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College speech contest that requires video entries to award scholarships Speakin’ in Indian encourages Native youth to showcase skills SUQUAMISH, Wash. – Cut Bank Creek Press, a Native-owned publishing company, will award two $1,500 college scholarships to the winners of its first speech contest titled Speakin’ in Indian. Currently enrolled college students will upload five-minute video entries to YouTube in response to one of two theses: 1. Native people and Tribes should expend substantial resources on the preservation/restoration of Native languages and make it a top priority because …” 2. “Native people and Tribes should not expend their limited resources on the preservation/restoration of Native languages and make it a top priority because …” One scholarship will be awarded for each argument – the best argument in favor of language preservation and the best argument against making language preservation a priority. Spokespeople for the contest are Dallas Goldtooth (Dakota and Diné), a renowned speaker and language pres- ervation advocate; Mike LaFromboise (Blackfeet), Blackfoot language scholar and computer nerd; Gyasi Ross (Black- feet), author of Don’t Know Much about Indians (but I wrote this book about us anyways); and Steven Paul Judd (Kiowa and Choctaw), a renowned visual artist and filmmaker. Goldtooth, Ross and Judd also will serve on the final panel of judges. Ross created the scholarship spe- cifically to increase the number of young Native people who feel confident speak- ing for themselves and for Native people. “It’s a very small step. Still, those that can speak persuasively and passionately tend to be leaders within our communi- ties. Native people are, and always have been, perfectly capable of speaking for ourselves, yet we haven’t had a formal pipeline to develop strong Native speak- ers and leaders,” said Ross. “Now, of course we have some amazing and great Native leaders, but they succeeded through sheer will and without a formal mechanism to develop them. This scholarship is a start to creating a formal program because the lead- ers of today need to take the initiative to help mentor and cultivate tomorrow’s leaders.” Contest rules will be announced Jan. 1, 2013. Submissions will be accepted from Jan. 15 through Feb. 15 and will be reviewed from Feb. 15 to April 1. Finalists will be announced during the first week of April. In late April, four finalists will be flown to Albuquerque, N.M., to present their speeches, after which the two win- ners will be selected. Finally, scholarships will awarded at the beginning of the 2013- 2014 academic year. Speakin’ in Indian is presented in partnership with Red Eagle Soaring Native Youth Theatre, a progressive 20-year-old Seattle nonprofit engaging Native youth in creative self-expression and critical discussions about the issues affecting their lives. For more information, e-mail speakin- inindian@cutbankcreekpress.com. Interior launches Land Buy-Back Program for Tribes to consolidate lands Plan helps unlock lands for various Tribal uses WASHINGTON – The Department of the Interior announced on Dec. 18 the ini- tial framework of the Land Buy-Back Pro- gram for Tribal nations that will purchase fractional interests in American Indian trust lands from willing sellers, enabling Tribal governments to use the consolidated parcels to benefit their communities. The initial implementation plan, based on consultation with Tribes, out- lines how Interior will carry out the land consolidation component of the Cobell Settlement, which provided a $1.9 billion fund to purchase the fractionated interests in trust or restricted land, at fair market value, within a 10-year period. These acquired interests will remain in trust or restricted status through transfer to Tribes. Fractionation of Indian lands stems primarily from the General Allotment Act of 1887 that allotted Tribal lands to individual Tribal members, often in 80- or 160-acre parcels. The lands have been handed down to heirs over successive generations, causing the number of shared OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY ANNUAL MULTICULTURAL HEALTH, SCIENCE & ENGINEERING CAREER CONFERENCE interests in one parcel to grow exponen- tially. Currently, more than 92,000 tracts of land held in trust for American Indians contain 2.9 million fractional interests. When tracts have so many co-owners, it is often difficult and impractical to obtain the required approvals to lease or otherwise use the lands. As a result, highly-fractionated tracts lie idle. The Buy-Back Program will be structured to allow as much opportunity for Tribal participation and assistance as practical, including consulting with Indian Tribes to identify acquisition priorities. The program will actively report progress and communicate with Tribal communities throughout the life of the initiative. Interior will host three consultation sessions in January and February to discuss the initial implementation plan and receive Tribal feedback – on Jan. 31 in Minneapo- lis, Minn.; on Feb. 6 in Rapid City, S.D.; and on Feb. 14 in Seattle, Wash. The initial implementation plan is available for public comment for 75 days. For more information on the Buy- Back Program and to view the plan, visit doi.gov/buybackprogram. I NTERESTED IN D ENTISTRY , M EDICINE OR R ESEARCH ? J OIN O REGON H EALTH & S CIENCE U NIVERSITY FOR THE 2013 S UMMER EQUITY R ESEARCH P ROGRAM COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO: Attend information sessions with OHSU’s admission teams UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO: Gain clinical experience Listen to a panel discussion featuring current OHSU students Work with Faculty and Graduate Students Participate in healthcare and science hands-on activities Spend eight weeks in the beautiful Pacific Northwest Meet OHSU faculty & staff Stipend and housing accommodation provided Participate in an internship, information & career fair FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013 Online registration will be available on December 25, 2012 Register online at www.ohsu.edu/diversity Registration deadline is Friday, February 8, 2013 Sponsored by: OHSU Center for Diversity & Inclusion Attend lectures, workshops, and department meetings APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE STARTING M ONDAY , N OVEMBER 5, 2012 Visit our webpage www.ohsu.edu/diversity for more information or email the Center for Diversity & Inclusion at cdi@ohsu.edu APPLICATION DEADLINE FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013 4:00PM (PST) Like Us On Face book & Learn More! If you require accommodation to attend this event, please contact the Center for Diversity & Inclusion at cdi@ohsu.edu or (503) 494-5657 prior to the event. Center for Diversity & Inclusion January 2013 • SiletzNews • 15
