Students invited to inspire others
You are invited to participate in The Great American NO BULL Challenge,
an annual campaign that inspires America’s 25 million teens to stand up against bul
lying by creating videos with an anti-bullying message.
The NO BULL Challenge is a free campaign and platform that can be used to educate
middle and high school students about bullying awareness and prevention by integrating
social media, scholarships, prizes and a red carpet awards event (Teen Video Awards,
produced by Live Nation) to highlight the best of the best videos from around the country.
Both students and educators are provided all of the necessary resources via the
online NO BULL toolkits. To learn more about the campaign or to get started, visit
nobullchallenge.org. Video upload deadline is March 15, 2012.
Imagine Tomorrow challenges ninth- to 12,h-grade students from Oregon, Idaho,
Montana and Washington to seek new ways to support the transition to alternate energy
sources. Students research complex topics then innovate technologies, designs or plans
to mobilize behavior. They forge connections in their communities and create posi
tive change. In this competition, as in life, solutions are limited only by imagination.
There is no registration fee and housing and meals are provided at no cost. In
addition, small grants are available to help teams launch their 2012 projects.
Registration opens March 1 and closes April 2. Register early - space is limited. The
competition will be held May 18-20 at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash.
Visit imagine.wsu.edu to learn more or contact organizers at imagine@wsu edu
or 509-335-1467.
Courtesy photo
Bud Lane (left) from the Siletz Tribe and Bobby Mercier (right) from Grand
Ronde attend the inauguration of the new president of Willamette University,
Stephen Thorsett, on Feb. 10 in Salem, Ore.
Indian Nations, con’t from previous page
Governmental flexibility
Protecting the Indian budget is the
first step, but long-term success depends
on Tribal nations having the same oppor
tunities to protect and preserve our com
munities that are available to state and
local governments. We exercise jurisdic
tion over lands that would make us the
fourth largest state. We run dozens of
social programs previously administered
by federal agencies or states. And we
protect reservation environments in the
manner that states regulate off reserva
tion lands. .
Tribal governments have proven our
capacity to grow our economies, educate
our people and manage our resources.
We need the federal government to put
decision-making power back in the hands
of the people who live in Indian Country
- the people who know best because these
are our homelands, these are our people.
The old way of doing things causes
missed opportunities every day. The
Swinomish Tribe, in Washington state,
saw this firsthand. The Tribe had worked
out a deal with Wal-Mart for a big new
store on the reservation. This was a great
deal - a million dollars a year in lease
revenue for the Tribe and new jobs for
Tribal members and people throughout
the community.
As with every lease on Indian lands,
the federal government needed to approve
it. The process took more than a year and
by the time it was approved, economic
conditions had changed and Wal-Mart
had made other plans. A million dollars a
year for Swinomish, gone. All those jobs,
gone. And this is not an isolated story.
Many Tribal leaders can tell you stories
about business opportunities lost because
of red tape.
This is why our federal partners have
already proposed crucial lease reforms to
free our economies. Tribal nations have
proven our capacity. We don’t need the
government involved in all our business
decisions, we need flexibility. And by
creating it, we will remove the barriers
that cost us jobs and opportunity. This is
a goal I think we can all agree on, across
the political spectrum, and it is something
we can achieve with a change in policy,
not an increase in spending.
That is the kind of solution Wash
ington is crying out for and we in Indian
Country are eager to answer the call.
Moment of opportunity
Ensuring governmental flexibility
will yield more efficient programs and
spending because decisions will be made
by those in the best position to respond
to community needs. It will also relieve
administrative burdens at the federal level.
This message comes directly from
Tribal leaders. We went to them with one
simple question: What can we do with
what we have already — without asking
for more resources - that will provide
greater opportunity for Indians and create
more impact for federal programs? Over
and over, the answer came back: We need
freedom at the local level to best use our
limited resources. We know what’s best
because we live in Indian Country. We
know where the needs are and we know
what works for our people. No one under
stands Indian life better than the Indian
nations themselves. Give us flexibility.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in
North Dakota is delivering broadband ser
vices across their reservation because of
governmental flexibility. The FCC’s deci
sion to designate Standing Rock Telecom
as an eligible telecommunications carrier
means they are the first fully Tribally
owned and operated broadband company
that can receive universal service funds.
This designation has empowered
Standing Rock to own and operate essen
tial telecommunications infrastructure.
This offers avenues for economic devel
opment, opportunities to preserve Tribal
languages and culture, and infrastructure
for distance learning programs. That is
the kind of flexibility we need in Indian
Country when only one in 10 Native
people have access to broadband today.
The Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in
Nevada opened a 65,000-square-foot
health facility in 2007 that showed the
promise of tax-exempt bond financing.
Almost $16 million in bonds funded a
full-service clinic that serves 100,000
people each year. This project created
permanent jobs and built the infrastructure
for quality health services.
Tribes were denied full access to this
delivering services and leading the way.
source of financing until the Recovery Act
It’s time to build our trust on that reality.
created a limited bond offering. Based on
That trust also requires consultation,
that experience, the Treasury released a
legally enforceable consultation. Without
report in December recommending they
the power of legislation and accountability,
have the same access to bond financing
"free, prior and informed consent” are just
available to our governmental peers. This
some nice words on a page. As President
will bring huge economic benefits to Tribes
Obama himself said when he announced
and surrounding regional economies.
his support for the UN Declaration - "What
Education is another example where
matters far more than words ...are actions
flexibility can prepare our children for to match those words.” We call for action
the global marketplace. The Cherokee
to make consultation count.
Nation's Language Immersion School
Enforceable consultation means we
formed an innovative partnership with
must talk about another idea - Tribal con
Apple computers to integrate technology
sent. There would be a public outcry if the
and the Cherokee language. They devel
federal government tried to impose policy
oped Cherokee language software for use
on a state without its consent. But the
on Macintosh computers, iPhones, iPods
concerns of Tribal nations are routinely
and iPads. Students even chat online - in
overlooked, even when more than a dozen
Cherokee - with students from the Eastern
Tribes are larger than some northeastern
Band of Cherokee in North Carolina. This
states. This must not stand.
is a powerful example of Tribal innovation
and initiative - the type of innovation that
Our America
vesting Tribes with greater authority over
Our America is a place where all can
our own programs unleashes.
didates know that we matter and America
Whether in economic development or
sees it at the ballot box. It’s a place
education, health care or energy, the key to
where each and every president honors
getting it right is the freedom to identify
our unique nation-to-nation relationship,
and tear down barriers to our success.
where Indian Country is always at the
table - not just because it’s the right thing
A new era for the trust
to do, but because it’s the smart thing to
relationship
do. Our America is home to a Congress
Tribal leaders carry with us a dream.
that works across party lines to free our
It’s a dream passed down from our economies. Our America is a place where
parents and grandparents. It doesn’t look
governments keep their promises.
forward to 2012 or 2016, it looks to the
Our America is where Tribal nations
seventh generation. We see a future where
create economic opportunities, where
the trust relationship actually works.
people come to us for the best jobs. It’s
Works for Tribal nations and works for
a place where Tribes are on the forefront
our federal partners.
of new technology - high-tech manufac
Our ancestors knew that Tribes could
turing, telemedicine, clean energy. Our
govern our nations like no one else. Today,
America is where indigenous peoples
we have proven it. Residents of rural
reach across borders and bring home
Oklahoma are driving to our health facili
economic opportunity for all Americans.
ties because they offer the best services
As the oldest governments in Amer
around. States and counties are turning to
ica, Tribal nations understand what is
our traditional knowledge to best manage
required to overcome stark economic con
natural resources. Citizens of those states
ditions. Perhaps more than any other time
are coming to Tribes for job opportunities
in history, our nations must stand together,
and a good education at Tribal colleges.
empowered to make profound and per
And companies are coming to us to set up
manent improvements in the lives of our
businesses on the reservation and bring
people. Our nations are committed to the
American jobs home.
success of the United States of America.
When we have the tools and freedom
Let us realize that future together so that
we need, we are creating businesses,
our nations thrive, today and forever.
March 2012
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Siletz News
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