The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) executive board announced iu a statement released on Friday it has decided to conduct its 2022 Executive Council Winter Session in a fully virtual format this year due to the rise in COVID-19 cases across Indian Country. This is the second year in a row, the winter session will be held virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 Executive Council Winter Session take place on Monday, February 14, 2022. The statement said further details will be announced soon regarding the full agenda, how to register, and what to expect.
Want more Native News? Get the free daily newsletter today.
"After much consideration by NCAI’s Administrative Board and Executive Committee, we have decided the most prudent path forward is to conduct this conference in a fully virtual environment," NCAI President Fawn Sharp (Quinault Indian Nation) said in a letter. "While we are disappointed that we are unable to come together in Washington, D.C. during this time, our priority is the health and wellness of Indian Country. In the forthcoming weeks."
Reach out to NCAI's events team at [email protected] for any questions about this announcement.
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
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Photographs of the Homecoming of the Three Fires Powwow
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