
- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country last week.
Save the Date – HHS Annual Regional Tribal Consultations This Summer 2023
- Region 2 – June 6 in Syracuse, NY
- Region 9 – June 28-29 in Phoenix, AZ
- Region 7 – June 20-22 in Kansas City, MO
- Region 10 – August 9-11 in Anchorage, AK
National Endowment for the Humanities Appoints Jason Packineau as Strategic Advisor for Native & Indigenous Affairs
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) on Wednesday announced the appointment of Jason Packineau (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Pueblo of Jemez, Pueblo of Laguna) as NEH’s first Strategic Advisor for Native and Indigenous Affairs.
Packineau will serve as the lead policy and strategy advisor for NEH’s outreach and engagement with tribal nations and Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. He will also coordinate NEH’s Tribal consultation policy, develop partnerships that enhance the agency’s support of Indigenous communities, and support convenings, listening sessions, capacity-building, and information sharing among state and jurisdictional Indigenous networks.
Most recently, Packineau was the Associate Director for the Harvard University Native American Program and currently serves as the Board President for the NACA-Inspired School Network (NISN), a nationwide organization that supports and promotes Indigenous-led education efforts.
Behavioral Health Tribal Advisory Committee to Meet on March 15 - Open to the Public
The Indian Health Service (IHS) Naitonal Tribal Advisory Committee on behavioral health will be holding its first quarterly meeting of 2023 on March 15 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm - EDT. The session is open to the public with participation limited to the NTAC members
Access to the meeting via Zoom will be available HERE.
Interior Department Announces Funds to Help Create Jobs and Revitalize Land in Coal Communities
Rep. Peltola Opens Community Project Funding Request Forms for FY 2024 Appropriations Process
Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola (D-AK), a member of the House Natural Resources Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is making Community Project Funding Request forms for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) available for interested Alaskans on her website beginning today.
Interested Alaskans are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the CPF guidance, which is also provided on the website. Requests must be submitted by Friday, March 17, at 11:59pm EDT.
“Alaska’s Congressional delegation has a strong track record of delivering results for our home,” Rep, Peltola said. “Alaska is a unique place with unique needs, and the federal appropriations process provides significant opportunities to address those needs. I look forward to advocating for Alaskans through this process and am excited to see what great ideas come forward.”
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher