In late March, Charitie Ropati delivered a speech at the United Nations on International Day of Forests. She is an Arctic youth ambassador and an Arctic Resilient Communities Youth Fellow at Columbia University. Her research covers the intersections of permafrost, plant ecology and social and cultural resilience in coastal Native communities.

The Reservation Economic Summit, also known as RES, is underway this week in Las Vegas. ICT’s Paris Wise has more.

Ojibwe rapper Mic Jordan was named North Dakota’s “Hip-hop artist of the Year” in 2016. For years, he has created a series of hits, and also leads hip-hop writing workshops. He was in Phoenix on stage for a show at Cahokia. 

A slice of our Indigenous world

  • Native American skeletal remains have been found at an Ivy league College. Dartmouth College announced last week the discovery of 15 Native ancestors in their collections. Dartmouth President Philip Hanlon said he sincerely apologies, adding “Dartmouth is dedicated to righting these heartbreaking wrongs.”
  • In North Dakota, a bill to secure protections for Native children placed in foster care or adoptive homes is moving closer toward becoming law. The state Senate passed the bill last week after previously clearing the state House in February. HB 1536 will head back to the state House to resolve differences.
  • Two First Nations sisters are celebrating after being released from prison on bail last week. Both served 30 years for a second-degree murder conviction in 1994 — and have maintained they did not kill the victim. APTN’s Brent McGillivray reports.
  • Leaders from all five Wabanaki tribes gave a State of the Tribes address to a crowded legislative chamber. The tribes hope to alter the Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act of 1980 which treats reservations like municipalities that are subject to state law.

Today’s newscast was created with work from:

Shirley Sneve, Ponca/Sicangu Lakota, is vice president of broadcasting for the ICT Newscast. Follow her on Twitter @rosebudshirley. She is based in Nebraska and Minnesota.

Aliyah Chavez, Kewa Pueblo, is the anchor of the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @aliyahjchavez.

R. Vincent Moniz, Jr., NuÉta, is the senior producer of the ICT Newscast. Have a great story? Pitch it to vincent@ictnews.org.

McKenzie Allen-Charmley, Dena’ina Athabaskan, is a producer of the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @mallencharmley.

Paris Wise, Zia and Laguna Pueblo, is a producer for the ICT Newscast. Instagram and Twitter: @parisiswise. Email: paris@ictnews.org.

Drea Yazzie, Diné, is a producer and editor for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @quindreayazzie. Yazzie is based in Phoenix.

Virginia Rigney, Chickasaw, is a video editor for the ICT Newscast.

Pacey Smith Garcia, Ute, is a production assistant for the ICT newscast. On Twitter: @paceyjournalist.

RipLey-Simone Kennebrew is an intern for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @ripleysimoneken

Daniel Herrera Carbajal is an intern for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @daniulherrrera

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