native podcast

In this Special Episode of the Sentinel, we examine the root causes of government shutdowns. Congress has resorted to continuing resolutions and stop gap measures to fund the government. Surely this seems like ‘the new normal’. But what does this mean for Tribal Nations, citizens and the overall economic health and well being of tribal governments and citizens? 

NCAI staff expert Matt Vogel, Policy Lead on Budget and Appropriations, joins us to offer key insights from his work on this issue. We uncover what is truly at stake every time Indian Country faces a looming government shutdown. We are sure this episode will be of interest to all of our listeners.

In this second episode of “The Sentinel'', The National Congress of American Indians invites listeners to learn more about the issue of water rights. Discover what happened in NCAI history and what’s happening now to create a full picture of this far from resolved issue. 

To kick off the episode, we feature Ryan Seelau, NCAI Director of Policy and Legal to keep us informed of three recent Supreme Court decisions affecting Indian Country. One is a major  water rights case involving the Navajo Nation. Stay informed of this recent news and hear about how the Court has been ruling on cases lately, and what this might mean for future decisions. 

We then travel back to the mid-20th century to uncover how NCAI first confronted the question of water rights in the Colorado River, one of the most critical regions in the country. Learn about how NCAI created a strategy and carried out this advocacy just a few short years after its founding. 

Rounding out this subject is a recap of a panel held at the 2023 Mid Year Convention & Marketplace, “Water Scarcity and Conservation ''. Hear firsthand from participants about how this issue is affecting their Tribal Nations today, what solutions are working, and what remains to be done. We wrap up the episode with a recap of the 2023 Mid Year Convention and Marketplace including interviews with participants, and a special feature with NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr.,  about  recent developments and his vision for the future of NCAI. 

Last November, the US Supreme court heard arguments in the Haaland vs Brackeen case in regards to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). The Brackeen family argued that ICWA violated their equal protection rights when they were denied adoption of a Native boy placed with them through child care services. The boy was also placed with a relative who stepped up and intervened. Monica and Trisha talk about their stance on the issue and share personal stories of how ICWA has directly or indirectly affected their childhoods and upbringing. Make sure to download and hit the notification bell!