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Monday, May 16, 2022

Get Caught Reading Month

We are getting ready for the second cohort of the ILA program! Please follow us for updates on application information. 

My next blog post deadline was coming soon… I could not for the life of me think of a proper topic. Graduation? Leadership? Business? I went for a walk where I do my best thinking, and inspiration struck! May is Get Caught Reading month which highlights the opportunity to raise awareness of the advantages of indulging in literature. I thought, what better way to feature the advantages of literature than to tap into the minds of the staff at the American Indian Policy Institute (AIPI). I admire and respect the...

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Thursday, May 12, 2022

Wildfire Mitigation and Traditional Knowledge

This month is National wildfire awareness month, and it is an important time for those of us who live in regions prone to wildfires. Wildfires have been a threat to ecosystems, human life, and property, many Tribes live in areas that face regular wildfires such as forests, grasslands, and prairies. Here in the southwest, wildfires are intensified by the hot and dry conditions of ongoing drought. However, the threat is spreading to more areas around the world. According to a 2022 UN Environment Programme report, wildfires are burning more frequently and with greater intensity, and in areas that do not normally experience them.

Wildfires are part of the larger...

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Monday, April 25, 2022

The 2022 Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act: A Space for Celebration, Learning, Support & Growth

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The American Indian Policy Institute (AIPI) closely follows public policy analysis and research surrounding the systemic violence suffered by Indigenous women. In recognition of SAAM, AIPI would like to take some time and space to discuss the recent 2022 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and its projected effect on Indigenous communities. The reauthorization of VAWA reaffirmed the critical legislative focus on the domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking faced by Indigenous women in the United States. In a constant effort to destigmatize the disproportionate representation of violence against Indigenous women, this blog aims to create a safe space...

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Monday, April 18, 2022

Taking Care of Our First Mother

On Earth Day, we would like to highlight the deep relationship Indigenous peoples have to the land and how Indigenous peoples are responding to climate change around the world. It is an often-cited fact that Indigenous peoples are responsible for land that has 80 percent of the Earth’s biodiversity. Yet it is also true that Indigenous peoples face the brunt of climate change. Today, we focus on ways Indigenous peoples are planning for the future and highlight resources on climate change for Tribal Nations.

As inherent stewards of the land, Tribal Nations are already taking action. Yale 360 documented how the Swinomish are revitalizing their relationship with the ocean...

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Monday, March 28, 2022

Tribal Nations Undercounted in 2020 Census

The 2020 Census undercount poses challenges to Tribes. The expanded outreach of the 2020 Census was no match for the obstacles created by COVID-19, and American Indians and Alaska Natives living on reservations were once again undercounted. This time by 5.6 percent. In 2010, the undercount was 4.9 percent. The 2020 Census is key to Tribal planning decisions and funding opportunities.

In an NCAI news release, President Fawn Sharp of the National Congress of American Indians stated, “Every undercounted household and individual in our communities means lost funding and resources that are desperately needed to address the significant disparities we face." 

Official population counts are used when applying for federal...

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Thursday, February 24, 2022

NDIA Receives Grant for Digital Inclusion

The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) will use a $10 million grant to support a national digital equity program, with a focus on rural and Tribal communities.

 

At the 2022 Net Inclusion conference in Portland, Oregon, NDIA announced that they had received a $10 million grant to create a National Digital Navigator Corps. A portion of the funding will also go to AMERIND to support a digital navigator program on Tribal lands.

The National Digital Navigator Corps is a program long in the making. Digital navigators are people who offer one-on-one support to community members accessing the Internet or using devices like phones or laptops. They offer on-the-ground support for...

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Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Indigenous STEAM Reading List 2022

The Indigenous Leadership Academy is currently ongoing. Stay tuned to see updates about the program!

Kristen: When planning this next reading list, Elizabeth Quiroga, student archivist at the Labriola National American Indian Data Center (Labriola Center)  and I had something completely different in mind. After some discussion, we decided that Indigenous STEAM would be our next reading list. We tried to stick to the same criteria that no book is more than $40 (US) and all books can be found at the Arizona State University library. Whenever possible, we link the books to the publisher and the Labriola Center, some of which are available through Open Stack.

Elizabeth: When...

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Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Co-Facilitators For ILA Modules Two Through Nine

The Indigenous Leadership Academy is thrilled to announce the co-facilitators for modules two through nine, Kris Beecher and Jolyana Begay-Kroupa. Kris is an attorney at the leading global law firm Dickinson Wright. Jolyana is currently Interim CEO of the Phoenix Indian Center. Both are heavily involved in the Phoenix American Indian community and are excited to be co-facilitating the Indigenous Leadership Academy. You can read more about the co-facilitators below.

Kris Beecher is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and is a graduate of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and holds a Juris Doctor/MBA joint degree. Kris...

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Monday, January 17, 2022

Another Year In The Books

This update summarizes the very busy last two months of the year. November and December saw AIPI participating in multiple events with our expertise in broadband and digital equity with EJ a panelist at the 39th Annual Institute on Telecommunications Policy and Regulation and H a panelist at the NASIG Virtual 2021 Conference. Dr. Morris represented AIPI at the Aspen Data as Infrastructure Roundtable, National Academy of Public Administration 2021 conference, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Center for Indian Country Development Research Summit as well as participated in a funder retreat with the Ford Foundation. 

Additionally, much of the heavy-lift was done by Kristen Talbert in the last...

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Tuesday, January 11, 2022

The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program In Review

As the Federal government transitions to the Affordable Connectivity Program, it is worth analyzing the impact of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The Emergency Broadband Benefit program (EBB), established under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, began accepting applications on May 12, 2021. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created the program to establish greater accessibility to broadband internet by providing discounted broadband service as well as discounts on broadband enabled devices to qualifying low-income households. Broadband access arose as a top priority in the last two years and accessibility inequities across the nation were especially highlighted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This update will offer insight into...

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