Oklahoma tribes prepare to pivot to booster shots in COVID-19 battle
WASHINGTON - Formal guidance from the Indian Health Service on how and when to give COVID-19 vaccine booster shots is still in the works, but some tribes in Oklahoma are not waiting but getting ready with the news that booster shot guidelines are on the horizon.
Solutions and struggle: COVID relief highlights complexity of issues facing Native people
The pandemic exacerbated different infrastructure issues in Indigenous communities across the country.
Shawnee language classes move online during COVID-19 pandemic
Only about 100 people speak the ancient language of the Shawnee people, which has motivated tribal officials to educate more young people. 2020 was supposed to be the Year of the Shawnee Language in Oklahoma, but COVID-19 forced educators online. There were some positives.
Nevertheless, she persisted: Woman keeps helping, despite COVID losses
She has lost 20 blood relatives and many more friends during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Kim Holmes keeps showing up for work as a property manager for the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma so she can be there for those who need help the most.
Yurok Tribe in Northern California grows solutions in soil of crises
The COVID-19 pandemic, record drought in Northern California that has decimated fish populations and the persistent washout of the main highway have awakened the Yurok Tribe to food insecurity in the area.
House rejects extra funding to help tribal courts after McGirt ruling
WASHINGTON - The House this week rejected a proposal that would have added $154 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs budget to help tribal courts cope with an influx of cases after a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that expanded tribal jurisdiction.
Legislation to change Native American team names lacks momentum in Arizona
PHOENIX – Colorado and Nevada recently passed laws restricting team names and mascots that reference Native American culture. One former state legislator who tried to make progress in this area thinks changing Arizona will be a challenge.
‘We had to keep going’: After COVID setbacks, Navajo police chief looks forward
WINDOW ROCK – Navajo Police Chief Phillip Francisco reflects on a year of resilience after COVID-19 put the department’s limited resources to the test.
Q&A: How one warrior mobilized to deliver water to the Navajo Nation
PHOENIX – A year since its founding, a water access campaign on the Navajo reservation has delivered more than 250,000 gallons of water to those in need. Founder Zoel Zohnnie talks about how he has kept the effort going and lessons learned.
Taking AIM: Arizona hospitals band together to fight maternal mortality
PHOENIX – Pregnancy-related deaths have been rising in the U.S., especially among Black and Indigenous women. In Arizona, a new effort aims to address that by providing hospitals with standards of care to help spot complications before it’s too late.
Enduring trauma: Indigenous boarding schools will be investigated, Interior Secretary Haaland announces
PHOENIX – There’s a legacy of abuse-ridden boarding schools for Indigenous children in America. Recently, mass graves of Native children were found at boarding schools in Canada. U.S. Interior Sec. Deb Haaland announced the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to identify boarding school facilities and burial sites across the country and review enrollment lists.
Shipping sage and praying on Zoom: How an Indigenous healing practice survived the pandemic
PHOENIX – For centuries, Native Americans have used talking circles to solve problems and provide healing. During the pandemic, these practices moved online and outdoors to help those in need.
