'A new day of hope': National Congress of American Indians forges ahead in 2022
Channel: indianz
Date: 2022-03-22

The National Congress of American Indians announced its upcoming plans following a meeting of tribal leaders on March 20, 2022.

In a video posted to social media, NCAI President Fawn Sharp said tribal leaders were hosted by the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona. She said they came together to "take a hard look at who NCAI is, what is our direction and what do we want to accomplish for all of Indian Country."

Following the retreat, which took place over the weekend, NCAI announced the theme for its 2022 Mid-Year Conference and Marketplace theme: "Thinking Beyond Self-Determination." The meeting will be held June 12-June 16 in Anchorage, Alaska.

NCAI also announced the establishment of a Sovereignty Institute. The goal of the new initiative is to help better support tribal governance in Indian Country.

“As tribal leaders and members of NCAI’s Executive Committee, we realized the times have called for us to embrace a new era in which we are thinking beyond self-determination and beginning to define a Nation-to-Nation period of tribal governance,” Sharp said in a press release on March 22, 2022. “‘Thinking Beyond Self-Determination’ is a way to set the stage and usher in a time of proactive strategy, advocacy, and governance. The formation of the Sovereignty Institute at NCAI will provide innovative tools and resources to support Tribal Nations as they work to define this new era on their own terms.”

According to NCAI, the Sovereignty Institute will include:

* NCAI Policy Research Center - A tribal research center that leads, conducts, and translates high-quality policy research and data to improve outcomes for Indian Country.

* Leadership Development and Tribal Programs - Initiatives to support tribal leaders in developing strategic approaches to their leadership roles and media relations.

* Civic Engagement - Long-standing initiatives such as Native Vote, Indian Country Counts census work, and Ending the Era of Harmful “Indian” Mascots.

“New initiatives like the Sovereignty Institute are a result of building a grounded yet forward-thinking plan for NCAI, informed by the priorities of tribal leaders representing every corner of Indian Country," said Sharp. "We have many exciting things planned this year and we look forward to doing our part to help shape tribal governance in the 21st Century and to chart a new and prosperous path forward for Native peoples.”

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