Spring is around the corner!  We're very excited about our upcoming Inno-NATIONS events and the Spring 2017 Tribal Financial Management Certificate training. Please share our newsletter and encourage others to sign up for our mailing list. We thank you all for your continued support and hope to see you soon!  

 

Inno-NATIONS Kicks Off Initiative with Beyond Buckskin Talk
and Native Fashion Event

 

Beyond Buckskin

We're pleased to host Jessica Metcalfe of Beyond Buckskin as a featured speaker on Wednesday, March 1, followed by a special Native American fashion event on Saturday, March 4.  
 
Beyond Buckskin: Beyond Online” is the first in the Inno-NATIONS Learning Lab series, highlighting Metcalfe, who is Turtle Mountain Chippewa and the founder of the highly successful online retail store Beyond Buckskin. Metcalfe will share her story of building a business that celebrates Native American artists and designers through fashion. By tapping into the power of the internet, Metcalfe grew a small online store into a retail store based out of the Turtle Mountain community in North Dakota, employing local tribal members and bringing greater international recognition to over 40 Native American and First Nations artists.
 
Protection in All Directions: A Fashion & Resistance Awareness Event” will feature discussions about social awareness with Grownup Navajo, multimedia presentations, and a fashion show highlighting local Native American designers such as Jared Yazzie of OxDx Clothing.  
 
“There is no question that Jessica Metcalfe of Beyond Buckskin has moved the needle on tribal fashion, issues of tribal representation, and tribal entrepreneurship. We are extremely excited to host Beyond Buckskin for our Inno-NATIONS kick-off events in March!” stated founder and director Dr. Traci Morris.

 

Spring 2017 TFMC Registration Now Open

 

AIPI and NAFOA are pleased to announce the Spring 2017 TFMC. The Spring cohort will take place June 6-8, 2017 at Arizona State University. For more information and to register, please visit our registration website.

AIPI Staff Attends NCAI Executive Council Winter Session

NCAI State of Indian Nations

AIPI staff member, Brian Howard, attended the National Congress of American Indians' Executive Council Winter Session (ECWS) in Washington, D.C. on February 13-16. The event commenced with the 2017 State of Indian Nations Address by NCAI President Brian Cladoosby who stressed the importance and timely need of meaningful government-to-government consultation between the federal government and tribal nations. He also raised issues regarding federal barriers that constrain tribal efforts for job creation, infrastructure development, and management of federal programs to support self-determination.

Following the State of Indian Nations, the ECWS meeting included members of Congress and the new Trump Administration who addressed tribal leadership to discuss issues regarding the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, a potential infrastructure package totaling $1 trillion, funding for education and language preservation, and issues surrounding tribal consultation in the Dakota Access Pipeline Project.

Numerous members, from both sides of the aisle, stated their support in preserving the permanent reauthorization of the Indian Health Service (IHS) and protecting IHS from any repeal efforts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Additionally, tribal leadership proclaimed support for preserving the Medicaid expansion efforts of the ACA, preservation of Medicare Part B reimbursement, and exempting tribes from the employer mandate.

Priorities being developed by Congress for a $1 trillion infrastructure spending bill were also discussed, of which $20 million would be allocated for public lands infrastructure projects that tribes would be eligible to apply for—among other entities. Discussions from tribal leadership and some Congressional members stressed the need to increase tribal access to the potential infrastructure funding to include projects outside public works, and even potentially include a specific tribal set-aside funding arrangement.

 

Links to Statements/Resources Released During ECWS:

·   NCAI President Cladoosby’s State of Indian Nations Speech, and Recording

·   Senator Hoeven’s Congressional Response to the NCAI 2017 State of Indian Nations Address, click here

·   NCAI Report, “Tribal Infrastructure: Investing in Indian Country”, click here

·   NCAI Policy Update, click here

·   NCAI Report, “Fiscal Year 2018 Indian Country Budget Request}, click here

CALENDAR

March
Inno-NATIONS Learning Lab Speaker -  Beyond Buckskin:  Beyond Online   |  March 1, 2017  |  6pm to 7:30pm  | Sponsored by Inno-NATIONS & American Indian Policy Institute |   The Department   |  1 N. 1st St #600, Phoenix, AZ

American Indian Student Advocacy Gathering:  Taking care of our communities 'here' and at 'home'  |  March 1, 2017   |  Sponsored by ASU Center for Indian Education & American Indian Council |  ASU Memorial Union, Gold Room, Tempe, AZ

Protection in All Directions Fashion & Social Awareness Event   |  March 4, 2017   |   6pm to 8pm   |  Sponsored by Inno-NATIONS & American Indian Policy Institute |   The Department   |  1 N. 1st St #600, Phoenix, AZ

59th Annual Heard Museum Fair and Market    |  March 4-6, 2017  | Sponsored by Heard Museum |  2301 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ

National RES (Reservation Economic Summit) Las Vegas  |  March 13-16, 2017 |  Sponsored by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development  |  The Mirage, Las Vegas, NV

UN Commission on the Status of Women, Focus Area: Empowerment of Indigenous Women  |  March 14-23, 2017 | New York, NY

Tribal Interior Budget Council   March 21-23, 2017  |  Sponsored by National Congress of American Indians   |  Washington Plaza  |  Washington, D.C.

Indian Land Tenure Foundation - 7th Tribal Land Staff National Conference   |  March 21-23, 2017  |  Sponsored by National Tribal Land Association   |  Tamaya Resort & Spa  |  Santa Fe, NM 

Women of Color STEM Entrepreneurship Conference  March 23-25, 2017  |  Sponsored by the ASU Center for Gender Equity in Science & Technology  |  Gateway Community College |  Phoenix, AZ

April
NICWA Annual Conference  |  April 2-5, 2017  |  Sponsored by National Indian Child Welfare Association |  San Diego, CA

Federal Bar Association's Indian Law Conference   |  April 6-7, 2017  | Sponsored by Federal Bar Association  |  Talking Stick Resort   Scottsdale, AZ

Thirteenth Annual Southeast Indian Studies Conference  |  April 6-7, 2017  |  University of North Carolina-Pembroke 

2017 National Forum on Dropout Prevention for Native and Tribal Communities  |  April 9-12, 2017 |  Sponsored by National Dropout Prevention Center  |  We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center  |  Scottsdale, AZ

NIGA Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention  |  April 10-13, 2017  |  Sponsored by the National Indian Gaming Association  |  San Diego Convention Center  |  San Diego, CA

Construction in Indian Country National Conference  |  April 17-19, 2017  |  Sponsored by ASU Construction in Indian Country Program   |  Wigwam Resource  |  Litchfield Park, AZ

31st Annual ASU Pow-Wow   |   April 21-23, 2017  |  Sponsored by the ASU Pow-Wow Committee |  ASU Band Practice Field, East 6th Street and South Rural Road   |  Tempe, AZ

Phoenix Indian Center Silver & Turquoise Ball   |  April 22, 2017  |  Sponsored by the Phoenix Indian Center | Hyatt Regency Phoenix  |  Phoenix, AZ

2017 Annual Tribal Self-Governance Consultation Conference   |  April 23-27, 2017  |  Spokane Convention Center |  Spokane, WA

UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues  |  April 23-27, 2017  |  New York, NY 

NAFOA 35th Annual Spring Conference  |  April 24-25, 2017  | Sponsored by the Native American Finance Officers Association  |  Hilton Union Square  |  San Francisco, CA

2017 AISES Leadership Summit  |  April 27-29, 2017  |  Wild Horse Pass Casino & Resort  |  Chandler, AZ

May
ASU American Indian Convocation  |  May 10, 2017  |  6pm  | Sponsored by ASU |  Grady Gammage Auditorium  | Tempe, AZ