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Greetings, relatives.

A lot of news out there. Thanks for stopping by ICT’s digital platform.

Each day we do our best to gather the latest news for you. Remember to scroll to the bottom to see what’s popping out to us on social media and what we’re reading.

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Okay, here’s what you need to know today:

President Joe Biden has gotten his turn at bringing the holiday spirit to Washington. The president and his wife, Jill, participated in the annual tradition of lighting the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse near the White House. This year’s tree is a 40-foot Norway spruce from West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest. There was a moment’s doubt earlier this week about whether Thursday’s lighting ceremony would go ahead as planned after the tree was toppled by powerful winds. But it was upright again within hours after the National Park Service replaced a cable that helps secure it.

“Thanks to the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and the National Park Service Foundation,” Biden said. “They’re the ones doing this.”

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Laguna Pueblo, joined the president and First Lady for the tree lighting ceremony Thursday evening, the last day of Native American Heritage Month. “This special season brings home a simple truth: by treating others with kindness, we can build the future our communities deserve, together,” Haaland shared on X, formerly Twitter. “Happy Holidays!” — Associated Press and ICT

The National Institutes of Health awarded $9 million to the Native BioData Consortium, in collaboration with Stanford University, for an Indigenous data repository led by Native scientists.

NativeBio, an Indigenous-led nonprofit biodata repository and research institution on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, wants to design ethical approaches when it comes to data sovereignty, and do it with scholars and health sites. The effort is called the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Tribal Data Repository: Data for Indigenous Implementations, Interventions, and Innovations.

“In recognition that science development projects are increasingly done as public-private partnerships, we recommend that formal and informal standards include and adhere to 21st-century precepts of equity, restorative justice, and benefit sharing, acknowledging the 532 years of injustice done to Native Americans and their inability to correct the problem on their own,” said Joseph Yracheta, Pūrepech and executive director of NativeBio.

Cheyenne River Sioux Chairman Ryman LeBeau celebrates the award. “This is a huge step forward for all of Indian country. We are finally acknowledged for what we have known all along. Tribal Nations have the ability and capacity to administer health, education, and economic programs for ourselves.” — ICT

FORT YATES, N.D. – Doug Crow Ghost, Hunkpapa Lakota, opens a large binder labeled “Volume II: Dakota Access Pipeline Lake Oahe Crossing Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement.” The binder is supposed to contain instructions for the tribe should there be a leak in the Dakota Access Pipeline. Instead, the entire page is redacted, replaced with a massive black square.

“So, this is what we do if there’s a leak,” said Crow Ghost, water administrator for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, holding the binder open to two entirely redacted pages.

A public forum held November 1 and November 2 in Bismarck was meant to be an opportunity for concerned citizens and tribal officials to provide feedback on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS outlines five options for the future of the pipeline. Options include denying the easement that allows for the Cannon Ball, N.D.; crossing, abandoning or removing the segment; granting the easement with no changes or additional safety measures; or rerouting the pipeline north of Bismarck.

The Bismarck format of the public forum upset many in attendance. Many, including Standing Rock officials, expected a public hearing-style forum. Instead, the forum was a one-on-one meeting with a stenographer present to write down concerns. There was also an opportunity for individuals to write comments. READ MORE — Amelia Schafer, ICT and Rapid City Journal

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‍WARNING: This story discusses mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ2S+ youth, including depression, anxiety and suicide.

Hundreds of youth dressed as their authentic selves laughed, danced and watched Indigenous drag performers at a night celebrating queer joy last May. It was exactly the sort of event called for in a new report by the Trevor project, finding that Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ youth face a significantly higher rate of mental health struggles compared to their white peers.

At Queer Prom, Native American Youth and Family Center organizers worked to create a space of love and acceptance — a celebration of all that it means to be queer — a prom many queer adults never had the opportunity to attend.

In a study released Thursday by The Trevor Project, researchers found that Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ youth face disproportionate rates of mental health struggles including suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression.

Finding ways to reduce those numbers is extremely important, as is highlighting queer and trans joy and examples of thriving Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ people, according to Silas Hoffer, Yakama and Grand Ronde, Two Spirit programming advocate at NAYA. Hoffer helped organize NAYA’s Queer Prom this year. READ MORE — Nika Bartoo-Smith, Underscore News and ICT 

A moment of reflection. Next week I am moving out of the newsroom for a few months and finishing up my next book. Today I wrap up on set as a back-up anchor, back-up show producer, economics correspondent, and I have been carrying out a general role doing whatever is required.

This enterprise – really, three ventures, ICT, the ICT Newscast, and the company, IndiJ Public Media – have come so far in our short history.

Indian Country Today had gone out of business and we all knew how important the “newspaper” was. We could not let it die.

We started small. I keep thinking of the days when there were three of us typing as fast as Kermit the Frog in order to keep up with the news. Now there are more reporters, producers and yet not nearly enough to keep up with the volume of what’s required. The challenge is still the promise coined by Elias Boudinot in 1824, “a vehicle of Indian intelligence.” Everyday we get to think about what’s going on in our communities, writing and producing stories about those occurrences, and hopefully adding context along the way. READ MORE — Mark Trahant, ICT

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Billy Luther’s first foray into narrative feature length film territory, “Frybread Face and Me”, is a highly successful endeavor. Luther displays a talent for navigating queerness in such a delicate and artful manner that he reminds us that just because a story has queer elements, it does not necessarily mean it’s the whole story.

Not only this, Luther (Navajo/Hopi/Laguna) explores intertribal relations with a deft manner and humorous eye. It takes a very specific and talented writer/director combination to be able to pull these things off and Luther has all the qualities required in a director.

Expertly cast with the most current and trending Indigenous actors working today, the cast of mostly Navajo actors shine: Morningstar Angeline (Diné) is luminescent as Benny’s mom Ann and Kahara Hodges (Navajo) as Aunt Lucy is dreamy as Benny’s rowdy aunt who drives an old beat up ford around the rez and sells jewelry to make ends meet.

Jeremiah Bitsui (Diné) and Tik Tok Navajo celebrity Nasheen Slueth (Diné) join the party as comic relief as Uncle Roger and Aunt Sharon. Keir Tallman (Navajo) and Charley Hogan (Navajo) have great chemistry as the child leads, Benny and Frybread Face. READ MORE —— Source New Mexico

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Other top stories:

  • Yurok Tribe Vice Chairman Frankie Myersdeclares candidacy for State Assembly District 2 seat
  • The Endangered Species Act’s complicated legacy in Indian Country
  • Students, faculty celebrate founding of Indigenous Peoples of Oceania cultural group

We want your tips, but we also want your feedback. What should we be covering that we’re not? What are we getting wrong? Please let us know. dalton@ictnews.org.