June 13, 2025
Citizens of the Navajo Nation have expressed outrage over the depiction of Navajo spirituality in a play performed at The Door Gallup Christian Church in Gallup, New Mexico, on May 29, 2025. Videos of the performance, shared on TikTok, have since garnered millions of views.
Currents
In 2023, Oklahoma’s tribal nations contributed $23.4 billion to the state’s economy, according to a newly released study.
Opinion
Guest Opinion. As both Chairperson of the Lytton Rancheria and Chairman of the Sonoma County Indian Health Project, I carry a dual responsibility—one to uphold our sovereign Tribal nation’s future and another to protect the health and well-being of Native families across Sonoma County. Today, I am compelled to speak out because Congress is on the brink of breaking a promise—one that could have deadly consequences.
Guest Opinion. The name “One Beautiful Bill” might sound harmless, charming, even, but for Indian Country, its passage would be nothing short of a policy earthquake. Behind the rhetoric of fiscal responsibility and government streamlining lies a sweeping assault on the foundational programs that uphold tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and the bare minimum of equitable federal support that Native Nations have fought to establish over generations.
Sovereignty
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the United States with an endowment of more than $8 billion, said today that it launched a Native self-determination program, committing to increase funding and deepen partnerships with Indigenous communities.
David Sickey has been elected Chairman of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana following a decisive victory in Saturday’s runoff election against Crystal Williams. A former Chairman who served from 2017 to 2021, Sickey returns to lead the Tribe after a campaign marked by high voter turnout and strong community engagement.
Education
Mohawk students from the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe have filed a legal complaint in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of New York, challenging recent federal changes that limit their access to college financial aid.
The Trump administration is proposing a drastic reduction in funding for tribal colleges and universities—nearly a 90% cut—that could force most, if not all, of these institutions to shut down.
Arts & Entertainment
You’re No Indian , a new documentary will premiere on June 28 at the independent Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles, screening at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre.
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is proud to announce the opening of a powerful new exhibition, Section 14 – The Untold Story , on June 14, 2025, in the Changing Gallery at the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, located within the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza.
Health
Environment
The U.S. Department of the Interior today announced the availability of more than $119 million in fiscal year 2025 grant funding to support the reclamation of abandoned coal mines across the country. These Abandoned Mine Land (AML) fee-based grants, authorized under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 and administered by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), will support 24 coal-producing states and two tribal programs in restoring former mine sites.
The Osage Minerals Council proudly announces the final dismissal of the Hayes II litigation, ending nearly a decade-long legal battle that posed a serious threat to oil and gas production within the Osage Mineral Estate. Originally filed in 2016, the case challenged the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review of two mineral leases. On May 5, 2025, the Federal District Court issued a judgment officially dismissing the case.