dakota has partnered with five tribal nations to revise textbooks on Native American history, aiming to replace materials that have been in use for over 30 years. The updated curriculum will be available for the upcoming school year in state-owned schools. This initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure that Native American perspectives are accurately represented in educational resources. The revised textbooks will provide students with a more comprehensive understanding of Native history and culture.

Two Blackfeet Nation members, State Sen. Susan Webber and rancher Jonathan St. Goddard, have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, challenging tariffs imposed on Canada under the Trump administration. The plaintiffs argue that the tariffs violate the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress, not the president, the power to regulate commerce, and infringe on Native American treaty rights, specifically the Jay Treaty of 1794. The lawsuit, filed in Montana federal district court, also targets several executive orders expanding emergency declarations.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. toured tribal communities in Arizona and New Mexico last week, emphasizing his focus on chronic disease prevention. However, the CDC’s Healthy Tribes program—an initiative integrating traditional Native medicine and foods—has seen major staff cuts. According to tribal leaders and health advocates, the layoffs jeopardize tribal health services and may violate federal trust responsibilities. Kennedy did not publicly address the program during his visits.

The Illinois House of Representatives passed House Bill 1237 in a 71–40 vote, advancing legislation that would ban Native American names, mascots and imagery in public K-12 schools. If enacted, about 90 schools would be required to retire such mascots by July 1, 2026. Schools may keep current materials until 2030 if they commit to a transition plan. Exceptions apply with written consent from federally recognized tribes and educational partnerships. The bill now heads to the state Senate.