The Daily Spark

Minnesota launches tip program to aid missing and murdered Indigenous relatives cases

Minnesota has launched the Gaagige‑Mikwendaagoziwag Reward Fund Tip Program to encourage public assistance in solving cases of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives, according to MinneapoliMedia. The initiative, whose name in Ojibwe means “They will be remembered forever,” offers up to $10,000 for tips that lead to the recovery of remains or that directly solve a case. Sixteen active cases are currently eligible for rewards, including those of Jeremy Jourdain and Nevaeh Kingbird, both missing in Bemidji.

Administered by the state’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office and funded through legislative appropriations and MMIR specialty license plate proceeds, the program is backed by Sen. Mary Kunesh, a descendant of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. “Sometimes money loosens a tongue,” she was quoted as saying. Ana Negrete, interim director of the MMIR Office, said the fund signals to families that their pain is not being ignored.”

Shelly C. Lowe named next president of Institute of American Indian Arts

The Institute of American Indian Arts has appointed Shelly C. Lowe as its next president, according to a July 23 announcement. Lowe will begin her role on Aug. 1, succeeding longtime president Robert Martin, who plans to retire.

Lowe previously chaired the National Endowment for the Humanities and held leadership roles at Harvard University, Yale University and the University of Arizona. “IAIA is an extraordinary institution dedicated to nurturing creativity, innovation and leadership within Indigenous communities,” Lowe said in a statement. IAIA Board of Trustees Chairperson Beverly Morris said Lowe’s leadership and commitment to Indigenous education make her “uniquely suited to lead IAIA into its next era of excellence.”

Supreme Court keeps North Dakota district map in place as tribal voting case proceeds

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday extended a hold on changes to North Dakota’s legislative district map, maintaining current boundaries while a tribal voting rights case advances, according to the North Dakota Monitor. The order prevents the 8th Circuit’s ruling from taking effect, which would have ended private citizens’ ability to sue under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in that region. The lawsuit, filed by the Spirit Lake Nation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and three tribal citizens, challenges the 2021 map for diluting Native American voting power.

Jamie Azure, chair of the Turtle Mountain Band, said the decision allows Native voters to continue protecting themselves “from discrimination at the polls.” Colette Brown, a plaintiff and state representative, said the ruling helps protect Native voices while the legal fight continues. The tribes have until early October to ask the Supreme Court to formally hear the case.

Oglala Sioux Tribe condemns Ann Coulter's remarks, calls for federal investigation

The Oglala Sioux Tribe has condemned political commentator Ann Coulter’s recent statement, “We didn’t kill enough Indians.” In a press release issued July 22, Oglala Sioux Tribal President Frank Star Comes Out called the remarks “a dangerous expression of white supremacy that emboldens extremism and domestic terrorism.” He urged federal and state officials, media organizations and public figures to denounce Coulter’s words and called on the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Civil Rights Division to investigate whether her statement violates federal hate crime or incitement laws. “Free speech is not a shield for hate speech,” Star Comes Out said. “There is a legal and moral difference between controversial opinion and inciting genocide.”

Fort Totten Days honors veterans, youth and culture

The Spirit Lake Nation is hosting the 57th Annual Fort Totten Days celebration at the Andrew Shaw Arena in Fort Totten, North Dakota. According to organizers, the four-day celebration, which ends July 27, will feature a youth pageant, powwow, rodeo and golf tournament. The Spirit Lake Veterans group has led the event planning for the last three years and will continue to play a central role. The powwow is expected to draw over 300 dancers in 32 categories. Additional events include a rodeo and youth rodeo hosted by the Rough Rider Rodeo Association and a golf tournament hosted by Cankdeska Cikana Community College.

Indigi-Con spotlights Native comic creators alongside San Diego Comic-Con

Native comic creators from across the country are gathering for Indigi-Con, California’s first Indigenous comic convention, according to KPBS. The event takes place July 25 and July 27 at UC San Diego Park & Market, just blocks from San Diego Comic-Con 2025. Chag Lowry, co-director of Indigi-Con and executive director of the Indigenous Futures Institute at UC San Diego, said the convention was inspired by past Native-led presentations at Comic-Con.

Historian and San Diego State University professor Ethan Banegas is a featured panelist. His comics “Beyond Gaming” and “Our Past, Present, and Future” are on display at the La Jolla Historical Society as part of the Kumeyaay Visual Storytelling Project. “It’s truly an immersive experience here,” Banegas said. “It’s literally like jumping into the comic.”

Activists fighting Nevada lithium mine faced years of surveillance, records show

Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Bureau of Land Management, monitored Indigenous and environmental activists opposing the Thacker Pass lithium mine in Nevada for years, according to more than 2,000 pages of internal records reviewed by ProPublica and The Nevada Independent. Surveillance efforts included social media tracking, video monitoring and meetings of a joint terrorism task force, with one protester arrested to date.

The main company behind the mine, Lithium Americas, hired a former FBI counterterrorism agent to help develop its security strategy. The Indigenous activist group People of Red Mountain describe the surveillance as targeted and unjust. “We’re being watched, we’re being followed, we’re under the microscope,” Gary McKinney, a spokesperson for the group and member of the Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute Tribe, was quoted as saying.

Indigenous farm hub connects youth with land and boosts local food access

The Indigenous Farm Hub in Corrales, New Mexico, is helping Native youth reconnect with the land while increasing access to fresh food, according to reporting by New Mexico In Depth. The hub partners with the Native American Community Academy (NACA), allowing students from kindergarten through high school to learn farming skills outside the classroom. Co-founder Alan Brauer said the farm also runs a residency program to encourage new farmers, as the average farmer is about 58 years old.

The hub grows thousands of pounds of vegetables annually, distributing food through paid shares and donations to families with children attending the academy and a Diné language nest. The program emphasizes regenerative farming practices rooted in Indigenous traditions disrupted by colonialism.

North Dakota asks Supreme Court to restore 2021 district map during voting rights case

North Dakota is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the state to use its 2021 legislative district map while a voting rights case filed by two tribes and three Native citizens proceeds, according to the North Dakota Monitor. In a Tuesday brief, state attorneys argued federal courts have overreached by allowing private plaintiffs to challenge redistricting plans.

The lawsuit, brought by the Spirit Lake Nation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and three individuals, claims the 2021 map violates the Voting Rights Act. A federal judge ordered new district lines in 2023, but the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals later ruled the plaintiffs lacked standing. The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked changes to the current map, which places both reservations in the same district, while it considers a longer stay. The plaintiffs and supporters, including the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, argue that there is a “clear record” of Congress supporting private enforcement of the Voting Rights Act.

​​IndigiPalooza to spotlight Native arts, music and storytelling in Missoula

More than a dozen Indigenous artists, musicians and writers will gather Aug. 1-2 for IndigiPalooza, a Native arts and storytelling festival at the Missoula Public Library, according to Montana Free Press. The free, public event includes panel discussions, a traditional foods cooking demonstration, an art market and live performances by Native musicians Foreshadow and Supaman.

Montana Poet Laureate Chris La Tray, a citizen of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians, co-organized the festival alongside Selya Avila of the Missoula Public Library and Anna East of Chickadee Community Services. Joy Harjo, a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, will deliver the opening keynote.

La Tray said IndigiPalooza offers Native creators a space to share work with one another. “Native people need opportunities for us to be gathered among ourselves,” he told Montana Free Press.

NY State Senate panel endorses Haudenosaunee Olympic lacrosse bid

Republican members of the New York State Senate’s Subcommittee on State-Native American Relations have backed calls for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, according to WXXI News. The confederacy — composed of Oneida, Onondaga, Mohawk, Tuscarora, Seneca and Cayuga nations — views lacrosse as a traditional spiritual game, returning to Olympic competition for the first time since 1908.

State Sen. Rob Ortt, who co-authored a letter to the International Olympic Committee, said, “It’s only fitting Native American tribes are properly represented as an independent, sovereign nation.” LeRoy “Jock” Hill, Haudenosaunee Nationals board member, was quoted as saying, “Lacrosse is interwoven, and so it has great spiritual significance to our people and to the Creator.” The IOC has not yet ruled on whether to recognize the Haudenosaunee as their own nation for the Olympics.

Lower Elwha Klallam to host intertribal canoe journey 20 years after ancestral site desecration

The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe will host an intertribal canoe journey from July 31 to Aug. 5, marking the 30th annual gathering and the first time the tribe has hosted since 2005, according to ICT. The event comes 20 years after the Washington State Department of Transportation desecrated Tse-whit-zen, an ancestral village and burial site, during a construction project that led to the recovery of 335 human remains and more than 100,000 artifacts.

Tribal cultural coordinator Mark Charles said more than 100 canoes are expected to land on Elwha shores, followed by a five-day potlatch featuring traditional foods, songs, dancing and gifting. “The dams have been removed and the river is being restored, but everything with the dams coming out is still a healing process,” he said.

NABI tournament brings rez ball and record crowds to Phoenix

More than 200 teams representing about 160 tribal nations are competing in the 22nd annual Native American Basketball Invitational across Phoenix, according to the Arizona Republic. The tournament, founded in 2003, showcases Indigenous high school athletes and has awarded over $600,000 in scholarships.

The event runs until July 26, when championship games will be held at PHX Arena, with opening ceremonies and a national anthem performance by guitarist Rudy Perez. NABI President and CEO GinaMarie Scarpa was quoted as saying, “It celebrates rez ball and our Native American athletes.” Scarpa said the tournament continues to grow, with more than 500 games scheduled in just three days. Alumni, including professionals and community leaders, return to mentor youth and share their experiences.

New report offers guidance on Indigenous land access and return partnerships

The Native Land Conservancy and the Land Trust Alliance have released a new report aimed at advancing Indigenous land access and return. “Partnerships for Indigenous Land Access and Return: A Summary of Legal and Relational Pathways” was developed in collaboration with Tahoma Peak Solutions and an advisory team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts, according to the Land Trust Alliance.

The report outlines more than 70 examples of land being returned or access being restored to tribes and Indigenous-led nonprofits across the United States. It includes case studies, legal strategies and recommendations for building partnerships. Ramona Peters, founder of the Native Land Conservancy, was quoted in a press release as saying, “Restoring land to the care of the original people will revitalize those connections to the land.” The report is available on the Land Trust Alliance’s Resource Center and the Native Land Conservancy Initiatives website.

Métis professor restores sacred sage field mowed on Alberta campus

A sage field on the University of Alberta’s Augustana campus, protected for years by Métis professor Willow White, was accidentally mowed down in May, according to CBC News. White began working to preserve the sacred site after joining the campus in 2022, creating a plant walk that features signs with Indigenous language and cultural teachings.

White, a citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta, collaborated with elders, knowledge holders and students on the project. Following the mowing, students, faculty and alumni joined her to pull invasive weeds and support regrowth. “There’s a community of care now around the field where three years ago that didn’t exist,” White said. The university issued an apology by email.

Jonathan Nez launches second campaign for Congress

Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez announced a second run for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, according to ICT. Nez, a Democrat, previously ran in 2024 and lost to Republican Eli Crane. He now joins a 2026 candidate field that includes Crane and Democrat Eric Descheenie.

“I am a fighter, and now more than ever we need someone to warrior up and fight for Arizona,” Nez was quoted as saying in a news release. He criticized Crane’s support of a rescission package, saying it harmed district residents by cutting Medicaid access, hospital funding and support for tribal radio. The district includes Apache and Navajo counties and is home to 14 of Arizona’s 22 federally recognized tribes. Nez said his prior leadership brought progress on water security and cost reductions. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.

Tribal health groups boost measles vaccination amid outbreak

Tribal health organizations are increasing outreach to address low measles vaccination rates in Native communities, according to South Dakota Searchlight. The Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board is hosting mobile clinics across Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas. Meghan O’Connell, the board’s chief public health officer, said it is working with tribes that want to host additional clinics.

The Oyate Health Center in Rapid City, South Dakota, has created a measles response team, ordered extra masks and called parents of unvaccinated children. Harry Brown, a physician with United South and Eastern Tribes, said efforts to increase vaccination must involve listening to families’ concerns and building trust. Data from the Indian Health Service shows lower early childhood vaccination rates for Native American children than white children but comparable coverage by age 17. Transportation barriers and mistrust of underfunded health services continue to affect access to care.

NCAI rejects Trump’s call to revive racist team names

President Trump said he may block a new stadium for the Washington Commanders unless the team reverts to its former name, according to NPR. The Commanders dropped their old name in 2020 after years of criticism that it was racist toward Indigenous people.

“The Washington 'Whatever’s' should immediately change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He also called for the Cleveland Guardians to return to the name Cleveland Indians. “Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen,” he wrote, offering no evidence.

The National Congress of American Indians issued a press release on Monday rejecting Trump’s claim. It stated that Indian Country has repeatedly opposed the use of Native-themed mascots and cited decades of resolutions supported by hundreds of tribal nations. “Imagery and fan behaviors that mock, demean, and dehumanize Native people have no place in modern society,” NCAI President Mark Macarro was quoted as saying.

MHA Nation opens assisted living center for elders in Parshall

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday to celebrate the grand opening of the Heritage Place Lucky Mound Assisted Living Center in the Parshall Segment of the Fort Berthold Reservation.

According to the event announcement, the center includes 20 congregate-style units, gardens and cultural therapeutic spaces. It also features community areas and rooms dedicated to health and education services. The project reflects MHA Nation’s stated commitment to provide safe and supportive environments for elders. The celebration included remarks from MHA Nation Chairman Mark Fox, a presentation by the MHA Nation Color Guard from VFW Post 9061 and a performance by the Thunder Butte Singers. The center is located at 3 Nokota Drive in Parshall, North Dakota.

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes establish environmental commission, prompting state review

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes formed a new Environmental Protection Commission to regulate oil and gas operations on tribal lands, according to Oklahoma Energy Today. In a July 7 notice to oil and gas operators, Environmental Director Billy Nichols cited tribal sovereignty and federal law, granting the commission authority to inspect facilities, monitor air and water quality and enforce compliance with the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act.

Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners Brian Bingman, Kim David and Todd Hiett responded by stressing the tribes lack the federal “Treatment as a State” designation required for regulatory enforcement. They assured oil and gas operators the state’s Pollution Abatement Department will continue to address environmental concerns, Oklahoma Energy Today reported.