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Apply now to host a Conversation Project program Courtesy photos by Cecelia DeAnda Opposite page: Jessie Aguilar and Delores Case with Santa (Darin Rilatos) Above: A group photo of those Elders in attendance EldersChristmasGathering Dec. 11, 2014 Siletz Tribal Community Center Top right: Vera Lafferty Bottom right: Kathy Ness Below: Juanita Smith with Santa Obama makes commitment to American Indian youth WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama hosted more than 300 Tribal gov- ernment and youth leaders at the Sixth Annual White House Tribal Nations Conference on Dec. 3. During sessions throughout the day, 10 Cabinet secretaries and the admin- istration highlighted their deepening partnership with Tribal nations, par- ticularly on the critical matters of Native youth, Tribal economic development and climate change. The president was introduced by Terry Rambler, chairman of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, who declared that Obama “promised to meet with us annu- ally and he has kept his promise. During this time, we have accomplished many things for our communities.” Obama focused his remarks on Native youth, building upon his summer 2014 visit to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, where he and the first lady visited with a group of young people. He shared how they stayed longer than planned as the young people opened up about the extraordinary challenges they faced. Obama then made a series of concrete commitments designed to create new avenues of opportunity for Native youth: • • • • • The release of the White House Native Youth Report detailing the realities that Native young people face and offering recommendations to address those issues The launch of the Cabinet Native Youth Listening Tour, through which each Cabinet secretary will pay visits to Indian Country in 2015 to hear directly from Native youth The establishment of the Generation Indigenous (Gen I) national initia- tive, which will seek to identify and remove obstacles standing in the way of Native youth success The creation of Native Youth Com- munity Projects, which will facilitate collaboration between Tribes and schools to support students in a range of areas The convening of the first White House Tribal Youth Gathering in 2015 “The United States shares a sacred bond with our Native nations,” said Obama.” We have a sacred responsibil- ity to all our young people, including Native youth.” He also pledged his continued com- mitment and that of his administration to promote economic growth in Tribal com- munities, address the accelerating impacts of climate change and submit a budget to Congress that seeks smarter, stronger investments important for Indian Country. “President Obama has demonstrated his commitment to ensuring a stronger relationship for the next generation,” said Brian Cladoosby, president of the National Congress of American Indi- ans. “He has committed himself and his administration to building a bright future for Native youth and a stronger tomorrow for Tribal nations.” About NCAI Founded in 1944, the National Con- gress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of Tribal governments and communities, promot- ing strong Tribal-federal government-to- government policies and promoting a better understanding among the general public about American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. For more information, visit ncai.org. PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon non- profits, community groups and businesses are invited to host public discussions through the Conversation Project, which offers humanities-based programs about provocative issues and ideas. The Conversation Project is a pro- gram of Oregon Humanities. Conversation Project programs are opportunities for Oregonians to talk about things that matter – things like food, reading, religion, solitude, marriage or the Second Amendment – in exploratory and thoughtful ways, guided by trained facilitators who connect the subject to participants’ experiences and to the local community, and challenge participants to think in new ways without advocating a particular perspective. Conversations, which last between 60 and 90 minutes, are provided at low cost to Oregon nonprofit organizations and community groups. The 2014-15 Conversation Project lineup features 33 programs. Topics include government surveillance, rural and urban interdependence, the origins and purpose of the Second Amendment, rethinking downtowns, how gender shapes our lives and many more. Three programs are available in Spanish. Since 2009, more than 200 orga- nizations have hosted Conversation Project events, including libraries, com- munity colleges, hospitals, performing arts groups, museums, hospitals and groups devoted to environmental and social justice. Through Jan. 31, 2015, Oregon nonprofits, community groups and busi- nesses can apply to host Conversation Project programs that take place between March 1 and June 30, 2015. The full program catalog, instructions for host organizations and application form are available at oregonhumanities.org. Please see the website’s events calendar for Conversation Project programs currently happening in counties around the state. The Conversation Project is sup- ported in part by a grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust: Oregonians investing in Oregon’s arts, heritage and humanities. For more information about the Conversation Project program and how to apply, contact Oregon Humanities Program Officer Annie Kaffen at 503- 241-0543 or 800-735-0543, ext. 116, or a.kaffen@oregonhumanities.org. Oregon Humanities connects Orego- nians to ideas that change lives and transform communities. More informa- tion about our programs and publica- tions – which include the Conversation Project, Think & Drink, Humanity in Perspective, Idea Lab Summer Institute, Public Program Grants and Oregon Humanities magazine – can be found at oregonhumanities.org. Oregon Humanities is an indepen- dent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and a partner of the Oregon Cultural Trust. January 2015 • SiletzNews • 13